Which best captures the consumer's expectation when requesting a score from a credit reporting agency under this rule?

• A. The score will be provided free of charge
• B. The score may be provided, but the agency is not required to do so
• C. The score will be provided to third parties only
• D. The score will be provided only if the consumer disputes data

Answer: (B)

Access to a credit score from a credit reporting agency is not guaranteed. The FACT Act grants consumers free access to their annual credit reports, but it does not require the agency to provide a score. Agencies may offer a score as a separate service, possibly for a fee, but there is no obligation to provide it.

This is why the answer is that the score may be provided, but the agency is not required to do so. The other options would impose guarantees or conditions that the rule does not impose: a score being automatically free, scores being shared only with third parties, or scores being provided only when a consumer disputes data.