Who is entitled to a free copy of the credit report on request when adverse action is taken?

• A. The lender
• B. The government
• C. The employer
• D. The consumer

Answer: (D)

When adverse action is taken based on information in a consumer’s credit report, the consumer has the right to a free copy of that report upon request. This right is built to let the consumer see exactly what the lender relied on, check for accuracy, and dispute any errors. The free copy is provided by the credit reporting agency that supplied the report, and the request must be made within 60 days of receiving the adverse action notice. The entitlement is for the consumer, not the lender, government, or employer, to obtain the copy in this situation. (Note: separate provisions allow a free annual credit report from the major bureaus, but that’s a different right.)