Business

31-State Deal Should Make Credit Report Errors Easier to Fix

Published

11 years ago

May 22, 2015

JULIE CARR SMYTH, Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Three nationwide credit reporting agencies have agreed to fix disputed information on credit reports more quickly, wait longer before adding potentially damaging information on medical debt and scrutinize certain data furnished by outside entities, according to a multistate settlement announced Wednesday.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced the pact that Equifax, Experian and TransUnion struck with attorneys general in 31 states. It calls for the agencies to pay a combined $6 million to participating states and to adjust a host of business practices over the next three years.

“It’s a good day for all consumers in the United States,” said DeWine, a Republican. He spearheaded the investigation that led to the deal after reading a 2012 investigation by The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch about consumers denied car loans, house loans and jobs because of mistakes by reporting agencies.

Other attorneys general praised the deal.

“I am pleased that our agreement brings about reforms that will provide for more effective dealings and better communication between consumers and the credit reporting agencies,” said Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange.

“This is a comprehensive settlement that has taken participating states years to negotiate,” Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt said in a statement. “I empathize with those Nevadans who have long struggled with these issues, and am actively working to achieve changes and positive results.”

The agreement requires agencies to:

— Maintain information about problems with entities that furnish them data — such as collection agencies, department stores or banks — and make that information available to states so patterns can be spotted;

— Use a better, more detailed system to share data with those so-called furnishers;

— Set up a more intensive process for complicated disputes, such as those involving identity theft, fraud or mixed credit files in which two people’s identities have been confused;

— Educate consumers about how they can further dispute the outcome of an investigation.

The settlement prohibits credit reporting agencies from adding information about fines and tickets to a consumer’s credit report and bars the addition of medical debt until 180 days after it is reported to give consumers time to work with their insurance companies.

It also allows consumers to obtain an extra free credit report in a 12-month period if a charge they dispute turns out to result in a change to their report. Federal law already allows consumers to get a free copy of their credit report once a year from each of the three reporting agencies.

“We believe that all these changes will directly improve the accuracy of consumers’ credit reports and the quality of service they receive when they correct errors,” DeWine said.

Stuart Pratt, President and CEO of the Consumer Data Industry Association, which represents the credit reporting agencies, said the settlement resulted from collaborative discussions between the parties in Wednesday’s pact and the attorney general of New York, who announced core elements of the deal known as the National Consumer Assistance Plan in March.

“The three nationwide credit reporting agencies have been in compliance with federal and state law, but as we showed in launching the National Consumer Assistance Plan, we do not hesitate to make improvements beyond what the law requires when doing so will benefit consumers,” he said.

Pratt said the most recent comprehensive government study found credit reports are materially accurate 98 percent of the time.

Besides Ohio, states in the settlement were Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Wisconsin.

DeWine said he anticipates nonparticipating states will also reap the benefits the settlement calls for the companies to change overall business practices.

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OP-ED: AB 1349 Puts Corporate Power Over Community

Since Ticketmaster and Live Nation merged in 2010, ticket prices have jumped more than 150 percent. Activities that once fit a family’s budget now take significant disposable income that most working families simply don’t have. The problem is compounded by a system that has tilted access toward the wealthy and white-collar workers. If you have a fancy credit card, you get “presale access,” and if you work in an office instead of a warehouse, you might be able to wait in an online queue to buy a ticket. Access now means privilege.

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

Oakland Post

Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

By Bishop Joseph Simmons, Senior Pastor, Greater St. Paul Baptist Church, Oakland

As a pastor, I believe in the power that a sense of community can have on improving people’s lives. Live events are one of the few places where people from different backgrounds and ages can share the same space and experience – where construction workers sit next to lawyers at a concert, and teenagers enjoy a basketball game with their grandparents. Yet, over the past decade, I’ve witnessed these experiences – the concerts, games, and cultural events where we gather – become increasingly unaffordable, and it is a shame.

These moments of connection matter as they form part of the fabric that holds communities together. But that fabric is fraying because of Ticketmaster/Live Nation’s unchecked control over access to live events. Unfortunately, AB 1349 would only further entrench their corporate power over our spaces.

Power over live events is concentrated in a single corporate entity, and this regime operates without transparency or accountability – much like a dictator. Ticketmaster controls 80 percent of first-sale tickets and nearly a third of resale tickets, but they still want more. More power, more control for Ticketmaster means higher prices and less access for consumers. It’s the agenda they are pushing nationally, with the help of former Trump political operatives, who are quietly trying to undo the antitrust lawsuit launched against Ticketmaster/Live Nation under President Biden’s DOJ.

That’s why I’m deeply concerned about AB 1349 in its current form. Rather than reining in Ticketmaster’s power, the bill risks strengthening it, aligning with Trump. AB 1349 gives Ticketmaster the ability to control a consumer’s ticket forever by granting Ticketmaster’s regime new powers in state law to prevent consumers from reselling or giving away their tickets. It also creates new pathways for Ticketmaster to discriminate and retaliate against consumers who choose to shop around for the best service and fees on resale platforms that aren’t yet controlled by Ticketmaster. These provisions are anti-consumer and anti-democratic.

California has an opportunity to stand with consumers, to demand transparency, and to restore genuine competition in this industry. But that requires legislation developed with input from the community and faith leaders, not proposals backed by the very company causing the harm.

Will our laws reflect fairness, inclusion, and accountability? Or will we let corporate interests tighten their grip on spaces that should belong to everyone? I, for one, support the former and encourage the California Legislature to reject AB 1349 outright or amend it to remove any provisions that expand Ticketmaster’s control. I also urge community members to contact their representatives and advocate for accessible, inclusive live events for all Californians. Let’s work together to ensure these gathering spaces remain open and welcoming to everyone, regardless of income or background.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 31, 2025 – January 6, 2026

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1 week ago

January 2, 2026

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Big God Ministry Gives Away Toys in Marin City

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 29, 2025

Oakland Post

From top left: Pastor David Hall asking the children what they want to be when they grow up. Worship team Jake Monaghan, Ruby Friedman, and Keri Carpenter. Children lining up to receive their presents. Photos by Godfrey Lee.

By Godfrey Lee

Big God Ministries, pastored by David Hall, gave toys to the children in Marin City on Monday, Dec. 15, on the lawn near the corner of Drake Avenue and Donahue Street.

Pastor Hall also gave a message of encouragement to the crowd, thanking Jesus for the “best year of their lives.” He asked each of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Around 75 parents and children were there to receive the presents, which consisted mainly of Gideon Bibles, Cat in the Hat pillows, Barbie dolls, Tonka trucks, and Lego building sets.

A half dozen volunteers from the Big God Ministry, including Donnie Roary, helped to set up the tables for the toy giveaway. The worship music was sung by Ruby Friedman, Keri Carpenter, and Jake Monaghan, who also played the accordion.

Big God Ministries meets on Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley, CA Their phone number is (415) 797-2567.