WASHINGTON STATUTES AND CODES

19.182.090 - Consumer file -- Dispute -- Procedure -- Notice -- Statement of dispute -- Toll-free information number.

Consumer file — Dispute — Procedure — Notice — Statement of dispute — Toll-free information number.

(1) If the completeness or accuracy of an item of information contained in a consumer's file at a consumer reporting agency is disputed by the consumer and the consumer notifies the agency directly of the dispute, the agency shall reinvestigate without charge and record the current status of the disputed information before the end of thirty business days, beginning on the date the agency receives the notice from the consumer.

     (2) Before the end of the five business-day period beginning on the date a consumer reporting agency receives notice of a dispute from a consumer in accordance with subsection (1) of this section, the agency shall notify any person who provided an item of information in dispute.

     (3)(a) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a consumer reporting agency may terminate a reinvestigation of information disputed by a consumer under subsection (1) of this section if the agency determines that the dispute by the consumer is frivolous or irrelevant, including by reason of a failure of the consumer to provide sufficient information.

     (b) Upon making a determination in accordance with (a) of this subsection that a dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, a consumer reporting agency shall notify the consumer within five business days of the determination. The notice shall be made in writing or any other means authorized by the consumer that are available to the agency, but the notice shall include the reasons for the determination and a notice of the consumer's rights under subsection (6) of this section.

     (4) In conducting a reinvestigation under subsection (1) of this section with respect to disputed information in the file of any consumer, the consumer reporting agency shall review and consider all relevant information submitted by the consumer in the period described in subsection (1) of this section with respect to the disputed information.

     (5)(a) If, after a reinvestigation under subsection (1) of this section of information disputed by a consumer, the information is found to be inaccurate or cannot be verified, the consumer reporting agency shall promptly delete the information from the consumer's file.

     (b)(i) If information is deleted from a consumer's file under (a) of this subsection, the information may not be reinserted in the file after the deletion unless the person who furnishes the information verifies that the information is complete and accurate.

     (ii) If information that has been deleted from a consumer's file under (a) of this subsection is reinserted in the file in accordance with (b)(i) of this subsection, the consumer reporting agency shall notify the consumer of the reinsertion within thirty business days. The notice shall be in writing or any other means authorized by the consumer that are available to the agency.

     (6) If the reinvestigation does not resolve the dispute or if the consumer reporting agency determines the dispute is frivolous or irrelevant, the consumer may file a brief statement setting forth the nature of the dispute. The consumer reporting agency may limit these statements to not more than one hundred words if it provides the consumer with assistance in writing a clear summary of the dispute.

     (7) After the deletion of information from a consumer's file under this section or after the filing of a statement of dispute under subsection (6) of this section, the consumer reporting agency shall, at the request of the consumer, furnish notification that the item of information has been deleted or that item of information is disputed. In the case of disputed information, the notification shall include the statement filed under subsection (6) of this section. The notification shall be furnished to any person specifically designated by the consumer, who has, within two years before the deletion or filing of a dispute, received a consumer report concerning the consumer for employment purposes, or who has, within six months of the deletion or the filing of the dispute, received a consumer report concerning the consumer for any other purpose, if these consumer reports contained the deleted or disputed information.

     (8)(a) Upon completion of the reinvestigation under this section, a consumer reporting agency shall provide notice, in writing or by any other means authorized by the consumer, of the results of a reinvestigation within five business days.

     (b) The notice required under (a) of this subsection must include:

     (i) A statement that the reinvestigation is completed;

     (ii) A consumer report that is based upon the consumer's file as that file is revised as a result of the reinvestigation;

     (iii) A description or indication of any changes made in the consumer report as a result of those revisions to the consumer's file;

     (iv) If requested by the consumer, a description of the procedure used to determine the accuracy and completeness of the information shall be provided to the consumer by the agency, including the name, business address, and telephone number of any person contacted in connection with the information;

     (v) If the reinvestigation does not resolve the dispute, a summary of the consumer's right to file a brief statement as provided in subsection (6) of this section; and

     (vi) If information is deleted or disputed after reinvestigation, a summary of the consumer's right to request notification to persons who have received a consumer report as provided in subsection (7) of this section.

     (9) In the case of a consumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains consumer reports on a nationwide basis, the consumer reporting agency must provide to a consumer who has undertaken to dispute the information contained in his or her file a toll-free telephone number that the consumer can use to communicate with the agency. A consumer reporting agency that provides a toll-free number required by this subsection shall also provide adequately trained personnel to answer basic inquiries from consumers using the toll-free number.