Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

15 U.S.C. § 1681q

Obtaining information under false pretenses

Any person who knowingly and willfully obtains information on a consumer from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.

Pub. L. 90–321, title VI, § 619Pub. L. 91–508, title VI, § 60184 Stat. 1134Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title II, § 2415(a)110 Stat. 3009–450(, as added , , ; amended , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 104–2081996— substituted “fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both” for “fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Pub. L. 104–208section 2420 of Pub. L. 104–208section 1681a of this titleAmendment by effective 365 days after , with special rule for early compliance, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date

section 504(d) of Pub. L. 90–321Pub. L. 91–508section 1681 of this titleSection effective upon the expiration of one hundred and eighty days following , see , as added by , set out as a note under .