---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1681c–3"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1681c–3"
heading: "Adverse information in cases of trafficking"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1681c-3"
units:
  - "Chapter 41 — Consumer Credit Protection"
  - "Subchapter III — Credit Reporting Agencies"
---

# §1681c–3. Adverse information in cases of trafficking

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Trafficking documentation—** The term “trafficking documentation” means—
    - (A) documentation of—
      - (i) a determination that a [consumer](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=c) is a victim of trafficking made by a Federal, [State](/usc/15/1602.md?p=s), or Tribal governmental entity; or
      - (ii) by a court of competent jurisdiction; and
    - (B) documentation that identifies items of adverse information that should not be furnished by a [consumer reporting agency](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=f) because the items resulted from a severe form of trafficking in [persons](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) or sex trafficking of which the [consumer](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=c) is a victim.
  - (2) **Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 definitions—** The terms “severe forms of trafficking in [persons](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e)” and “sex trafficking” have the meanings given, respectively, in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 ([22 U.S.C. 7102](/usc/22/7102.md)).
  - (3) **Victim of trafficking—** The term “victim of trafficking” means a [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) who is a victim of a severe form of trafficking in [persons](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) or sex trafficking.
- (b) **Adverse information—** A [consumer reporting agency](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=f) may not furnish a [consumer report](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=d-1) containing any adverse item of information about a [consumer](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=c) that resulted from a severe form of trafficking in [persons](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) or sex trafficking if the [consumer](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=c) has provided trafficking documentation to the [consumer reporting agency](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=f).
- (c) **Rulemaking—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 180 days after December 27, 2021, the Director shall issue rules to implement [subsection (a)](#a).
  - (2) **Contents—** The rules issued pursuant to [paragraph (1)](#c-1) shall establish a method by which [consumers](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=c) shall submit trafficking documentation to [consumer reporting agencies](/usc/15/1681a.md?p=f).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–321, title VI, § 605C, as added Pub. L. 117–81, div. F, title LXI, § 6102(a), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2383.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 117–81, div. F, title LXI, § 6102(c), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2384, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section] shall apply on the date that is 30 days after the date on which the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection issues a rule pursuant to section 605C(c) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act [15 U.S.C. 1681c–3(c)], as added by subsection (a) of this section. Any rule issued by the Director to implement such section 605C [15 U.S.C. 1681c–3] shall be limited to preventing a consumer reporting agency from furnishing a consumer report containing any adverse item of information about a consumer (as such terms are defined, respectively, in section 603 the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681a)) that resulted from trafficking.”