The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a federal agency that enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws, including the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
When the FTC was created in 1914, its purpose was to prevent unfair methods of competition in commerce as part of the battle to “bust the trusts.” Over the years, Congress passed additional laws giving the agency greater authority to police anticompetitive practices. In 1938, Congress passed a broad prohibition against “unfair and deceptive acts or practices.” Since then, the Commission also has been directed to administer a wide variety of other consumer protection laws, including the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the Pay-Per-Call Rule and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. In 1975, Congress gave the FTC the authority to adopt industry-wide trade regulation rules. The FTC’s work is performed by the Bureaus of Consumer Protection, Competition and Economics. That work is aided by the Office of General Counsel and seven regional offices.
The FTC ensures that consumers, consumer reporting agencies, and lenders are treated in a fair and equitable manner. You can learn more about the FTC here by visiting their website.
