FTC Settles Cases About Improper Use of Consumer Information

The Federal Trade Commission announced this morning that it has settled two cases concerning improper use of consumer credit information. The first settlement resolves FTC allegations that the consumer reporting company Equifax Information Services violated the FTC Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act by selling lists of consumers who were late on their mortgage payments. Under the settlement, Equifax will pay $393,000. Under a separate settlement, Direct Lending Source, a company that bought the information from Equifax and resold it, will pay $1.2 million and be barred from "using or selling prescreened lists without a permissible purpose, or in connection with solicitations for debt relief or mortgage assistance relief products or services." (Shouldn't all companies be barred from using consumer information without a "permissible" purpose?)