years) and tax liens (seven years from the time they are paid). The three big CRAs—Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—do not interact with information furnishers directly as a result of consumer disputes. They use a system called E-Oscar. In some areas of the country, however, there are other credit bureaus. Nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies In addition to the three big CRAs, the FCRA also classifies dozens of other information technology companies as "nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies" that produce individual consumer reports used to make credit determinations. Under Section 603 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the term "nationwide specialty consumer reporting agency" means a consumer reporting agency that compiles and maintains files on consumers on a nationwide basis relating to: Medical records or payments; Residential or tenant history; Check writing history; Employment history; or, Insurance claims. Because these nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies sell consumer credit report files, they are required to provide annual disclosures of their report files to any consumer who requests disclosure. A partial list of companies classified as nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies under FCRA includes: Telecheck, ChoicePoint, Acxiom, Integrated Screening Partners, Innovis, the Insurance Services Office, Tenant Data Services, LexisNexis, Retail Equation, Central Credit, Teletrack, the MIB Group, United Health Group (Ingenix Division), and Milliman. Although the major CRAs Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion are required by law to provide a central source website for consumers to request their reports, the nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies are not required to provide a centralized online source for disclosure. The FCRA Section 612 merely requires nationwide specialty consumer reporting agencies to establish a streamlined process for consumers to request consumer reports, which shall include, at a minimum, the establishment by each such agency of a toll-free telephone number for such consumer disclosure requests. See also Annualcreditreport.com Adverse Credit History Background check Credit card Credit history Credit rating agency Credit score Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act Fair Credit Billing Act Identity theft Identity Theft Resource Center Tenant Screening Financial privacy laws in the United States References External links As codified in 15 U.S.C. chapter 41 subchapter III of the United States Code from the LII As codified in 15 U.S.C. chapter 41 subchapter III of the United States Code from the US House of Representatives Consumer Credit Protection Act (FCRA is title VI; PDF/details) as amended in the GPO Statute Compilations collection FTC advisory opinions FTC Staff