▁the ▁government ▁must ▁receive ▁the ▁consent ▁of ▁the ▁customer ▁before ▁they ▁can ▁access ▁said ▁customer ' s ▁financial ▁information . ▁The ▁Act ▁pres cri bes ▁stat ut ory ▁dam ages ▁of ▁$ 1 0 0 ▁per ▁viol ation , ▁and ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁different ▁viol ations ▁can ▁be ▁aggreg ated ▁in ▁a ▁class ▁action . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁R F PA , ▁the ▁F BI ▁could ▁obtain ▁records ▁with ▁a ▁national ▁security ▁letter ▁( NS L ) ▁only ▁if ▁the ▁F BI ▁could ▁first ▁demonstrate ▁the ▁person ▁was ▁a ▁foreign ▁power ▁or ▁an ▁agent ▁of ▁a ▁foreign ▁power . ▁Comp liance ▁by ▁the ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁NS L ▁was ▁volunt ary , ▁and ▁states ' ▁consumer ▁priv acy ▁laws ▁often ▁allowed ▁financial ▁institutions ▁to ▁decl ine ▁the ▁requests . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁Congress ▁am ended ▁R F PA ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁government ▁to ▁comp el ▁dis closure ▁of ▁the ▁requested ▁information . ▁The ▁USA ▁P AT RI OT ▁Act ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁am ended ▁the ▁R F PA . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁Gr amm – Le ach – Bl iley ▁Act ▁( GL BA ) ▁Fin an cial ▁priv acy ▁laws ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁ ▁Priv acy ▁laws ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁ ▁Fair ▁Cred it ▁Report ing ▁Act ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁R F PA ▁information ▁page ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁Electron ic ▁Priv acy ▁Information ▁Center , ▁a ▁public ▁interest ▁group ▁ ▁Category : Un ited ▁States ▁federal ▁bank ing