15 U.S.C. § 1681Q

Section 1681q · Obtaining information under false pretenses

Amended 2 times on record

Applied in 66 court decisions — leading case Gelman v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance (2009)

Most recently applied in United States v. James Kelly, Jr. (February 2024)

Any person who knowingly and willfully obtains information on a consumer from a consumer reporting agency under false pretenses shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both.

Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel

Amendments

1996—Pub. L. 104–208 substituted “fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both” for “fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, or both”.

Effective Date of 1996 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 104–208 effective 365 days after Sept. 30, 1996, with special rule for early compliance, see section 2420 of Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1681a of this title.