31-3-132. Block of information on credit report. (1) Within 30 days after a consumer reporting agency receives from a consumer a complaint of identity theft and documentation as provided in subsection (2), the consumer reporting agency shall permanently block any information that the consumer identifies from the consumer’s report that resulted from identity theft as defined in 45-6-332.

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Terms Used In Montana Code 31-3-132

  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Credit report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness. Source: OCC
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Knowingly: means only a knowledge that the facts exist which bring the act or omission within the provisions of this code. See Montana Code 1-1-204
  • Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201

(2)To request a block of information on a consumer report, a consumer shall provide a consumer reporting agency with:

(a)a copy of a police report or an identity theft passport as provided in 46-24-220;

(b)the specific description of information that is to be blocked because it was a result of a violation of 45-6-332.

(3)A consumer reporting agency shall notify the person furnishing the information that a police report has been filed and that a block has been requested and shall notify the person of the effective date of the block.

(4)A consumer reporting agency may decline to block information or may rescind any block of information if, in the exercise of good faith and reasonable judgment, the consumer reporting agency believes that:

(a)the information was blocked because of a misrepresentation of fact by the consumer in requesting the block under this section;

(b)the consumer agrees that the blocked information or portions of the blocked information were blocked in error; or

(c)the consumer knowingly obtained possession of goods, services, or money as a result of the transaction for which information was blocked or the consumer should have known that possession of goods, services, or money occurred because of the transaction for which information was blocked.

(5)If a consumer reporting agency declines to block information or rescinds a blocking of information under this section, the consumer reporting agency shall notify the consumer promptly in the same manner as required in 15 U.S.C. § 1681i. The prior presence of the blocked information in the consumer reporting agency’s file on the consumer is not evidence of whether the consumer knew or should have known that the consumer obtained possession of any goods, services, or money.

(6)In order to facilitate a consumer’s right to block information as provided in subsection (1), a law enforcement agency shall provide to the consumer at the consumer’s request a copy of a police report filed by the consumer that indicates that the consumer is a victim under 45-6-332.