Assistance for survivors of human trafficking

In December 2021, President Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law, which included the Debt Bondage Repair Act. The Debt Bondage Repair Act prohibits credit reporting companies from providing credit reports that contain any negative item of information about a survivor of trafficking that resulted from the trafficking. This new act went into effect July 25, 2022.

Types of trafficking covered

You may be eligible for these blocking protections if you experienced the following:

  • Sex trafficking – if you were recruited, transported, solicited, or harbored for the purpose of a commercial sex act or if you were induced into a commercial sex act by force, fraud, or coercion
  • Labor trafficking – if you were transported or harbored by force or fraud for slavery, debt bondage, or involuntary servitude

To block trafficking-related information from your credit report, you will be required to submit the following:

  1. Proof of your identity
    • One copy of a government issued identification card, such as a driver’s license, state ID card, or passport.
    • One copy of a utility bill, bank, or insurance statement.

    Make sure that each copy is legible and displays either your former or current name and current mailing address and the date of issue. We are unable to accept voided checks, lease agreements, magazine subscriptions or postal service forwarding orders as proof.

    To enable us to identify your file in our records, please also include in your correspondence your full Social Security number, date of birth, and complete addresses for the last two years.

  2. Trafficking victim determination

    A determination that you were a victim of trafficking may take several forms. It may include documents from courts or from federal, state, local, or tribal governmental entities.

    In addition, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or human trafficking task forces may be able to provide documentation of your status as a victim of trafficking.

    You also may provide a self-attestation, provided that it is signed by a representative from a governmental entity, court, authorized NGO or human trafficking task force.

  3. Identification of adverse information

    You must identify the negative information on your credit report that resulted from trafficking. This documentation should include a statement that identifies different debts or items on your credit file that were connected to, or were a result of, trafficking. You can use this sample letter.

Once you have the required items, send them to Experian in one of the following ways:

  • Upload the information to experian.com/upload
  • Mail the information to either of the following addresses:
    Experian, P.O. Box 1069, Allen, TX 75013
    Experian, P.O. Box 9701, Allen, TX 75013
If you have questions about the process

If you have questions about the required documents or submission process, you may call us at 1-833-420-2893.

If you have complaints about the process

You may file a complaint about Experian or the company reporting the item, with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your State Attorney General's office by visiting the CFPB’s website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372).