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Financial fraud and identity theft are major parts of a trafficking survivor’s exploitation. Traffickers have taken out loans, opened businesses, and destroyed victims’ credit through trafficking. The Debt Bondage Repair Act (DBRA), passed in 2021, gives victims the ability to have debts resulting from human trafficking removed from their credit report. This act is an important step towards survivors regaining financial freedom.

The DBRA amended the Fair Credit Reporting Act and prohibits consumer reporting agencies from reporting adverse credit information about a consumer that resulted from human trafficking. The DBRA directs the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to establish a method for submitting court and other supporting documents to show which debts are a result of being trafficked. ​

This information last reviewed: Feb 8, 2022