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Credit Repair Organizations

§ 1679a. Definitions

For purposes of this subchapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) Consumer
The term “consumer” means an individual.

(2) Consumer credit transaction
The term “consumer credit transaction” means any transaction in which credit is offered or extended to an individual for personal, family, or household purposes.

(3) Credit repair organization
The term “credit repair organization”—

(A) means any person who uses any instrumentality of interstate commerce or the mails to sell, provide, or perform (or represent that such person can or will sell, provide, or perform) any service, in return for the payment of money or other valuable consideration, for the express or implied purpose of—

(i) improving any consumer’s credit record, credit history, or credit rating; or
(ii) providing advice or assistance to any consumer with regard to any activity or service described in clause (i); and

(B) does not include—

(i) any nonprofit organization which is exempt from taxation under section 501 (c)(3) of title 26;
(ii) any creditor (as defined in section 1602 of this title), with respect to any consumer, to the extent the creditor is assisting the consumer to restructure any debt owed by the consumer to the creditor; or
(iii) any depository institution (as that term is defined in section 1813 of title 12) or any Federal or State credit union (as those terms are defined in section 1752 of title 12), or any affiliate or subsidiary of such a depository institution or credit union.

(4) Credit
The term “credit” has the meaning given to such term in section 1602 (e) of this title.