Class Action Claims Goldman Sachs & Co. Obtained Texas Man’s Credit Report Without Authorization

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Goldman Sachs & Co. has improperly obtained consumers’ credit reports without proper authorization or a permissible purpose, a proposed class action claims.

The plaintiff behind the eight-page lawsuit out of Texas alleges the global investment giant requested and obtained his Innovis credit report despite the fact that he “is not and has never been” a customer and has not “applied for or otherwise sought any products or lines of credit” from the defendant. 

Goldman Sachs has violated the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by obtaining the plaintiff’s Innovis credit report without consent, authorization or a permissible purpose to do so, the suit claims. 

According to the lawsuit, Goldman Sachs “misrepresented” to Innovis, a consumer credit reporting agency, that the plaintiff applied for credit from and had a current business relationship with the company, and that Goldman would be making a firm offer of credit to the man.

“As a result of Defendant’s false representations, Innovis disseminated Plaintiff’s highly confidential credit information to Defendant,” the case charges. “At all times relevant, Defendant did not have a legitimate or lawful need for Plaintiff’s credit information.” 

The lawsuit says the plaintiff experienced “significant harm” as a result of Goldman Sachs’ alleged conduct, including “anxiety, distress, mental anguish” and a fear that he might be the victim of identity theft.

According to the complaint, the defendant has a pattern and practice of systematically accessing consumers’ credit reports by “falsely representing to the credit reporting agencies that consumers are seeking a line of credit” and that Goldman Sachs intended to make a firm offer of credit to the individuals. 

The lawsuit looks to represent a class comprised of all individuals in the United States who, within the five years preceding the filing of the complaint and through the date of class certification, had their consumer credit report(s) obtained by Goldman Sachs from Innovis, and were not existing customers of the defendant, did not seek a line of credit from the company and did not receive a firm offer of credit from Goldman. 

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