V.I. Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea is calling on Congress to swiftly pass the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 (H.R. 2808 / S. 1467), a bipartisan, bicameral bill aimed at protecting Americans from the invasive and deceptive practice of mortgage credit “trigger leads.”
Attorney General Rhea, joined by Attorneys General Alan Wilson (SC), Marty Jackley (SD), Jeff Jackson (NC), and Aaron Ford (NV), is leading the charge on behalf of consumers who have been overwhelmed by unsolicited calls and texts after applying for a mortgage. These communications often stem from the legal but abusive sale of consumer data allowed under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
“When people apply for a mortgage, they’re making one of the biggest decisions of their lives—and their personal information shouldn’t be up for grabs,” said Attorney General Rhea. “Trigger leads open the door to a flood of aggressive marketing, exposing consumers to misleading pitches and, in some cases, outright scams.”
The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act would restrict trigger lead usage to businesses with a prior relationship with the consumer or those who have received explicit consent. This targeted reform protects privacy while preserving healthy market competition.
For years, state attorneys general have been hamstrung by federal law, with preemption under the FCRA blocking stronger state-level protections. The result? Inconsistent state efforts and limited recourse for consumers
St. Croix Source
Police & Courts
