Credit Bureaus being sued · Successful 800 Program

Aug 25 (edited) • General discussion

Credit Bureaus being sued

You’re asking two important things:

Which federal agencies (“bureaus”) are currently being sued?

Here’s a breakdown of significant, ongoing federal litigation as of August 2025:

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Related Agencies

Multiple lawsuits—at least eight—have been filed under the Privacy Act of 1974. Plaintiffs include labor unions, advocacy groups, state attorneys general, and individuals. They allege DOGE improperly accessed sensitive federal data across agencies.
Notable cases: Public Citizen, et al. v. Trump, OMB, DOGE, early 2025. Gribbon v. Musk, a class action seeking compensation for unauthorized access to personal data. Multiple other suits involving OPM, Treasury, and Education Department for data handling and buyout programs.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) vs. Credit Bureaus

CFPB sued Experian in early January 2025 for allegedly conducting “sham” investigations of consumer credit disputes.
CFPB also issued an enforcement order against Equifax, resulting in a $15 million penalty for mishandling investigations and re-inserting inaccuracies.
Moreover, the CFPB has taken legal or administrative action against a range of entities, including Capital One, Block (Cash App), American Honda Finance, Wise US Inc., Synapse Financial, and several others.

State Attorneys General vs. Federal Agencies (Trump-era policies)

A coalition of 20 Democratic attorneys general filed lawsuits challenging administration efforts to withhold hundreds of millions in federal funding conditioned on immigration enforcement or DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) rollbacks.
A separate multistate suit targets the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and multiple federal departments—Agriculture, Commerce, DHS, Justice, EPA, FEMA, NSF, and others—alleging improper withdrawal of federal funding using changed priorities.

DOJ vs. American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)

Department of Justice filed suit on behalf of eight federal agencies (on national security grounds) to terminate existing collective bargaining agreements with AFGE.
Separately, AFGE and coalition partners sued the administration’s reorganization and mass employee layoffs; a preliminary injunction was granted in May 2025.

ACLU vs. DOJ, FBI, DHS

ACLU filed a lawsuit under a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, seeking documents about intelligence hub surveillance (Joint Terrorism Task Forces and fusion centers). This targets DOJ, FBI, and DHS for failure to comply with transparency requests.

Public Citizen sues Treasury over DOGE data access

In Washington, DC, Public Citizen, among others, sued the Treasury Department, alleging unlawful access by DOGE to federal payment systems containing personal data.

Steps & Procedures to File a Claim Against a Federal Agency

If you—or someone else—wants to file a claim against a federal agency, it depends on the nature of the claim:

For Tort Claims (Injury or Wrongful Acts by the Government)

Follow the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) procedures:

Submit an administrative claim in writing to the relevant agency within two years of the incident.
Wait for an agency response.
If denied—or if six months pass without response—you have six months to file a suit in federal district court.

For Contract Disputes or Employment-Related Claims

Administrative processes vary by agency. Some have specific adjudicative bodies (e.g., CFPB’s Administrative Law Judge procedures).
If administrative remedies fail, legal proceedings—like declaratory judgments or injunctions—can be filed in federal court.

For Privacy Act Violations

First, individuals typically must exhaust agency-specific administrative procedures, such as administrative appeals or records requests under FOIA or Privacy Act.
If that doesn’t resolve the issue, suit can be brought in federal district court, citing violation of the Privacy Act.

For FOIA Requests or Government Transparency Claims

For Employment or Union-Related Disputes

Check whether claims involve civil service rights, labor statutes, or collective bargaining laws.
Execute administrative processes (grievances, appeals to Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), or appropriate labor boards).
If unresolved, lawsuits or injunctive relief may be filed in federal court—such as what AFGE has done.

Summary Table

Issue Type

Initial Step

Deadline

Next Step

Tort Claim (FTCA)

File admin claim with agency

Within 2 years

File in district court within 6 mo

Privacy Act (Data Access)

Administrative appeal/notice process

Agency-specific