Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti joined this week a bipartisan coalition in a letter calling on Congress to swiftly pass the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act of 2025 (H.R. 2808 / S. 1467), a bipartisan bill aimed at protecting Americans from the invasive and deceptive practice of mortgage credit “trigger leads.”
Attorney General Skrmetti, 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 originate from the legal but abusive sale of consumer data allowed under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
“Tennessee families shouldn't be ambushed by scammers and high-pressure salespeople the second they try to buy a home,” said Attorney General Skrmetti. “When Tennesseans apply for a mortgage, they're making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives – not signing up to have their personal information auctioned off to the highest bidder. Congress must step in and end this categorical invasion of privacy.”
Under current federal law, credit reporting agencies can legally sell “trigger leads” whenever someone applies for a mortgage—real-time notifications that contain the consumer’s personal information, including names, addresses, and credit information. This spawns a feeding frenzy that leaves consumers with little way to opt-out. 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? Limited state efforts and recourse for consumers. In 2023, a similar measure passed the U.S. Senate unanimously. With growing bipartisan momentum in both chambers and support from consumer advocates and industry groups, this coalition of attorneys general is urging Congress to deliver this critical and overdue consumer protection reform.
Attorney General Skrmetti joins fellow Attorneys General Alan Wilson of South Carolina, Marty Jackley of South Dakota, Jeff Jackson of North Carolina, and Aaron Ford of Nevada in sending this letter along with the attorneys general of American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
