Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.

(1)(a) "Adverse action" includes:

(i) Denial of, increase in any charge for, or reduction in the amount of insurance for personal, family, or household purposes;

(ii) Denial of employment or any other decision for employment purposes that adversely affects a current or prospective employee;

(iii) Action or determination with respect to a consumer's application for credit that is adverse to the interests of the consumer; and

(iv) Action or determination with respect to a consumer's application for the rental or leasing of residential real estate that is adverse to the interests of the consumer.

(b) "Adverse action" does not include:

(i) A refusal to extend additional credit under an existing credit arrangement if:

(A) The applicant is delinquent or otherwise in default with respect to the arrangement; or

(B) The additional credit would exceed a previously established credit limit; or

(ii) A refusal or failure to authorize an account transaction at a point of sale.

(2) "Attorney general" means the office of the attorney general.

(3) "Consumer" means an individual.

(4)(a) "Consumer report" means a written, oral, or other communication of information by a consumer reporting agency bearing on a consumer's creditworthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living that is used or expected to be used or collected in whole or in part for:

(i) The purpose of serving as a factor in establishing the consumer's eligibility for credit or insurance to be used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes;

(ii) Employment purposes; or

(iii) Other purposes authorized under RCW 19.182.020.

(b) "Consumer report" does not include:

(i) A report containing information solely as to transactions or experiences between the consumer and the person making the report;

(ii) An authorization or approval of a specific extension of credit directly or indirectly by the issuer of a credit card or similar device;

(iii) A report in which a person who has been requested by a third party to make a specific extension of credit directly or indirectly to a consumer conveys his or her decision with respect to the request, if the third party advises the consumer of the name and address of the person to whom the request was made and the person makes the disclosures to the consumer required under RCW 19.182.070;

(iv) A list compiled by a consumer reporting agency to be used by its client for direct marketing of goods or services not involving an offer of credit;

(v) A report solely conveying a decision whether to guarantee a check in response to a request by a third party; or

(vi) A report furnished for use in connection with a transaction that consists of an extension of credit to be used for a commercial purpose.

(5) "Consumer reporting agency" means a person who, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the business of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties, and who uses any means or facility of commerce for the purpose of preparing or furnishing consumer reports. "Consumer reporting agency" does not include a person solely by reason of conveying a decision whether to guarantee a check in response to a request by a third party or a person who obtains a consumer report and provides the report or information contained in it to a subsidiary or affiliate of the person.

(6) "Credit transaction that is not initiated by the consumer" does not include the use of a consumer report by an assignee for collection or by a person with which the consumer has an account, for purposes of (a) reviewing the account, or (b) collecting the account. For purposes of this subsection "reviewing the account" includes activities related to account maintenance and monitoring, credit line increases, and account upgrades and enhancements.

(7) "Direct solicitation" means the process in which the consumer reporting agency compiles or edits for a client a list of consumers who meet specific criteria and provides this list to the client or a third party on behalf of the client for use in soliciting those consumers for an offer of a product or service.

(8) "Employment purposes," when used in connection with a consumer report, means a report used for the purpose of evaluating a consumer for employment, promotion, reassignment, or retention as an employee.

(9) "File," when used in connection with information on any consumer, means all of the information on that consumer recorded and retained by a consumer reporting agency regardless of how the information is stored.

(10) "Investigative consumer report" means a consumer report or portion of it in which information on a consumer's character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living is obtained through personal interviews with neighbors, friends, or associates of the consumer reported on or with others with whom the consumer is acquainted or who may have knowledge concerning any items of information. However, the information does not include specific factual information on a consumer's credit record obtained directly from a creditor of the consumer or from a consumer reporting agency when the information was obtained directly from a creditor of the consumer or from the consumer.

(11) "Medical information" means information or records obtained, with the consent of the individual to whom it relates, from a licensed physician or medical practitioner, hospital, clinic, or other medical or medically related facility.

(12) "Person" includes an individual, corporation, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal or commercial entity.

(13) "Prescreening" means the process in which the consumer reporting agency compiles or edits for a client a list of consumers who meet specific credit criteria and provides this list to the client or a third party on behalf of the client for use in soliciting those consumers for an offer of credit.