 TITLE: Do Mortgage Companies Run Background Checks? CONTENT: Factors That Lenders Don't Check\n--------------------------------\nThere are certain off-limits criteria that mortgage lenders cannot consider when making a lending decision. Per the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), it is illegal for a mortgage lender to discriminate based on your:\n*   Race\n*   Color\n*   Religion\n*   National origin\n*   Sex\n*   Marital status\n*   Age\nBorrowers also can't be discriminated against for receiving income from public assistance programs. If your application is denied, mortgage lenders are legally required to provide their reason for doing so. Violations of the ECOA can be reported to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. END