“A litigância abusiva e ilegítima da indústria do ‘limpa nome' é uma ameaça ao mercado de crédito”, diz presidente da ANBC

The National Association of Credit Bureaus (ANBC) has sounded the alarm about the negative effects of abusive litigation on the credit market in Brazil. The inappropriate use of the judicial system, through repetitive lawsuits and with the aim of delaying decisions, has generated distortions that affect both the supply of credit and interest rates, with direct impacts on consumers and financial institutions.

“Uma manifestação da litigância abusiva é a indústria ‘limpa nome', que interfere diretamente no sistema de informações que sustenta as decisões de crédito de milhares de instituições, dentro e fora do sistema financeiro. Quando há esse excesso de ações, de forma ilegítima, todos saem prejudicados: desde o próprio requerente, que pode cair em superendividamento, até os demais consumidores, que enfrentam taxas mais altas e menor oferta de crédito”, afirma Elias Sfeir, presidente executivo da ANBC.

The practice, which is often aimed at excluding default records, has become a model of action that benefits the few to the detriment of the many. The growth in the number of lawsuits also puts pressure on the judicial system, consuming time and public resources. Data from the National Council of Justice (CNJ) indicates that, in 2023, the country had 83.8 million pending cases. It is estimated that around 30% of civil lawsuits in state courts involve abusive litigation.

A study carried out by the Central Bank of Brazil, based on the period from 2013 to 2018, shows the effects of this practice on the economy. According to the analysis, an increase of 10% in the proportion of court decisions favorable to debtors reduced the growth of new credit agreements by 23 percentage points.

“This evidence reinforces the importance of legal certainty for a healthy credit market. Clear laws and less discretionary interpretation of disputes are essential to avoid distortions,” adds Elias Sfeir.

Despite the risks, Brazil has made progress in tackling the problem. The CNJ's own recommendations, such as numbers 127 and 159, seek to curb excessive judicialization and promote greater balance between the parties.

“Temos um sistema de informações de crédito robusto e bem avaliado internacionalmente. A litigância abusiva e ilegítima da indústria do ‘limpa nome' é uma ameaça a esse mecanismo vital, mas o diálogo entre o Judiciário e a iniciativa privada tem gerado resultados positivos”, ressalta o presidente da ANBC.