Article 6 of the Saudi Credit Information Law
المادة 6 من نظام المعلومات الائتمانية
Requires members, companies and their staff to keep consumers' credit information confidential, and bars publishing it or using it except as the Law, its Regulations and the confidentiality laws allow.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يلتزم الأعضاء والشركات والعاملون لديهم بالمحافظة على سرية المعلومات الائتمانية للمستهلكين، ولا يجوز نشرها أو استخدامها لأي غرض آخر، باستثناء ما ورد في هذا النظام أو لائحته التنفيذية، أو بما يتوافق مع الأنظمة والتعليمات المنظمة لسرية المعلومات في المملكة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 6 explained in plain English
This article establishes the principle of confidentiality in handling consumers' credit information, and states who is bound by it and what is prohibited.
Who is bound by confidentiality?
- Members, that is, the bodies bound by a contract with a credit information company.
- Credit information companies.
- The staff of members and companies; the obligation does not rest on the body alone but also on its employees.
What is prohibited? Publishing credit information or using it for any other purpose.
Exceptions: publication or use is permitted only in three cases: what is provided for in this Law, what is provided for in its Implementing Regulations, or what is consistent with the laws and instructions governing the confidentiality of information in the Kingdom.
This article is linked to Article 5, which requires the consumer's written consent before a member obtains his credit record, and to Article 7, which allows information to be used in the form of statistical figures provided they do not indicate the consumer's identity. The rule is therefore secrecy, and the exception is limited to what is provided for.
Anyone harmed by the publication or use of his credit information outside these limits would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in banking and finance to learn the suitable legal route.
Practical example
An employee of a finance provider in Dammam saw a customer's credit record through her work and then told one of his relatives about the overdue debts in it. This conduct conflicts with the obligation of members' staff to keep credit information confidential and not publish it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 6 of the Saudi Credit Information Law
May a bank employee tell others about my credit information?
No. The article requires members, companies and their staff to keep credit information confidential and not publish it, except as the Law, its Regulations or the confidentiality laws in the Kingdom allow.
May my credit information be used for marketing purposes?
The article prohibits using credit information for any other purpose, except what is provided for in the Law, its Implementing Regulations or what is consistent with the laws and instructions governing confidentiality of information.
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The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.