Which act prohibits lenders from discriminating based on race, religion, or sex?

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) specifically addresses discrimination in lending practices, making it illegal for lenders to deny credit basedon characteristics such as race, religion, sex, and other protected classes. This act ensures that all individuals have equal access to credit opportunities regardless of their personal attributes, aiming to foster fairness in the lending process.

The Fair Housing Act mainly deals with discrimination in housing-related transactions rather than credit specifically, focusing on preventing discrimination in the sale or rental of housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, family status, and disability. Meanwhile, the Americans With Disabilities Act is centered on preventing discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various areas, including public accommodations and employment, but it does not specifically address lending. The Community Reinvestment Act encourages banks to meet the credit needs of all communities but does not directly prohibit discrimination at the level of individual lending decisions.

Thus, the ECOA is the act that directly relates to prohibiting discrimination by lenders based on race, religion, or sex.