TransUnion, Trans Union LLC, and TransUnion Interactive, Inc.
On October 12, 2023, the Bureau issued an order against TransUnion, parent company of one of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies, and two of its subsidiaries, Trans Union LLC, and TransUnion Interactive, Inc. (collectively, TransUnion), which are headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Security freezes and locks block certain third parties, such as lenders, from accessing consumers’ credit reports to prevent a potential identity thief from obtaining new credit in those consumers’ names. Consumers can remove or lift security freezes upon request to, for example, apply for credit. Starting in September 2018, Federal law has required nationwide consumer reporting agencies to provide security freezes as a free service, whereas locks are a feature of certain paid products. The Bureau found that TransUnion, from as early as 2003, failed to timely place or remove security freezes and locks on the credit reports of tens of thousands of consumers who requested them, including certain vulnerable consumers; in some cases, those requests were left unmet for months or years. The Bureau found TransUnion’s failure to place or remove security freezes in a timely manner occurred as a result of problems, including systems issues, that TransUnion knew about but failed to address for years. The Bureau found that TransUnion’s failure to place or remove security freezes in a timely manner violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), and TransUnion’s failure to place or remove both security freezes and locks in a timely manner was unfair in violation of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (CFPA). Further, the Bureau found that TransUnion engaged in deceptive acts and practices by falsely telling certain consumers that their requests had been successful when they had not. In addition, the Bureau found that from about 2016 to 2020, TransUnion failed to exclude certain consumers, including active-duty military and other potential victims of identity theft, from pre-screened solicitation lists in violation of FCRA. The Bureau’s order requires TransUnion to pay $3 million to consumers in redress and $5 million in civil penalties. TransUnion must also take steps to address and prevent unlawful conduct, including convening a committee to identify and solve technical and systems problems that can affect consumers.
CONSUMER CONTACT INFORMATION
Consumers with inquiries related to redress under the order may contact TransUnion by toll-free phone at 1-833-415-2754; email at info@securityfreezeredress.com; or mail at TransUnion Security Freeze Redress, C/O Rust Consulting Inc – 8454, PO Box 2742, Faribault, MN 55021-9742. Consumers may also inquire in person at Rust Consulting Inc., For TransUnion Security Freeze Redress – 8454, 920 2nd Ave S Ste 400, Minneapolis, MN 55402.