TransUnion Settles Suit with Free Credit Report Monitoring for Select Consumers

TransUnion announced that it will soon begin providing eligible U.S. consumers up to nine months of free credit monitoring and related services. The offering is part of a preliminary settlement of a lawsuit that has been pending for many years and arose from a business TransUnion discontinued in 2001. This offering is consistent with TransUnion’s commitment to providing consumers with tools and resources that empower them to actively manage their credit health.

On May 28, a judge of the Eastern Division of the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois granted preliminary approval of the settlement of a class action lawsuit that claims the Defendants violated state laws and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA") when they sold certain marketing lists.

"We understand that many consumers are concerned about privacy and hope that this settlement demonstrates our commitment to empowering consumers to better understand, manage and protect their credit information," said Colleen Ryan, vice president of corporate and community affairs for TransUnion.

The Class includes all individuals who had an open credit account or an open line of credit from a credit grantor (including, for instance automobile loans, bank credit cards, department store credit cards, other retail store credit cards, finance company loans, mortgage loans, and student loans) located in the United States anytime from January 1, 1987 to May 28, 2008. To receive credit monitoring and related services from the settlement, Class members must go to http://www.listclassaction.com/. The settlement administrator expects to have this site accessible to the public no later than June 16, 2008.

"TransUnion is committed to providing consumers with tools and services that empower them to manage their own credit health," said Ryan. "The services offered through this settlement complement our many consumer empowering initiatives. These include:

  — Providing the resources consumers need to make educated decisions
     regarding their credit
  — Becoming the only major credit bureau to provide consumers with access
     to live operators who can help answer their questions,
  — Being the first to announce that consumers concerned about identity
     theft can freeze their credit file in all 50 states
  — Partnering with programs like Operation Hope to help inner city
     families learn how to build and manage their finances.

"The bottom line is that TransUnion is a company based on integrity and there has been no finding that any law was violated," said Ryan. "As a company, we are very pleased with this settlement that entitles so many consumers to these beneficial services."

As a global leader in credit and information management, TransUnion creates advantages for millions of people around the world by gathering, analyzing and delivering information. For businesses, TransUnion helps improve efficiency, manage risk, reduce costs and increase revenue by delivering comprehensive data and advanced analytics and decisioning. For consumers, TransUnion provides the tools, resources and education to help manage their credit health and achieve their financial goals. Through these and other efforts, TransUnion is working to build stronger economies worldwide. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Chicago, TransUnion employs more than 3,600 employees in 25 countries on five continents. http://www.transunion.com/