Dispute Your TransUnion Credit Report

“There’s a mistake on my TransUnion credit report!” While this is a very real problem with very real consequences, you are not alone, and there is a clear path to legal, financial, and emotional recovery. 

Whether you’ve worked hard to maintain good credit or re-establish good credit after a hardship, you know how important your creditworthiness is when it comes to getting approval for a mortgage, car loan, credit card, or other opportunity. If you’re one of the thousands of consumers every year who discover that your denial was based on a TransUnion credit report error, then you know that the consequences can be financially and emotionally devastating. 

The good news? While reporting errors can cause outsized financial problems and tremendous stress, the law is on your side. As consumer protection attorneys with over seventy-five years of combined practice experience, the team at Consumer Attorneys has seen, heard, and handled it all in the world of erroneous credit reports from TransUnion, and we’re happy to help. 

I’ll explain everything you need to know about TransUnion, including what your rights are when errors show up, how to file a dispute with TransUnion, whether you should file a TransUnion online dispute, how to sue TransUnion, when to reach out to a lawyer, and how it is that you can work with a lawyer for free.

About TransUnion Company

TransUnion is a technology company operating in the consumer data industry. It gathers, compiles, and sells data products packaged as consumer reports. TransUnion is one of the largest and most prolific consumer reporting agencies, operating in a variety of sectors (such as employment, housing, and financing) and under a number of subsidiary companies. TransUnion produces credit reports for landlords (called TransUnion rental screenings), credit reports for lenders and financial institutions, and TransUnion background check reports for employers and property managers.

You likely know TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax as the so-called “credit bureaus.” Though this sounds official, they are all private companies in the same industry. There are actually several dozen companies that offer similar services, but these three stand alone because of their size, volume, and influence on the consumer economy. 

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) refers to TransUnion (and other reporting companies) as consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) and regulates their activity to protect the rights of consumers whose lives are shaped by their credit profile. 

How Does TransUnion Create Credit Reports?

TransUnion creates credit reports by using algorithms to search and gather data on a consumer. This data is purchased from several sources, including the companies that you know and have a direct relationship with, such as your banks, credit card companies, lenders, mortgage and auto financers, service providers, etc. Under the FCRA, because these businesses all provide data to CRAs, they are known as “data furnishers.” TransUnion also pulls data from third-party companies that scour and scan public record databases and sell the resulting information to CRAs. 

Once the data is gathered, algorithms then sift, sort, review, and report it and use a proprietary computation to generate a TransUnion credit report score. Most data furnishers regularly report updated information to the credit bureaus, so credit reports are consistently current with information. 

How Long Does a Credit Reporting from TransUnion Take?

Your TransUnion online credit report can be available rapidly (essentially instantaneously) or may take a few days. If any additional clarification is needed, it may slow the process slightly. For instance, if you have a very common first and last name combination, a credit report may take longer because a greater degree of review is required to ensure accuracy.

What Information Does TransUnion Provide in Their Credit Reports?

Understanding a TransUnion credit report is really about knowing two things: what is included, and what is the purpose?

A TransUnion full credit report provides detailed information about your credit and financial history, along with a TransUnion credit report score. The credit report will include data related to any debts or assets associated with your name, including bank accounts, retail and service provider accounts, property leases, mortgages, educational and other loans, auto loans and leases, and financial relationships. It will also include information about relevant municipal records, bankruptcies, evictions, account and loan status, late payments, defaults, and other activities.

The basic idea is to provide a financial decision-maker with a portrait of your debt-to-asset ratio (how much you owe vs how much you have) and your engagement with finances as a consumer. The ultimate goal is to provide enough input to enable someone to determine whether are you a dependable borrower or if lending to you is extremely risky. This concept is called your “creditworthiness.” A credit score is an attempt to provide a snapshot of your creditworthiness, which is based on whether it falls toward the “very bad” end of the range or the “excellent” end. 

How Does Information Get on My TransUnion Credit Report?

TransUnion uses algorithms (computer programs) to search and gather information about you from data furnishers (companies you know) and third parties (companies you don’t know that just gather public information). 

After running a search on your data, algorithms then compile your TransUnion consumer credit report. TransUnion establishes the categories, metrics, and format, and the data is automatically input to generate the report. 

How Does TransUnion Determine My Credit Score?

TransUnion generates its credit scores using a proprietary algorithm, so the precise calculation and how different factors are weighed in terms of importance is not public knowledge. What we do know is that the score assigns a number (ranging from 300 to 850) to your credit profile, which provides a numerical “snapshot” of your creditworthiness. Each credit bureau provides a similar score based on a similar value range and label. However, because the exact formula differs, your score may differ among the bureaus.

The numerical range and labels are as follows:

• 300-600: very poor
• 601-660: poor
• 661-720: fair
• 721-780: good
• 781-850: excellent

Factors that weigh in your favor increase your score, and factors viewed as a liability decrease your score.

Some lesser-known factors that can influence your credit score are credit inquiries. Several hard inquiries clustered in a shorter period (generally up to two years) can weigh against you and lower your score. If you want to learn about disputing this specific type of error, read our article on how to remove hard inquiries from TransUnion credit reports.

How Long Does Information Stay on My TransUnion Credit Report?

This is a great question, and thankfully, there are limits to how long financial information can stick around, influencing your creditworthiness. An event is only considered legally reportable for a certain number of years, called the reporting period or look-back period.

The look-back period is the number of years a credit report can pull from when gathering information. Anything falling outside of this period is considered unreportable. For instance, a look-back period might be ten years for neutral information and seven years for adverse information (i.e., information that can hurt your creditworthiness). Look-back periods can differ by state or category of information, which makes it helpful to work with an attorney. 

Importantly, violating the reporting period for a piece of information counts as a reporting error. So, if an event in your credit report is held against you and causes your credit application to be denied, check the reporting period for that information. If it falls outside the look-back period and is unreportable, it is considered a credit reporting mistake. This can be disputed and corrected. Talk to a credit report lawyer for help figuring this out. 

Which Companies Use TransUnion Credit Reports?

As one of the world's largest and most utilized consumer reporting agencies, with various subsidiaries providing different consumer reporting services, TransUnion is used by many companies, from landlords and property managers to employers to global banking leaders. A few of the largest credit card companies that use TransUnion credit reports are Barclays, Bank of America, Capital One, and US Bank. 

Common TransUnion Complaints

As a global leader in the consumer data and reporting industry, Transunion is frequently the target of many justified TransUnion complaints. Among the more common complaints are:

• “My TransUnion credit report has wrong information about me.” Among the top three credit bureaus, this persistent complaint impacts thousands of consumers annually. Though the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires accuracy in consumer reports, recent research confirmed that approximately one-third of consumers discover mistakes in their credit reports. There are many causes of these mistakes and many ways they appear. This article provides a wealth of information on this topic. And know that if TransUnion is reporting wrong information about you, you have rights and options.
• “My TransUnion score is wrong.” There are several reasons why your TransUnion score might be wrong, including (1) a wrongful score was generated using wrongful data, (2) the score itself was just miscalculated or erroneous, (3) the score has not updated to reflect financial or credit-related events in your recent history.
• “I was denied credit by TransUnion.” This concept is confusing for most people, but TransUnion isn’t the one who denied you credit. When you apply for credit or a loan, and a decision is made about whether to approve the application, it is the financial institution or lender that makes the decision. As a consumer reporting agency, TransUnion is the reporter of information, not the decider of applications. If you were denied due to inaccurate, misleading, or false information in your TransUnion credit report, then TransUnion's wrong information is responsible for the denial, even though it didn’t make the decision. 
• “My TransUnion account is temporarily suspended.” This generally happens when TransUnion has reason to believe that unauthorized activity is potentially taking place with respect to your account. For instance, this might happen if security alarms are raised, such as when you enter a wrong password too many times or attempt to access your account from a new device in a new location. If TransUnion’s internal security alarms get triggered by some activity or event associated with your account, your access can be temporarily suspended.

Common Errors Found on a TransUnion Credit Report

Unfortunately, a TransUnion error on a credit report can appear in various ways. Some of the more common TransUnion errors include the following:

• Transposition of digits in a Social Security Number or date. 
• Wrong or incomplete information in original documents or wrong spellings of names.
• Incorrect criminal records, such as reporting misleading, inaccurate, false, duplicate, or unreportable data.
• Outdated information, such as expunged convictions that were not updated or debts that were paid off and not updated to reflect a zero balance.
• Mistaken identity, resulting in unaffiliated criminal or financial records being associated with the wrong person. 
• Information from identity theft and fraud scenarios that are reported as accurate, such as debts accrued through fraud being reported as your own. 
• Information from someone else in your consumer profile, such as data about criminal, credit, financial, employment, income, housing, and other categories.
• Mistakenly reported as deceased by TransUnion. This has enormous consequences.
• Hard inquiries that were not authorized.

What Should You Look for on a TransUnion Credit Report?

Be thorough when reviewing your report while looking for a TransUnion report error. Review the list of common errors, but also remember that errors can take many forms. Go through your credit report, line by line. Make sure that every detail of your personal and financial data is correct. Look at opening and closing dates, balances, account status, reporting periods, and any indication that you’ve been reported deceased on an account.

Does a TransUnion Report Cost Money?

Questions about the cost of a TransUnion credit report are common. First, if your credit report is pulled by a lender or other entity in conjunction with an application or opportunity, you have the right to receive a free copy of the report at the time. If it isn’t provided for you automatically, you can request one. Second, the law allows you to access your TransUnion (or Equifax and Experian) credit report weekly (see below) for free. Third, many credit card companies and banks offer a glimpse at your credit report through their branded apps. For instance, Chase offers a credit snapshot called “Credit Journey,” which is accessible through the Chase app. So you do not need to pay for a credit report.

However, some of the confusion may lie in the fact that you may have to pay an application fee when applying to certain opportunities, which may go toward “running a check” on you. For instance, you may pay a TransUnion tenant screening cost if you apply for a rental. TransUnion actually charges the fee to the landlord or property manager, but that cost may be passed along to you during the application process.

There are three ways to request a copy of a credit report from TransUnion: online at annualcreditreport.com, by phone at 877-322-8228, or by mailing a request form, which can be printed at annualcreditreport.com. TransUnion online credit report requests should only be made through the above government-verified site. 

How to Dispute Incorrect Information on a TransUnion Credit Report?

Filing a TransUnion credit report dispute or a TransUnion credit score dispute requires following the procedures outlined on the TransUnion website, which seems fairly straightforward at first glance. However, there are common pitfalls, roadblocks, and delays, so it’s worth arming yourself with the right information before you get started. This is especially true for a TransUnion online dispute, which is why we don’t recommend filing one in the first place. Reach out to discuss the errors in your report with one of our lawyers.

Documents You Need to Dispute Your TransUnion Credit Report

When it comes to understanding how to dispute information on TransUnion credit reports, know that you are entitled by law to submit documentation in support of your dispute. You’ll decide which documents you need once you understand the types of error(s) you’re dealing with and what works best to support your dispute. A lawyer can help with this. 

Personal Information

If you discover inaccuracies with personal information, you may need to provide identification documentation to confirm your name, birthdate, etc. This can involve a driver’s license, birth certificate, passport, and other personal documentation. With one exception (the Social Security Administration- see below), copies of these documents are submitted using the same method you used to file a dispute with TransUnion. 

Account Information

If you discover inaccuracies with account information, then the documentation you will need to submit will be financial information confirming such things as dates, account numbers, debt payoff confirmations, loan releases, property titles, leases, etc. It can also include contracts, communications, and other supporting documents.

Other Information

If you are one of the unfortunate consumers each year who is mistakenly reported as deceased by TransUnion, not only will you have to dispute your TransUnion credit report, but you may also have to make a trip to your local Social Security Administration (SSA) office to provide original documentation proving your identity and that you are, in fact, alive and well. The SSA does not accept disputes online or over the phone and does not accept copies of documents.

How to File a TransUnion Dispute

“How do I dispute a TransUnion credit report?” This is a worthwhile question since knowing how to dispute a TransUnion credit report is where you must start. We recommend reaching out to Consumer Attorneys before filing a dispute. There are reasons that this can be an advantage heading into the dispute process. But if you’re just ready to learn how to file a dispute with TransUnion, keep reading. 

First, you can dispute your credit report with TransUnion in several ways, including by mail, phone, or via the TransUnion online dispute platform. We recommend filing via certified mail because this method preserves your legal rights, and it is easy to track and maintain records of all communications, dates, and supporting documents.

Second, if you don’t already have a current copy of your TransUnion report, you can request one. You are entitled to receive a copy when a report has been run on you, and you are entitled to receive a free weekly copy throughout the year (see above for the link).

How to Dispute Your TransUnion Report by Mail

“How do I file a dispute with TransUnion?” We recommend using certified mail, but there are several options available. 

• Mail a dispute letter and supporting documentation (if any) to the TransUnion address listed below. Only send copies, not originals. They accept certified mail, and you can download a mailing label on the site. 

  Where to mail your TransUnion dispute:

  TransUnion Consumer Solutions

  P.O. Box 2000

  Chester, PA 19016-2000

• Ask that the disputed information be investigated and corrected and a new (accurate) report issued. By law, TransUnion has thirty days to investigate, fix, and respond to the dispute. If TransUnion does not meet these obligations, it can be held accountable. Be aware that it is common for consumers to receive responses stating that an investigation occurred and the information has been confirmed as accurate. Consumer Attorneys can guide you on what to do next. This is not the end of your legal options.
• Maintain copies of all correspondence, mail receipts, and documents sent. If you have phone conversations with anyone at TransUnion, keep notes on the call's date, time, and topic, plus the name of the individual you speak with. 

Letter Template

You may use the following template as a guide, adding, removing, or altering the language as needed for your situation. Anything in brackets [ ] should be updated with specific information or selections. Note that the address of where to send a dispute letter to TransUnion is included in the template or can be found above.

[Your Name]

[Your street Address, PO Box, or other Mailing Address]

[Your City, State, Zip Code]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email Address, if any]

[Date]

TransUnion Consumer Solutions

P.O. Box 2000

Chester, PA 19016-2000

Subject: Disputing Errors in My Credit Report

I am writing to dispute the following information that appears in my TransUnion credit report. I have enclosed a copy of my current TransUnion credit report and circled the [item/items] in dispute, marking each with a number corresponding to the list below.

Dispute #1

Company that reported the item: [Company name from credit report, if applicable]

Partial account number:[Partial account number from credit report, if applicable]

This item, circled and marked with #1 on the enclosed copy of my credit report, is inaccurate because [explain why it is inaccurate, misleading, or false]. I request that TransUnion investigate and correct this information, update my credit report with accurate information, and adjust my credit score accordingly.

Dispute #2

Company that reported the item: [Company name from credit report, if applicable]

Partial account number: [Partial account number from credit report, if applicable]

This item, circled and marked with #2 on the enclosed copy of my credit report, is inaccurate because [explain why it is inaccurate, misleading, or false]. I request that TransUnion investigate and correct this information, update my credit report with accurate information, and adjust my credit score accordingly. 

[Add as many additional numbered dispute items as necessary.]

Please reinvestigate [this/these] disputed [item/items] as soon as possible and in accordance with the law.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

>SSN:[Your Social Security Number]

DOB:[Your date of birth]

Enclosures:Marked-up copy of my TransUnion credit report indicating disputed [item/items], and supporting documentation.

How to Dispute Your TransUnion Report by Phone

Though it is not the recommended method, if you want to know how to file a dispute on TransUnion by phone, you can call the dispute line at:

800-916-8800

Weekdays: 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. EST

Weekends: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST

If you do file a dispute with TransUnion via phone, be sure to keep detailed records regarding the conversation(s), including the date, time, and topic of the call, plus the name of the individual you speak with. 

How to Dispute Your TransUnion Report Online

Before getting into how to dispute with TransUnion online, be aware that we do not advise using this method. We think that knowing how to dispute a credit report with TransUnion should begin with the understanding that the use of the TransUnion online dispute platform may require you to agree to certain terms and conditions, one of which limits your ability to bring a lawsuit over the dispute in question. While a lawsuit may seem unnecessary at this point, it is not advisable to waive this right up front. Often, lawsuits are what it takes to get errors corrected and lives back on track.

To file a TransUnion online dispute, you will follow the links through the website to access the online dispute portal. You will then input information into the required fields, upload or append documents supporting your dispute, and submit. 

What Next After Filing a Dispute?

Once your dispute is filed, a thirty-day clock starts. If you file via the TransUnion online dispute platform or by phone, this starts from the date you complete the task. If you file via certified mail, it starts from the date of delivery/receipt. During this time, your TransUnion dispute status will be pending. Then, you should, in theory, receive a response notifying you of the outcome of the reinvestigation. If you don’t hear from TransUnion, you should contact Consumer Attorneys.

If you are just wondering, “How do you check the status of your TransUnion dispute?” it depends on how the dispute was filed. If you filed an online TransUnion dispute, you can log in to the portal directly to check. If you filed via mail, you can check your dispute status with TransUnion by calling. A representative may advise of the status or give you access to a dispute portal with updates.

A related question we frequently get is, “How long does a TransUnion dispute take?” Remember, TransUnion has thirty days by law to respond to your dispute. If TransUnion is responsive and effective in managing your dispute, it should take thirty days (there are limited reasons why it may take up to forty-five days) to resolve it. 

What if TransUnion ignores Your Credit Report Dispute?

If you do not hear from TransUnion within thirty days, you should contact Consumer Attorneys. The failure to respond promptly is a violation of TransUnion’s legal obligations under the FCRA, and the next step may be to sue TransUnion. One of our lawyers can help you map out the best approach.

How to Sue TransUnion for Ignoring a Credit Report Dispute

Unfortunately, getting no response or an inadequate, ineffective, or unjust response from TransUnion is not an uncommon. Because of this, you may be one of the thousands of consumers wondering how to file a lawsuit against TransUnion. We’ll explain how to sue TransUnion, along with taking a look at the many reasons to sue TransUnion.

Notably, some people have the impression that in order to pursue a lawsuit against TransUnion, bthey must notify or reach out to a governmental, legal, or regulatory agency first. This is not accurate. There is no need for writing to the Attorney General’s office to sue TransUnion. There may be instances involving identity theft and fraud that intersect with reporting errors. This may warrant contacting the Attorney General or your local police. But you do not need to do this as a matter of course just to sue TransUnion for credit reporting errors. 

Contact a Consumer Protection Lawyer

The easiest part of this whole debacle is getting the help that you need. Contact Consumer Attorneys today, and we can get you on the path to recovery, including filing a TransUnion lawsuit on your behalf if we think that’s the best option. We may also advise seeking a TransUnion class action lawsuit if your situation fits with any ongoing or pending class action litigation.

If you have experienced the following scenarios, you may need to sue TransUnion to recover adequately and wholly. A consumer protection lawyer is your best chance of getting an optimal outcome. 

If you filed a dispute but have:

• Not received a response from TransUnion
• Not received a response within the window of time allowed by law.
• Received a response stating that an investigation was completed, and the information has been confirmed.
• Received a response stating that it is your obligation to inform data furnishers or other companies.
• Received a response stating that the dispute was successful and the errors will be corrected, but they never were.

This applies to all errors broadly, including those that need to be disputed, don’t need to be disputed, are related to identity theft, etc.

Sue for Disputed Errors

Many reporting errors need to be disputed before filing a lawsuit, but not all do (see below). So, before you learn how to file a formal dispute with TransUnion, you should discuss your situation with one of our experienced lawyers. We can also guide you through the dispute process.

For these errors, you generally need to show that you’ve attempted to dispute and correct the error using the standard procedures but that TransUnion failed to meet its obligations to address the error adequately. You should follow the steps discussed above to prepare and submit your dispute letter and documentation. Again, you can file the dispute via phone or online portal, but this is not recommended.

Sue TransUnion for Errors Even Without a Dispute

There are some errors on credit reports from TransUnion (and other CRAs) that are deemed harmful just for having happened in the first place. For instance, if you have been wrongfully designated as deceased on a TransUnion credit report, this error is understood to be so harmful on its face (i.e., so immediately and directly harmful) that you do not necessarily need to dispute it prior to filing a lawsuit against TransUnion. A conversation with a knowledgeable consumer protection lawyer is the best way to assess the right legal approach for your situation.

Sue TransUnion for Identity Theft-Related Errors

If you experience reporting errors due to identity theft and fraud activity, you can sue TransUnion. While there are other parties (banks, credit card companies, service providers, etc.) and other laws (EFTA, FCBA, etc.) that may be implicated in an identity theft situation, TransUnion can still be held accountable for how it handled the reporting of those events or the investigating and correcting of disputes arising out of them. 

Should You Sue TransUnion in Small Claims Court?

While you can sue TransUnion in small claims court, it is not advisable. Compensation and recovery in small claims court are minimal (including specific, capped dollar amounts). Depending on the situation you have experienced with TransUnion (including the severity of the reporting error, the extent of the damage, and the persistence of TransUnion’s failure to mitigate or correct the error), you will likely want to keep all options on the table and not limit yourself in small claims court. 

TransUnion Contact Information

You can contact TransUnion via the website, phone, or mail using the following:

Website

https://www.transunion.com/

Phone

800-916-8800

Weekdays: 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. EST

Weekends: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST

Mail

TransUnion Consumer Solutions

P.O. Box 2000

Chester, PA 19016-2000

Lawsuits Against TransUnion

“Can I sue TransUnion?” Yes! You certainly can, and we have- many times! We’ve helped thousands of clients like Kevin, highlighted below, recover by deciding to sue TransUnion (and other CRAs) and correcting errors with TransUnion’s reports about his credit profile. 

Case Highlight - A False Deceased Designation

Kevin was turned down for multiple financial opportunities due to credit reporting errors in reports produced by TransUnion. Kevin was alternately reported as deceased or having a zero credit score, which tanked his ability to access the financial products and opportunities that he needed. Since Kevin has a deceased twin brother, it was not hard to imagine how these multiple and persistent credit reporting errors came about. However, without our help, Kevin could not get accurate credit reports generated in his name. We ensured accurate reporting for him going forward and helped get compensation to get him back to good financially and emotionally.

Talk to a Lawyer Now. We Can Help. 

“My TransUnion credit report is wrong!” If this is something you’ve said, lost sleep over, or suffered the consequences of, you should talk to one of the lawyers at Consumer Attorneys. 

As a nationwide practice, we are everywhere you need us to be, and we are happy to help guide you from financial turmoil and high-stakes stress into a full recovery. With seventy-five years of combined practice experience, our top-tier team of lawyers is well-versed in every problem, push-back, and issue that can arise when you’re trying to correct TransUnion reporting errors and get TransUnion to do the right thing.

We know the FCRA, we know the consumer reporting industry, and we know how to get you the corrections and compensation you may be entitled to under the law.

• Call +1 877-615-1725 for immediate assistance and a free case review.
• Fill out our brief Contact Us form or initiate a live chat to share your concerns.
• Reach out to us at info@consumerattorneys.com with any questions.

Let’s talk!