Consumer complaint received 2015-12-06
Company: TRANSUNION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
State: MN
Product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit monitoring or identity protection
Sub-issue: Problem cancelling or closing account

Complaint:
I have experienced what I assume are common problems with TransUnion 's credit-monitoring services. Earlier this year, I attempted to check my credit report by going to XXXX. I must have inadvertently enrolled in ongoing credit-monitoring services from TransUnion. I did not intend to enroll in these services. I assume I mistakenly failed to " uncheck '' a box on an online form. 

I did not receive any benefit from these services. Although I was apparently receiving these " services '' for several months, I only realized that I had enrolled for these services after receiving an email notifying me that something on my credit report had changed. I then noticed charges from TransUnion on my bank statement. I immediately called the TransUnion customer service number posted on TransUnion 's website. Someone answered, and I explained that I wanted to cancel my subscription to these services. The person on the phone asked to put me on hold. She spoke with me a few times over the course of forty minutes to tell me that the computer was having a hard time retrieving my information. Finally, she told me that I had called the wrong number at TransUnion and she was unable to transfer me. She provided me with another number, which I called repeatedly and it only produced a busy single. 

I finally located yet another number on TransUnion 's website. I called and spoke to another customer service person who tried to sell me additional services despite my repeated statements that I was only interested in canceling the services I never intended to purchase. By the end of the call, I believe that the customer service person finally agreed to let me cancel my subscription. TransUnion has not sent me any sort of confirmation, however. 

I realize I should have been more vigilant in reading the fine print and monitoring my bank statement. However, I believe this situation -- inadvertent enrollment in credit-monitoring services and difficulty cancelling them -- is common and contemplated by the credit-reporting companies. Of course, consumers should periodically monitor their credit reports. In part, this is necessary to ensure that the credit-reporting companies themselves have not made an error. Credit-reporting companies should not be permitted to profit from this necessity. I urge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to issue rules preventing the credit-reporting companies from bundling any subscription-based services with the free credit report they are obligated to provide under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Additionally, the CFPB should require these companies ' websites to prominently display the availably of this free annual credit report with an explanation that receipt of this report is not contingent on enrollment for any paid services. Alternatively, XXXX should allow consumers to receive a credit report without directly dealing with the credit-reporting companies. 

Thank you, XXXX

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief