Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/20pdf/20-297_4g25.pdf
Page Number: 7.0

Cite as:  594 U. S. ____ (2021) 

3 

Opinion of the Court 

ments are relevant to this case.  First, the Act requires con-
sumer reporting agencies to “follow reasonable procedures 
to assure maximum possible accuracy” in consumer reports. 
§1681e(b).  Second, the Act provides that consumer report-
ing agencies must, upon request, disclose to the consumer 
“[a]ll information in the consumer’s file at the time of the
request.”  §1681g(a)(1).  Third, the Act compels consumer
reporting  agencies  to  “provide  to  a  consumer,  with  each 
written disclosure by the agency to the consumer,” a “sum-
mary of rights” prepared by the Consumer Financial Pro-
tection Bureau.  §1681g(c)(2).

The Act creates a cause of action for consumers to sue and 
recover damages for certain violations.  The Act provides: 
“Any person who willfully fails to comply with any require-
ment  imposed  under  this  subchapter  with  respect  to  any 
consumer is liable to that consumer” for actual damages or 
for statutory damages not less than $100 and not more than 
$1,000, as well as for punitive damages and attorney’s fees.
§1681n(a).

TransUnion  is  one  of  the  “Big  Three”  credit  reporting
agencies, along with Equifax and Experian.  As a credit re-
porting  agency,  TransUnion  compiles  personal  and  finan-
cial information about individual consumers to create con-
sumer  reports.  TransUnion  then  sells  those  consumer 
reports for use by entities such as banks, landlords, and car 
dealerships that request information about the creditwor-
thiness of individual consumers. 

Beginning  in  2002,  TransUnion  introduced  an  add-on 
product called OFAC Name Screen Alert.  OFAC is the U. S. 
Treasury  Department’s  Office  of  Foreign  Assets  Control. 
OFAC maintains a list of “specially designated nationals” 
who threaten America’s national security.  Individuals on 
the OFAC list are terrorists, drug traffickers, or other seri-
ous criminals.  It is generally unlawful to transact business
with any person on the list.  31 CFR pt. 501, App. A (2020).
TransUnion created the OFAC Name Screen Alert to help