Consumer complaint received 2024-04-27 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Unable to get your credit report or credit score — Other problem getting your report or credit score
Company: TRANSUNION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
State: IL

Complaint narrative:
I am writing this complaint to request that the restriction on accessing my CURRENT credit report be removed so that I can view my credit file in accordance with FCRA guidelines. Despite permanently extending their program to grant consumers access to credit reports free of charge once a week, Transunion has consistently denied me access to my credit report since XXXX XX/XX/2024. The reason for this denial, per Transunion, is because I filed a dispute on XXXX XX/XX/2024, which is pending. This should be irrelevant to my right as a consumer to have unfettered access to my credit file. 

Transunion is infringing on my right to know the information that is currently contained in my credit report by denying access just because I have a pending dispute. Transunion is obstructing my ability to monitor my credit report for accuracy and to ensure that my disputes are being handled and properly reported during the investigation. The latter is extremely important, considering Transunion failed to properly mark a prior disputed account as in accordance with the law while under the investigation in XX/XX/2024. So, it is imperative that I have access to my reports to monitor and have awareness of continued consumer rights violations. Transunions continued lack of transparency, integrity, and accountability as it relates to managing consumers credit files and properly handling disputes is criminal at best. 

Transunion fails to disclose to consumers that they will not be able to access their credit report during the dispute investigation until after the dispute has been filed, which is deceptive. I only became aware of the restriction in accessing my credit report on XXXX XX/XX/2024, a week after Id submitted my dispute. I attempted to view my credit report after being denied credit with a lender and for other reasons unrelated to the dispute. I was then, and continue to be, denied access to my credit report at Transunion.com and Annualcreditreport.com. These message displayed says, in short, that they are unable to provide my credit report because I have an open dispute investigation. Transunion will only allow me access the credit report that I pulled on XXXX XX/XX/2024. Currently, the only way that I can view a current Transunion credit report is if I view/purchase the report through a third-party monitoring service, such as XXXX XXXX or XXXX. This is unacceptable. Attached are copies of the denial statements displayed at Transunion.com and Annualcreditreport.com when I attempt to access my report ( see attached screen shots ). 

After again trying to access to my credit report, on XXXX XX/XX/2024, I spoke with two Transunion Customer Service employees, XXXX and XXXX. Both employees informed me that I can not gain access to my credit report until after my dispute has been completed, which is scheduled for completion on XXXX XX/XX/2024. Actually, one representative told me XXXX XXXX and the other said XXXX XXXX, which is another problem in itself. When I asked why I could not access my report, XXXX stated that this is company policy. I then inquired into when/how/where consumers are informed of these guidelines during the online dispute process, which would allow consumers to make an informed decision as to whether they want to submit their dispute at time, knowing they wont be able to access their report for up to 30 days. XXXX claimed that this information is located in the Terms and Conditions tab on the website. He then forwarded me a link to the Dispute FAQs page, which only presented a series of questions that consumers may ask in regard to a plethora of subjects relating to disputes. I did not see any disclosures as he suggested. But, after further research, I found that under the question Why Cant I Review My Credit Report? Transunion states that consumers can not access their credit report while they have a pending dispute. However, this can not possibly constitute a disclosure, since consumers would only search for this question AFTER theyd already been denied access to their report. 

Later, when I spoke with another representative XXXX, I again asked where during the dispute process, does Transunion disclose their policy on restricting access to credit reports during the dispute investigation. XXXX stated that she was not aware of any such disclosure during the submission of a dispute. To further verify this, I watched as my daughter submitted an online dispute for an inaccurate account on her credit report. As she did so, I closely read every disclosure and statement displayed at each step to ensure that I had not missed the disclosure during my submission. This included the page entitled Important information about disputing online, where I would expect this information to be displaced, since this is where consumers are required to check the box acknowledging the terms and agreement prior to submitted a dispute. There was no disclosure/statement regarding access to the credit report on this page. 

Therefore, It seems the only place that Transunion has shared this information is hidden underneath the question Why Cant I Review My Credit Report? that consumers would only need access AFTER they submit a dispute and realize they no longer have access to their report. As such, Transunion has failed to CLEARLY display this information DURING the dispute submission process, which seems intentional and deliberate to prevent consumers from monitoring their credit file during the dispute investigation. Transunion has again, found a way to prevent consumers from exercising their rights under the FCRA, which is illegal. 

In closing, I am again requesting immediate access to my most CURRENT credit report, despite the pending dispute. If denied this request, I request that Transunion reference the direct legislation that permits them to deny me access to my credit report during dispute investigation. No other credit reporting agency does this. 

For reference, the last Transunion credit report that I am able to access is dated XXXX XX/XX/2024, File Number : XXXX. 

Thank You, XXXX XXXX

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation