Consumer complaint received 2025-12-22 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone
Company: TRANSUNION INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, INC.
State: NC

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint regarding a missing identity theft dispute, improper refusal to process an electronic identity theft dispute, and serious records-management and data-handling concerns by TransUnion. 

On XX/XX/year>, I submitted a formal dispute through TransUnions online dispute portal regarding XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, account number XXXX. This account is the result of identity theft/fraud. With that submission, I uploaded highly sensitive personal identifying information, including a copy of my drivers license, Social Security card, and an FTC Identity Theft Report, specifically so the dispute would be processed as an Identity Theft / Fraud Block request, not as a routine billing dispute. 

On XX/XX/year>, I contacted TransUnion by phone to confirm receipt of the dispute because it was not appearing in my account. During that call, I spoke with XXXX, a TransUnion supervisor, who advised me that because the dispute involved identity theft, TransUnions system would not recognize or process the dispute or documents submitted through the online dispute portal and that identity theft disputes must be handled manually. 

This explanation is deeply concerning and legally problematic. TransUnion offers an online dispute portal, invites consumers to submit disputes electronically, and allows uploading of identity theft documentation. However, TransUnion then claims that identity theft disputes submitted electronically are not recognized, logged, or processed, leaving consumers without confirmation that their disputes or sensitive documents were ever received. 

As a result : TransUnion can not confirm receipt of my XX/XX/year> identity theft dispute ; TransUnion can not confirm where or how my uploaded sensitive personal information is stored or safeguarded ; My dispute was not logged, routed through e-OSCAR, or transmitted to the furnisher for reinvestigation. 

Why this violates the law Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), consumer reporting agencies are required to : Accept disputes from consumers ; Conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of disputed information ; Maintain reasonable procedures to ensure accuracy, completeness, and proper handling of consumer disputes. 

Nothing in the FCRA permits a consumer reporting agency to : Offer an electronic dispute system, Accept electronic uploads of identity theft documentation, Then refuse to recognize, log, or process those disputes on the basis that they involve identity theft. 

Refusing to process or acknowledge an electronically submitted identity theft disputewhile simultaneously collecting and retaining sensitive personal informationundermines the consumers statutory right to dispute information and raises serious concerns regarding procedural fairness, records management, and data security. 

A system design choice that prevents identity theft disputes from being recognized electronically does not relieve TransUnion of its legal obligations. Internal system limitations can not override statutory duties.

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 non-monetary relief