Trans Union Bankruptcy Reporting Settlement: $8.31 Million Fund

A class action accuses Trans Union of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act by failing to use reasonable procedures to keep credit reports accurate. According to the lawsuit, some credit reports showed bankruptcy remarks on credit accounts even though the report's public-record section listed no bankruptcy, and government records showed no bankruptcy filed within the prior ten years.

Trans Union denies any wrongdoing or liability. A court has given preliminary approval to a settlement resolving the claims, and it is now accepting submissions, though final approval is still pending.

The settlement applies to qualifying credit reports Trans Union sold to third parties between January 6, 2020, and January 31, 2023. Class members fall into two groups: the No Bankruptcy Group, whose records search turned up no bankruptcy filing at all, and the Aged Bankruptcy Group, whose search found only a filing older than ten years before the report in question.

People in the No Bankruptcy Group automatically get a payment without needing to file anything, and can also submit a claim for an extra payment. People in the Aged Bankruptcy Group must file a valid claim to receive any payment.

Claims can be filed online using the Claim Number and PIN included in your settlement notice; that notice or your online account will show which group you belong to. If you never received a notice, lost your login details, or aren't sure which group applies to you, you can reach out to the settlement administrator for help. A paper claim form can also be downloaded.

To file, you'll need to provide your contact information, sign and date the form, and certify under penalty of perjury that you had not filed for bankruptcy in the ten years before the relevant report date. You'll also need to confirm that the bankruptcy information either lowered your Trans Union credit score or played a role in a credit denial. The paper form doesn't call for separate supporting documents, though the administrator reviews each claim to confirm class membership and completeness, it's unclear whether additional documentation could be requested later.