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This settlement is closed!
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TransUnion LLC and TransUnion Rental Screening Solutions Inc. have agreed to pay $8 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging they violated the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by disclosing “Alert List” information about consumers who had submitted rental applications to landlords.
If you were the subject of a TransUnion Rental Screening Solutions SmartMove report that contained “Alert List” information, you may be entitled to a cash payment from the TransUnion class action settlement.
Plaintiff Amit Patel asserts that the named TransUnion defendants operate as if they are a single consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA.
According to the FCRA class action lawsuit, TransUnion offers a tenant screening tool called SmartMove, which provides landlords with information about rental applicants, including a credit report and criminal history. Terrorist alert information may also be included in a consumer’s file and report.
Patel challenges TransUnion’s use of partial matching instead of full identifying information when they prepare consumer credit reports. He says that TransUnion had been specifically advised by the Third Circuit that terrorist alert information must meet the “maximum possible accuracy standard.”
“Despite the abundant notice they have regarding the unlawfulness of their practices, Defendants continue to use a ‘name only’ match in determining whether a given consumer will be reported on his/her Trans Union consumer credit report as an alleged criminal and/or terrorist,” the TransUnion class action lawsuit states.
“Thus, Defendants will place a terrorist alert on a consumer’s report based solely on a partial name match,” Patel alleges.
Patel says he applied to rent an apartment in Union City, Calif., and was subjected to the SmartMove screening.
“The report was grossly defamatory and inaccurate in many respects,” Patel says, including its statement that he was a “Terrorist” from North Carolina, a state he says he has never even visited. The report also allegedly falsely indicated that he had an extensive criminal record.
As a result of the information contained in the consumer report, Patel’s application was denied, the TransUnion class action lawsuit says. Patel was also allegedly told that he was not entitled to a copy of the report from the landlord, in violation of the FCRA.
The TransUnion defendants deny the allegations but agreed to settle the FCRA class action lawsuit to avoid the burden and expense of ongoing litigation.
Class Members who would like to object to the TransUnion FCRA settlement must do so no later than Jan. 22, 2018.
Who’s Eligible
Class Members of the TransUnion settlement include U.S. residents who, between February 2012 and December 2013, were the subject of a TransUnion Rental Screening Solutions SmartMove report containing “Alert List” information.
A judge also certified a subclass of Class Members who requested a file disclosure and were sent a disclosure by TransUnion.
Potential Award
$400 or more.
Class Members who do not opt out will automatically receive a payment of $400 if the settlement is finalized. If you incurred damages due to TransUnion’s alleged FCRA violations, you may file a claim for damages in addition to the $400 payment.
Proof of Purchase
N/A
Claim Form
NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.
Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.
Claim Form Deadline
1/22/2018
Case Name
Amit Patel v. Trans Union LLC, et al., Case No. 3:14-cv-00522-LB, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
Final Hearing
3/8/2018
UPDATE: The TransUnion ‘Alert List’ Class Action Settlement was granted final approval on March 11, 2018. Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.
Settlement Website
Claims Administrator
Patel v. Trans Union LLC
c/o Settlement Administrator RSM US LLP
P.O. Box 1387
Blue Bell, PA 19422
1-800-222-2760
questions@PatelTransUnionClassAction.com
Class Counsel
FRANCIS & MAILMAN PC
Defense Counsel
REED SMITH LLP
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42 thoughts onTransUnion ‘Alert List’ Class Action Settlement
I applied for a rental unit (Apt.) “Montcalm Heights Apartments” in Chicopee, MA. back in 2013 and was denied because of a Negative Report/Score, I asked for a copy and was denied even though I paid a $25 Application fee. I later find out all the info was incorrect.
Is there an alternate way to File claim besides MAIL? It says by 1/22 but I’m just now seeing this on 1/21.
Please add me
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I was denied Several housing locations because TransUnion reported false information about me being evicted. I was homeless for 6 months because of their actions. I filed a complaint with TransUnion in July 2016..I was provide with a case number from TransUnion which I have.. However, by the time I was informed by one of the homeowners why I was being denied, the damage was already done. I later received a letter from TransUnion saying they had investigated my complaint and found that what they had reported was incorrect.
My family was affected by this type of info. reported on credit reports, and background checks reported during the years of 2012-2016, these alerts were attached to credit reports, that a potential landlord obtained with a Trans Union affiliated background Investigation company, that partners with TU. Because of these “alerts” being reported via credit bureau, This is what resulted:
“Denied” for several apartments(2012-2016),
& became homeless for 15 months (2014-2016),
“Denied” for hospital stay for medically necessary surgery(2015),
& due to homelessness, “Denied” for recovery from surgery at SNF (2016)
All because of such an “alert” letter.
My question is: Does this qualify to file a claim under this CA case? or is there another CA case that is to become public for additional CA members who were afflicted by these same type of business practices done by TU, EX, EQ, including alert reports done in 2014-2016 ?
Our records include extensive documentation as proofs, if we have a claim/case. Including copies of the original “Alert Letter” from the background investigation company, that reported the info. to the credit burearu, during the years of 2014-2016.
We obtained a copy of such “alert” letter via USPS in December 2017.In Oregon. So, again, do I file a claim here ? Or seek legal counsel elsewhere ? Consult an AAL locally? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance for your time.
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You need to go to the settlement website and submit a claim. Here’s the TCA article with the settlement details: https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/lawsuit-news/827030-transunion-alert-list-class-action-settlement/
Thanks for this info, your sharing the website is appreciated!
how should someone know if they can file a claim or not. they may have false information about me in their info. I know they have false info in millions of peoples credit files. it is almost impossible to find out and even when you do it is impossible to get them to change it
Unless a company challenges your removal request, you can easily request to have information removed from each credit report from all 3 bureaus. Without any counter claim, it would be removed within 30 days or so.
I was dismissed from my job because a credit score from equinox and transition showed a and credit rating which shouldn’t have been on their as they were not active..
I was not affected during this time period. I was affected sept of 2017 I was flagged because my name was used as an alias. Can I do anything?
I’m filing a claim . I was told my credit score in this site was lower than my TransUnion score. I was homeless living in a car because of the landlords choice to use this credit scoring. I still know where the landlord that used this credit scoring