TransUnion and Equifax have been ordered by a U.S. regulator to pay more than $23.2 million in fines and restitution.
The charge?
Deceiving consumers about the both the usefulness and the cost of the credit scores they purchased.
The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said the payments also resolve charges that TransUnion and Equifax lured people into enrolling for credit services advertised as free or $1 but in reality cost them more than $200 a year.
“TransUnion and Equifax deceived consumers about the usefulness of the credit scores they marketed, and lured consumers into expensive recurring payments with false promises,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray in a statement posted online. “Credit scores are central to a consumer’s financial life and people deserve honest and accurate information about them.”
TransUnion received the harsher punishment.
In total TransUnion will reimburse $13.93 million to consumers and pay a $3 million civil fine.
Experian will reimburse $3.8 million and pay a $2.5 million civil fine.
Both companies were ordered to modify their marketing tactics.
The third credit reporting agency, Experian, was not charged.
According to the release posted on consumerfinance.gov, “Chicago-based TransUnion and Atlanta-based Equifax are two of the nation’s three largest credit reporting agencies. TransUnion and Equifax collect credit information, including a borrower’s payment history, debt load, maximum credit limits, names and addresses of current creditors, and other elements of their credit relationships. These generate credit reports and scores that are provided to businesses. Through their subsidiaries, TransUnion Interactive and Equifax Consumer Services, the companies also market, sell, or provide credit-related products directly to consumers, such as credit scores, credit reports, and credit monitoring.”
Equifax violated the Fair Credit Report Act by making consumers first view Equifax advertisements before they could get their reports. Such advertising is prohibited until after consumers have gotten their report.
This isn’t the first time the agencies have been in trouble. Back in 2015, under a separate settlement with 31 state attorneys general, the agencies agreed to improve how they went about fixing mistakes and addressing disputes.
Curious to read more?
The full text of the CFPB’s Consent Order against Equifax is here.
The full text of the CFPB’s Consent Order against TransUnion is here.
More information about credit scores can be found here.
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