Court To Notify Those Who Had a Credit Card, Loan or Credit Account About a Class Action Settlement

CHICAGO, June 16 /PRNewswire/ -- A notification program began today, as ordered by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, to alert consumers about a proposed settlement with Trans Union LLC and Acxiom Corporation ("Defendants") in a class action lawsuit involving credit reporting data.

The case is styled In re Trans Union Corporation Privacy Litigation, No. 00-CV-4729, MDL 1350, U.S. Dist. Ct., N. District Illinois, Eastern Division; and is being presided over by Judge Robert W. Gettleman and Magistrate Judge Michael T. Mason.

The lawsuit claims that the Defendants violated state laws and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA") when they sold lists containing personal and financial consumer information to third parties for marketing purposes. The lawsuit also claims that the Defendants provided more information than was allowed under the FCRA to credit grantors or insurance companies who used the lists to make pre-approved offers of credit or insurance. The Defendants deny the Plaintiffs' allegations and maintain that they did nothing wrong.

The Court decided that the Class includes all consumers who had an open credit account or an open line of credit from a credit grantor (including, for instance automobile loans, bank credit cards, department store credit cards, other retail store credit cards, finance company loans, mortgage loans, and student loans) located in the United States anytime from January 1, 1987 to May 28, 2008.

Notices informing members of the settlement Class about their legal rights are scheduled to appear nationwide on television and in newspapers and magazines, leading up to a hearing on September 10, 2008, when the Court will consider whether to approve the settlement.

The Court has appointed the Law Offices of Dawn Wheelahan; Caddell & Chapman, PC; The Borderud Law Group; Righetti Law Firm, P.C.; and Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman and Robbins, LLP as "Class Counsel" to represent the Class.

Those affected by this settlement can sign up for credit monitoring services, file an individual lawsuit, register to receive possible cash benefits, or they can object to the settlement and its terms. A $75 million settlement fund will be established by Trans Union that will give $150,000 to non-profit organizations, pay settlements or judgments for damage claims brought individually by consumers against the Defendants, pay Class Counsel's attorneys' fees and expenses, and the costs of administering the settlement. Any money remaining in the fund two years after the Court grants final approval to the settlement will either be distributed to Class members who register or donated to non-profit organizations if the Court determines the cost of distribution is too much when considering the amount that would be distributed to each Class member who registered. The deadline for objections is August 22, 2008. To receive credit monitoring from the settlement Class members must go to http://www.ListClassAction.com and register by September 24, 2008.

A toll-free number, 1-866-416-3470, has been established in the case along with a website, http://www.ListClassAction.com, where notices and the settlement agreement may be obtained. Those affected may also write to List Class Action Settlement, PO Box 6336, Portland, OR 97228.