Credit Report Disputes
You can dispute your credit information or update personal information on our credit report in three ways.
Dispute your credit information or file a complaint
Our goal is to maintain accurate information on your TransUnion credit report. By law, TransUnion is obligated to verify the accuracy of the information on a credit report that you dispute. If you do not recognize information on your credit report, or believe an item may be inaccurate, you may request an investigation. Only inaccurate information may be removed; negative information that is accurate will stay on your credit report as long as the governing laws allow. Changes on your credit report that occur as the result of an investigation will be made on both your consumer disclosure and your credit report.
TransUnion provides this service to you free of charge, in accordance with applicable legislation. TransUnion will not provide any additional services or treat a consumer differently due to the fact that the consumer has retained and paid a credit repair company. Whether you launch a dispute yourself or through a credit repair company, the outcome of the investigation will be the same. Please also note that the activities of credit repair companies are regulated in some provinces. For more information, please visit Consumer Protection.
You can dispute your credit information or update personal information on our credit report in three ways:
Online
New! Quick and easy online access allows you to view your credit file and dispute items you believe to be inaccurate.
What you need
Before attempting to submit a dispute online, please make sure you have all of the necessary information on hand:
- Full name
- Social Insurance Number (optional)
- Date of birth
- Current address
- Previous address (if at current address less than two years)
- Name of the disputed item (from your credit report)
- Reason for your dispute (e.g., you have paid the account, etc.)
By Phone
We’re here to help
Our TransUnion representatives are available to assist you with the dispute process. If you recently applied for credit or received a copy of your TransUnion Credit Report and you believe there is an inaccuracy, simply call:
English speakers in all provinces:
Toll-free 1-800-663-9980
French speakers in all provinces:
Toll-free 1-877-713-3393 or 514-335-0374 in Montreal
Our Consumer Relations Department is available Monday through Friday. English hours of operation 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET. French hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. ET. Excluding major holidays.
What you need
Before you place your call, please make sure you have all of the necessary information on hand:
- Full name
- Social Insurance Number (optional)
- Date of birth
- Current address
- Previous address (if at current address less than two years)
- Company name of the disputed item (from your credit report)
- Reason for your dispute (e.g., you have paid the account, etc.)
By Mail
It's easy to dispute any inaccurate credit or personal information on your credit report. Simply follow these steps:
Download and complete form
Simply download and complete the Investigations form:
English Form
French Form
You will need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® to print the Investigation form. You can download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Web site.
Make sure you provide the following information:
- Full name
- Current address
- Previous address (if less than two years at current address)
- Date of birth
- Social Insurance Number (optional)
- Employment information (optional)
- Telephone number (optional)
- Name of the company you have a dispute with (from your credit report)
- Account number, if known
- Reason for your dispute (e.g., you have paid the account, etc.)
- Documentation to support the amendment you have requested. If the amendments are to your personal information (e.g., name), please provide supporting identification documentation, such as change of name certificate, marriage certificate, etc.
Mail form and documentation
Forms and supporting documentation can be sent to the following addresses:
English speakers in all provinces except Quebec
TransUnion Consumer Relations Department
P.O. Box 338, LCD1
Hamilton Ontario
L8L 7W2
French speakers in all provinces and English speakers in Quebec:
TransUnion
Centre de relations au consommateur
P.O. Box 338, LCD1
Hamilton Ontario
L8L 7W2
Rights, Complaints and Requests Policy
Quebec specific complaint process and rights
The Credit Assessment Agents Act, or CAAA, is the credit reporting legislation in Quebec which:
- Requires credit assessment agents (credit reporting agencies) to provide protective measures for Quebec consumers, through components including fraud alerts, explanatory statements and security (credit) freeze capability;
- Provides additional consumer rights, through access to a free credit rating (score);
- Includes administrative steps to dispute handling.
Credit freeze
A credit freeze (also called a security freeze or a credit lock) can be placed by a consumer on their credit file to prevent access to their credit information for certain purposes set out in legislation. When a credit freeze is on a credit file, parties cannot access that credit information for the following purposes:
- assessing you for new or additional credit;
- entering into a long-term contract for a lease of goods (for example, a car lease); or
- entering into a contract involving performance for a service at a distance (for example, a payment plan for a cell phone).
Please note that companies will still be able to access credit information for other purposes even when there is a credit freeze on a credit file.
In Canada, there is no distinction between a credit freeze and a credit lock, as both implement the security freeze rights set out in legislation. Whether it is called a credit freeze or a credit lock, both provide the same type of restriction on parties accessing credit files for certain purposes. TransUnion offers Quebec consumers a credit freeze.
It is important to know that if you place a TransUnion credit freeze on your credit file, this will only be a freeze on your TransUnion credit file. You will need to contact the other credit assessment agent, Equifax, to place a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file (called a “credit lock”).
At this time, only Quebec residents are eligible for the TransUnion credit freeze since February 1st, 2023.
If you have a credit freeze on your TransUnion credit file, your credit file information will not be provided to a company that is trying to access your credit information for the following purposes:
- assessing you for new or additional credit;
- entering into a long-term contract for a lease of goods (for example, a car lease); or
- entering into a contract involving performance for a service at a distance (for example, a payment plan for a cell phone).
Companies accessing your credit file for other reasons will still be able to access your credit information if there is a credit freeze on your file. These exemptions include non-credit related reasons, such as tenancy and insurance underwriting, and account reviews/monitoring.
The easiest and quickest way to place or remove a credit freeze on your file is through our online site at ocs.transunion.ca. Alternatively, you may contact TransUnion to request adding or removing a credit freeze by mail or by phone, but please note that these methods can take longer to implement.
By Phone:
1-800-663-9980
By Mail:
TransUnion Canada
P.O Box 338, LCD1
Hamilton, Ontario L8L 7W2
Once added, a credit freeze will remain on your file until you request to have it removed.
Once you remove a credit freeze from your credit file, it will remain unfrozen until you submit a request to add a new credit freeze to your credit file.
TransUnion Canada does not charge consumers to place or remove a credit freeze on their credit file.
By placing a credit freeze on your credit file online at ocs.transunion.ca, it will be added immediately. If you request a credit freeze by mail, it could take up to 30 days from the date TransUnion receives the request to add the credit freeze. In this case, you would receive correspondence once it has been added.
If you request a credit freeze by phone, it will be added immediately. Please note that you will need to contact the other credit assessment agent, Equifax, to place a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file (called a credit lock).
For any question, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Complaint process for Quebec residents
What is the difference between a complaint and a credit dispute?
Credit Disputes:
Our goal is to maintain accurate information on your TransUnion credit report. By law, TransUnion is obligated to verify the accuracy of the information on a credit report that you dispute. If you do not recognize information on your credit report, or believe an item may be inaccurate, you may request an investigation. Only inaccurate information may be removed; negative information that is accurate will stay on your credit report as long as the governing laws allow. Changes on your credit report that occur as the result of an investigation will be made on both your consumer disclosure and your credit report.
TransUnion provides this service to you free of charge, in accordance with applicable legislation. TransUnion will not provide any additional services or treat a consumer differently due to the fact that the consumer has retained and paid a credit repair company. Whether you launch a dispute yourself or through a credit repair company, the outcome of the investigation will be the same. Please also note that the activities of credit repair companies are regulated in some provinces.
There are three ways you can launch a dispute into item(s) or update personal information on your report:
- Online: Click Here to visit our self-service website.
- Over the telephone: simply call 1-800-663-9980 to reach one of our TransUnion representatives for assistance with your inquiry.
- In writing: Click Here for mailing instructions and TransUnion requirements.
Complaints:
In accordance with the requirements of the Credit Assessment Agents Act ("Act") and the regulations made thereunder issued by the Autorité des marchés financiers ("AMF"), a complaint constitutes any reproach or dissatisfaction with a practice of TransUnion made by any person for whom TransUnion holds a file.
A complaint under the Act is therefore related to dissatisfaction or difficulties in exercising one or more of the rights granted to consumers, for example:
- Access to the consumer version of your TransUnion credit report (a “TransUnion Consumer Disclosure”)
- Adding a fraud alert to your credit report
- Adding or removing a credit freeze; and
- Adding an explanatory note to your credit report (Consumer Statement)
Please note that the following topics will not be considered to be complaints:
- An inquiry about a product or service offered by TransUnion;
- A billing issue or any other issue related to paid products or services of TransUnion and its affiliates;
- An initial request for a copy of your TransUnion Consumer Disclosure;
- A request to correct your credit information (a dispute);
- Dissatisfaction with the calculation and/or result of a TransUnion credit score; and
- General comments about TransUnion.
To make a complaint
Online:
Fill out the form click here
Telephone:
(800) 663-9980
Mail:
TransUnion of Canada Inc.
Quebec Complaints:
3115 Harvester Road, Suite 201
Burlington ON L7N 3N8
E-mail:
Depending on the nature of your complaint, copies of the front and back of two pieces of valid government-issued identification and any relevant supporting documentation may be required in order for us to process your complaint.