A great opportunity to monitor your credit and credit score for the next six months

You may have seen or heard about a class action lawsuit against TransUnion LLC and the Acxiom Corporation. I will not go into too much detail that no one wants to read anyway, but the reason for the lawsuit is the alleged violators sold lists containing personal and financial consumer information to third parties for marketing purposes. You are eligible for benefits if you have opened a credit account in the US from January 1, 1987 to May 28, 2008. This includes student loans, mortgages, lines of credit for overdraft protection on checking accounts, as well as credit cards.

How to register:
Go to http://www.ListClassAction.com and register by September 24, 2008. There is also a mail-in option on the site.

What are the benefits:
1. File your own lawsuit - This is always an option, but it would be expensive to pursue. The potential benefits could be far greater than the class action settlement, but it is a gamble that I and most people are probably not willing to examine.

If you do not wish to sue the defendants individually, here are other options:
2. Sign up for six months of credit monitoring service and a possible cash settlement - This apparently retails for $59.75 and you can lock your credit report to third parties and view your credit report and score DAILY. This is a great opportunity because normally one has to pay to see one's credit score.
3. Register for six months of credit monitoring - I do not know anyone who would turn down a cash settlement so this option will probably be rarely chosen.
4. Sign up for nine months of enhanced credit monitoring - This option retails for $115.50 and does not include a cash settlement. The enhanced credit monitoring services include insurance scores, a mortgage simulator service, and the other services listed about in #2.
5. Register for a cash settlement - This option is great if you do not need any credit monitoring.
6. Do nothing - This option means you will not receive benefits and can not sue the defendants individually.

When will benefits be available?
The hearing will be held September 10, 2008 in Chicago to consider whether to approve the settlement.

For more information, call toll-free 1-800-416-3470 or go to http://www.ListClassAction.com