TransUnion Privacy Policy
Scope of TransUnion’s Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy document outlines an overview of TransUnion and explains the following:
- What is your personal information?
- How does TransUnion collect, compile, disclose, secure, obtain consent and retain your personal credit information?
- Consumer credit information that is received, compiled, retained and disclosed is done so in accordance with the National Credit Act regulations
- Cookies
- Third party sites
- Correcting and updating your information
- Protecting yourself from identity theft
- Contacting TransUnion
Definitions
In this privacy policy TransUnion makes use of the following terms:
“Personal information” means any information about an identifiable individual.
“TransUnion” refers to TransUnion Credit Bureau South Africa.
“Consumer credit information” means information concerning—
(a) a person’s credit history, including applications for credit, credit agreements to which the person is or has been a party, pattern of payment or default under any such credit agreements, debt re-arrangement in terms of this Act, incidence of enforcement actions with respect to any such credit agreement, the circumstances of termination of any such credit agreement, and related matters;
(b) a person’s financial history, including the person’s past and current income, assets and debts, and other matters within the scope of that person’s financial means, prospects and obligations, as defined in section and related matters;
(c) a person’s education, employment, career, professional or business history, including the circumstances of termination of any employment, career, professional or business relationship, and related matters; or
(d) a person’s identity, including the person’s name, date of birth, identity number, marital status and family relationships, past and current addresses and other contact details, and related matters.
“Personal information” means any information about an identifiable individual.
“TransUnion” refers to TransUnion Credit Bureau South Africa.
“Consumer credit information” means information concerning—
(a) a person’s credit history, including applications for credit, credit agreements to which the person is or has been a party, pattern of payment or default under any such credit agreements, debt re-arrangement in terms of this Act, incidence of enforcement actions with respect to any such credit agreement, the circumstances of termination of any such credit agreement, and related matters;
(b) a person’s financial history, including the person’s past and current income, assets and debts, and other matters within the scope of that person’s financial means, prospects and obligations, as defined in section and related matters;
(c) a person’s education, employment, career, professional or business history, including the circumstances of termination of any employment, career, professional or business relationship, and related matters; or
(d) a person’s identity, including the person’s name, date of birth, identity number, marital status and family relationships, past and current addresses and other contact details, and related matters.
General
This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and is subject to the terms and Conditions of the TransUnion Agreement.
Overview of TransUnion’s Business
As a global leader in credit and information management, TransUnion creates advantages for millions of people around the world by gathering, analyzing and delivering information. For businesses, TransUnion helps improve efficiency, manage risk, reduce costs and increase revenue by delivering comprehensive data and advanced analytics and decisioning. For consumers, TransUnion provides the tools, resources and education to help manage their credit health and achieve their financial goals. Through these and other efforts, TransUnion is working to build stronger economies worldwide. Based in Johannesburg, with global headquarters located in Chicago, Illinois U.S.A., TransUnion is Africa's oldest and leading provider of data-based business intelligence solutions. Visit www.transunion.co.za or www.mytransunion.co.za for more information.
What is your Personal Information?
TransUnion compiles your consumer credit information and personal information in a Consumer Credit Report from applications you have made to, for example, credit providers or services providers for credit or services.
Information Included in Your Credit Report:
- Identifying information—Name, surname, ID number, physical and postal address, contact numbers, marital status, spouse details, and current employer and occupation
- Account History/Payment Profile—Your Account History/Payment Profile is a 24-month record of all your accounts with credit/service providers and a history of how you pay these accounts on a monthly basis.
- Enquiries—A list of credit/service providers authorized by yourself or permitted in terms of the National Credit Act (“NCA”) to receive your credit report
- Public Records—Information that is publically available as permitted by law such as judgments, sequestrations, and rehabilitation
- Default Data—A Default is recorded on your credit profile when you fail to make the payment of money owed. Default Data is submitted by the credit/service providers to the credit bureaus.
Information Not Included in Your Credit Report:
- Race, creed, colour, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliations
- Your medical history or status
- Major purchases paid in full with cash or cheques
TransUnion Collects Your Information from the Following Information Sources:
- Reports about you that are provided to TransUnion by service providers that are responsible for obtaining your consent to provide the information to us
- Account History/Payment Profile information from credit/service providers
- Information that is relevant for the purposes of fraud detection and prevention
- Payments made by a consumer in respect of a debt, where the debt has been ceded or sold by the credit/service provider to another party
- Directly from you in response to any dealings we have with you
- Other registered credit bureaus
- Educational institutions
- Public records—courts, judicial officer
TransUnion limits the collection of personal information to include only what is permitted in terms of the NCA and which is necessary to our clients for credit/service application to enable them to make meaningful and accurate decisions. Furthermore, we ensure that our data retention policies are in compliance with the NCA.
TransUnion’s Use and Disclosure of Your Personal Information
In terms of Section 68 of the National Credit Act (NCA), there are certain rights and obligations imposed upon credit/service providers and the credit bureaus to ensure that consumer credit information and any other information is received, compiled, retained and reported in accordance with the NCA.
Records of consumer credit information must be maintained in accordance with the following standards:
- Identified by the consumer’s initials or full names, surname and South African identity number or, where no South African identity number is available, by the consumer’s passport number and date of birth, as well as contact and employment details
- Collected, processed and distributed in a manner that ensures that the record remains confidential and secure
- Credit bureaus must take all reasonable steps to ensure that all records are kept up to date
- Credit providers and other data providers defined in the NCA (collectively “Subscribers” ) who submit data to credit bureaus must take reasonable steps to ensure that the information reported to credit bureaus is relevant, accurate, up to date, complete, valid and not duplicated
- Subscribers who wish to submit default/adverse information to a credit bureau must give the consumer at least 20 business days notice of their intention to submit the following types of defaults:
a) Classifications of consumer behavior, including classifications such as delinquent, default, slow paying, absconded or not contactable
b) Classifications related to enforcement action taken by the credit/service provider, including classifications such as handed over for collection or recovery, legal action or write-off
The prescribed purposes for which a report may be issued by a credit bureau on a consumer:
- Fraud detection and fraud prevention services
- An investigation into fraud, corruption or theft, provided that the South African Police or any other statutory enforcement agency conducts such an investigation
- Considering a candidate for employment in a position that requires trust and honesty and that entails the handling of cash or finances
- Setting a limit of service provision in respect of the supply of goods, services or utilities
- Assessing an application for insurance
- Verifying educational qualifications and employment
- Obtaining consumer information to distribute unclaimed funds, including pension funds and insurance claims
- Tracing a consumer by a credit provider in respect of a credit agreement entered into between the consumer and the credit provider
- Developing a credit scoring system by a credit provider or credit bureau
Obtaining Consent
TransUnion does not, except where otherwise permitted by law, collect, use or disclose personal information unless it is for purposes permitted or prescribed by the NCA and the consumer has consented to such use or disclosure (if consumer consent is required in terms of the NCA). In almost all cases, consumers will not provide such consent directly to TransUnion, but to our Subscribers. TransUnion works closely with all our Subscribers to make them aware of the importance of obtaining consumer consent, where such consent is required by the NCA, prior to providing TransUnion with consumers’ personal information, and prior to accessing the personal information obtained in our credit reports.
Security of Your Personal Information
TransUnion has adopted strict security measures to secure your personal information. TransUnion uses firewall technology to protect its data from would-be intruders and has different processes in place to secure our information such as passwords and security codes, encryption of data, antivirus software and physical security measures. Managerial procedures and a security department are in place to safeguard our information. TransUnion has also instituted a number of safeguards to identify and prevent the fraudulent use of personal credit information.
Retention of Your Personal Information
TransUnion retains your personal information in our credit information database in accordance with the data retention periods prescribed by the NCA.
Cookies
Cookies are small pieces of data that allow the TransUnion web server to recognise you. Cookies are issued by a specific web server, stored in your web browser and can only be read by the issuing server. TransUnion uses cookies to save your e-mail and user name so you don’t have to re-enter it each time you visit our site. We may also use cookies to customize your preference settings for future return visits which also facilitate speedy service to you. At no point in time will any of your personal information be stored in a cookie.
Third-Party Site
The TransUnion Privacy Policy only applies to personal information collected at TransUnion Web sites. You should be aware that operators of linked websites may also collect your personal information when you link to their Web sites. TransUnion is not responsible for the privacy policies and practices of any of these sites. It is important to familiarise yourself with their privacy policies before providing them with your personal information.
Correcting and Updating Your Information
You can help us maintain the accuracy of your personal information by notifying us of any changes. When gathering your personal information TransUnion works with our Subscribers to increase their awareness of the importance of providing only personal information that is accurate, complete, and up to date. TransUnion, however, cannot alter the information reported by our Subscribers, unless the information is determined to be wrong, incomplete or inaccurate. If you do not agree with the accuracy of information TransUnion has on file, we have procedures to ensure that such information is verified, and, where appropriate, amended or corrected.
Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft
Identity theft is one of South Africa’s fastest growing crimes and one that can result in significant damage to a credit report. There are a number of ways that you could fall victim to this crime, including “phishing” (seemingly genuine but forged e-mails from a seemingly reputable company that ask you to provide them with personal information in a linked website) and “garbage sifters” (individuals who sort through your rubbish looking for bank statements, invoices, etc, that reveal your personal information. The best way to avoid becoming a victim is to be alert and aware of suspicious activities and modus operandi used by potential fraudsters.
Contacting TransUnion
Consumers’ are welcome to contact TransUnion should they require more information or have any questions. We can be contacted as follows:
TransUnion Contact Centre: 0861 482 482
Website: www.mytransunion.co.za
