One of the country’s licensed Credit Reference Bureaus (CRB) known as TransUnion is under the spotlight following growing concerns over the transparency of its credit reporting practices.
The issue has come to light after several borrowers, including one person who reached out to us under the request of anonymity, raised concerns about the lack of transparency in credit listings, particularly regarding the absence of clear information on which institutions they owe, and the uncertainty surrounding the nature of these debts, despite having paid off previous loans in full, leaving many questioning the accuracy and fairness of the listings on TransUnion’s platform.
Several individuals have shared similar frustrations, citing discrepancies in their credit reports where loans are listed without indicating the specific institutions they owe.
This lack of clarity leaves many borrowers in a difficult position, unable to verify or settle their debts due to the absence of clear information on TransUnion’s platform.
In one case, a borrower, who had fully repaid loans from institutions like Equity Bank and Mshwari, was shocked to discover that their credit report listed negative information under unnamed entities.
With no indication of which lender was involved, this individual found it nearly impossible to resolve the issue, raising doubts about the accuracy and completeness of the data being reported by TransUnion.
The absence of identifiable institutions in these reports has raised significant concerns among borrowers who fear that they could be paying off debts to unknown parties, potentially harming their credit scores further.
This issue not only undermines confidence in the credit reference bureau’s operations but also calls into question the reliability of the information used by financial institutions to assess borrowers’ creditworthiness.
“Good morning Nyakundi. I hope you are well. I would like you to talk about TransUnion. I had defaulted with Equity and Mshwari loans due to difficulties we faced during the Corona period. When things started working out for me, I paid all the defaulted loans. However, a few months ago, I got an alert that I had been listed negatively in CRB. When I checked the TU app, I found that it was true. Two apps have listed me. Here is where the problem lies. They have not indicated which institution I owe. It’s just a small blue structure they have put there. My question is, if I were to pay, who am I paying since they have not indicated the name? Big institutions like banks, when you check the TU app, you will find their names and the amounts you owe them. Can TransUnion tell us which apps these are, that we can’t even tell their origin? Is it just me, or are other people experiencing the same issue? Kindly hide my ID.”
Many affected individuals are calling for greater transparency and accountability from TransUnion, urging the bureau to provide clearer details about the entities involved in the negative listings and to ensure that their credit reports accurately reflect their borrowing history.
Some have also suggested that regulatory bodies should step in to enforce stricter guidelines on how credit information is shared, particularly in cases where borrowers cannot easily identify their creditors.
As of now, the situation remains unresolved, and many borrowers continue to express frustration with the lack of support from TransUnion, which they feel has failed to address these concerns in a timely and effective manner.
