What Does TransUnion Offer Military?

• Free, monthly credit report and score you can view online while you serve.
• One‑year active‑duty alert that tags your file so lenders see you're on active duty and must follow SCRA rules.
• Complimentary credit freeze you can place, lift, or remove at no cost during deployment.
• SCRA‑eligible flag that notifies creditors they must honor interest caps, payment deferments and collection limits required by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.
• Dedicated dispute portal and phone line for military‑specific errors such as mis‑reported deployments or PCS moves.
• Identity‑theft protection suite with alerts, recovery assistance and a fraud‑resolution hotline for deployed members.
• Tools to track and update credit information during PCS moves or separation, keeping your dependents' accounts linked correctly.

You can pull a free TransUnion credit report and score at any time during active duty.

1. Confirm eligibility - you must be an active‑duty service member, reservist, or National Guard member with a valid military ID or DD‑214.
2. Visit the TransUnion military portal - go to TransUnion's free military credit report page and click 'Get My Report'.
3. Enter personal details - supply your name, Social Security number, and service‑member verification (military ID number or DD‑214 image).
4. Choose delivery method - select electronic download for immediate access or mailed paper copy if you prefer a hard copy for your records.
5. Access your score - once verification finishes (usually within minutes), your TransUnion credit score appears alongside the full report; you can view it online or print it for your own files.
6. Set up the annual active‑duty alert - during this session you can enable a 12‑month alert that flags any new inquiries or accounts, a feature referenced in the next section on deployment alerts.

These steps give you continuous, cost‑free visibility of your credit while you serve, laying the groundwork for the credit‑freeze and SCRA protections covered later.

TransUnion lets eligible military members place an active duty alert on their credit file before deployment.

• Verify eligibility with official deployment orders and have your DoD ID ready.
• Visit the TransUnion active duty alert details page or call 1‑800‑916‑8800.
• Provide your name, DoD ID, and a copy of the deployment orders (digital upload or fax).
• Confirm the alert; TransUnion applies it within five business days at no cost.
• The alert stays on your file for one year and blocks new credit inquiries unless you lift it.
• If you need stronger protection, you can convert the alert to a free credit freeze later in the deployment period.

Setting the alert now gives you the foundation for the credit‑freeze options discussed in the next section.

You can place a free credit freeze with TransUnion for the entire deployment period by first activating your active‑duty alert.

1. Log in to your TransUnion credit‑freeze portal or call 1‑800‑934‑2772 and select the 'military deployment' option.
2. Provide your service‑member ID, branch, and the expected start and end dates of the deployment. TransUnion verifies eligibility using the active‑duty alert you set in the previous section.
3. Confirm the freeze; TransUnion locks all new inquiries and new accounts until you request a lift. No fee applies under SCRA protections.
4. When you return or need temporary access, request a temporary lift online or by phone; the lift takes effect within minutes and does not affect the underlying freeze.

Proceed to the next step to learn how SCRA protections keep your frozen status automatically extended if your deployment exceeds one year.

Definition:

SCRA protections in TransUnion reporting let eligible military members ask TransUnion to flag any credit‑account activity that falls under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Once flagged, the bureau pauses reporting of late payments, foreclosures, repossessions or bankruptcies related to the service period, and it enforces the SCRA‑mandated 6 % interest‑rate ceiling on covered debts.

Examples:

• Log in to your TransUnion's SCRA resource page, select 'Add SCRA protection,' and upload your deployment orders; TransUnion will label the account 'SCRA' within 24 hours.
• If a credit‑card bill becomes past due while you're deployed, TransUnion will not record the late payment, preventing a score dip during the active duty alert year you set earlier.
• Should a collection agency attempt to contact you, the SCRA flag tells the agency to suspend collection activity, and any interest accrued on the debt is capped at 6 %.
• When you later freeze your credit for deployment, the SCRA flag remains active, so any new inquiries are blocked and no negative information can slip in during the freeze period.
• After PCS, you can keep the SCRA protection in place for the remaining months of your service, ensuring a clean credit report while you transition.

Dispute military‑specific errors on your TransUnion report by initiating a free online dispute and attaching the required military documentation.

• Log into the TransUnion online dispute center or call 1‑800‑916‑8800.
• Select the item that contains the error (e.g., deployment status, PCS address, or dependents' credit).
• Upload a copy of your DD Form 214, current orders, or SCRA protection notice to prove the inaccuracy.
• Include a brief statement explaining why the entry violates SCRA protections or reflects outdated military information.
• Submit the dispute; TransUnion must investigate within 30 days and provide results online.
• If the error persists, repeat the process with a mailed dispute to TransUnion Consumer Relations, attaching the same documents and a certified‑mail receipt.
• After correction, verify the update by checking your next free credit report; any remaining issues can be escalated through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

TransUnion lets deployed service members file a fraud alert and launch the identity‑theft recovery process from anywhere.

• Sign in at Active Duty Fraud Alert or the myTransUnion app.
• Activate the free 1‑year fraud alert; it notifies lenders to verify identity before opening new credit.
• Request a free credit freeze to block all new accounts while you investigate.
• Download the Identity Theft Report, attach police or military incident documentation, and upload it through the 'Identity Theft Recovery' portal.
• Dispute each fraudulent entry directly in the portal; TransUnion's investigators handle the follow‑up.
• Call the 24/7 Military Support line (1‑800‑XXX‑XXXX) with your deployment ID for real‑time guidance.

Using these steps, a deployed member can stop further fraud, clean the credit file, and preserve financial standing without leaving the deployment zone.

TransUnion lets a military member activate an active duty alert before a PCS move so any new address or lender inquiry triggers an immediate notification, keeping fraud off the radar while you relocate.

During the move, use TransUnion's online portal to update your residence, set a temporary address, and, if needed, place a free credit freeze that stays in effect for the entire transition period.

When separation arrives, request a fresh credit report and score, apply SCRA protections to lock in lower interest rates, and keep the alert active for 12 months to catch lingering errors that often surface after service ends.

You can protect a spouse or child's credit by placing a separate TransUnion credit freeze or active‑duty alert on their own credit file. The freeze or alert applies only to the dependent's Social Security number and is not automatically linked to your deployment status or SCRA protections. As with your own file, the service is free for up to 12 months.

To request the protection, log into TransUnion's portal (or call the free hotline), enter the dependent's SSN, and select the 'military‑specific freeze' or 'active‑duty alert' option. The request works independently of your personal alert, so you must repeat the process for each dependent you wish to cover. If a dependent's report later shows suspicious activity, the following section explains when to contact TransUnion versus other agencies.

Contact TransUnion whenever the problem lives on your TransUnion file. Open an active‑duty alert, place or lift a credit freeze, dispute a SCRA‑related entry, correct a deployment‑time error, update your PCS address, or protect a dependent's credit through the TransUnion portal. For example, a payday loan that appeared while you were overseas shows up only on your TransUnion report; dispute it directly with TransUnion to have it removed.

Contact the other credit bureaus when the issue appears on their reports, when you need a freeze or alert on all three agencies, or when a complaint involves multiple bureaus. A late payment reported solely to Experian requires an Experian dispute; a nationwide identity‑theft case often calls for simultaneous freezes with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. If a creditor's error isn't reflected in your TransUnion file, reach out to the appropriate bureau or file a complaint with the CFPB or FTC.