If you are like most individuals and have received a loan, opened a credit card, or financed an automobile in the past 21 years, you may qualify for free credit monitoring services from TransUnion. The free credit monitoring service is part of a settlement, TransUnion reached on a class-action lawsuit.

The settlement terms state, you may be eligible for the free services if you had an open line of credit from January 1987 until May 2008. The free monitoring service will give you unlimited access to your credit report. No more one-time a year free credit reporting, its unlimited access!

There are two kinds of service available. Under basic service, you will get six months of monitoring service for your credit report and will also be able to apply for a cash payment from the settlement fund. Under enhanced service offering, you will get nine months of monitoring services and an additional bonus mortgage stimulator service. If you select this option, you will not be eligible for a cash payment.

The deal ends a class-action lawsuit that was filed after TransUnion sold customer information in the form of marketing lists to other businesses. The company says it discontinued that practice in 2001. TransUnion denied any wrongdoing.

For more information go to www.listclassaction.com. You can also call the TransUnion settlement number at (866) 416-3470.