credit score, employers, Huffington Post, 2011-05-31

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2011 2:10 PM
To: Bryce Covert, assistant editor, New Deal 2.0
Subject: credit score, employers, Roosevelt Institute, New Deal 2.0, The Swipe, Huffington Post, 2011-05-31

See this message and your response at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=2122, https://blog.creditscoring.com/?tag=huffingtonpost, and in the Myth category at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?cat=134.

You wrote:  “As wages fell and consumers took on more debt to compensate, credit scores have become more and more important, as they are a large part of determining a borrower’s creditworthiness. They now even factor into things like job applications [corrected link. 6/9/11, Ed.]… But it doesn’t stop there — potential employers, insurance companies, landlords, and a host of others use these scores as well.”

Who is your source regarding credit score use by employers?


Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio  45409-0342

credit score, employers, Reuters, 2011-05-23

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2011
To: John Wasik, columnist, Reuters
Subject: credit score, employers, Reuters, 2011-05-23

See this message and your response at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=2116 and https://blog.creditscoring.com/?tag=thomson-reuters.

You wrote, “Potential employers and insurance companies also check credit scores, so your FICO is a keystone to your future security as well.”

Who is your source regarding credit score use by employers?


Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio  45409-0342

[UPDATE 2011-12-02: See Canada Day]

Myth: Employers use credit scores (video) – National Financial Literacy Month

National Financial Literacy Month – Video illustrates myth that employers use credit scores

creditscoring.com video shows media, experts, central bank and legislators furthering the myth that employers use credit scores in hiring decisions.

Myth: Employers use credit scores
Myth video: Employers use credit scores

Employers credit score Catch-22 myth, Washington Post Company

From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011
To: Allan Lichtman, professor, Department of History, American University
Cc: Meredith Hooker, managing editor for Internet, The Gazette; Ken Weiss, editor, Gazette of Politics and Business (weekend edition); Jeff Allanach, editor, Frederick County newsroom, The Gazette; David B. Simon, managing editor, Montgomery County newsroom, The Gazette; Vanessa Harrington, editor, Prince George’s County newsroom, The Gazette; The Washington Post Company
Subject: credit score, employers, The Gazette, The Washington Post Company, 2011-03-25

You wrote, “The American people are well aware of the problem of using credit scores for employment decisions.”

Who is your source regarding credit score use by employers?

See this message and your reply at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?cat=myth-2.


Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio  45409-0342

CNBC draws USA TODAY into the fray

A story on CNBC’s website stated:

But how possible is it really to achieve an 850, and is it worth the effort? MyFICO.com says that only .5 – 1 percent of consumers have achieved this golden number.

creditscoring.com asked CNBC for the name a person who, or the address of a document that, is the source of that statistic.  Rather than naming its source, CNBC replied that a myFICO representative said that 13 percent have a score over 800.  CNBC changed its story so that it said this:

But how possible is it really to achieve a perfect score, and is it worth the effort? MyFICO.com reports that only 13% percent[SIC] of consumers have achieved scores over 800.

USA TODAY republished the CNBC article.

However, in July, USA TODAY published an Associated Press report that said:

On the positive side, the number of consumers who have a top score of 800 or above has increased in recent years. At least in part, this reflects that more individuals have cut spending and paid down debt in response to the recession. Their ranks now stand at 17.9%, which is notably above the historical average of 13%, though down from 18.7% in April 2008 before the market meltdown.

In July, Fair Isaac said that it would replace its distribution chart.  It has not done so.

The enigmatic realm of credit scores at CNBC

Following a question from creditscoring.com regarding a CNBC claim that “only .5 – 1 percent of consumers” have achieved an 850 credit score, CNBC amended a January 4th story on its website.  The error and its correction is not documented.

The original statement was, “MyFICO.com says that only .5 – 1 percent of consumers have achieved this golden number.

The corrected statement is, “MyFICO.com reports that only 13% percent[SIC] of consumers have achieved scores over 800.”

However, in July, (after questions from creditscoring.com about an Associated Press report) Fair Isaac, the company who owns myFICO, removed the distribution chart that included the 13 percent statistic, and said that it would replace it.  The credit score company, still, has not provided the replacement.

Despite that, in October, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission heard remarks from the National Consumer Law Center regarding a conclusion cobbled together about the credit score national distribution.  The NCLC’s notion that one-quarter of consumers have a credit score under 600 was attributed to Fair Isaac, and the notion that those under 600 comprised only 15 percent before “the Great Recession” was attributed to the Associated Press. 

A FICO spokesman said that the AP used the 15 percent statistic “as a proxy for a pre-recession distribution curve.”

On April 13, introducing a segment titled “Credit Check: Career Killer?,” a CNBC anchor asked, “Does a credit score– especially a high one– indicate a better applicant?”

The consumer reporting agencies all claim that they do not provide credit scores for employment purposes.

Canada – Pointage de crédit junk journalism from ValueClick

In an item on the Globe and Mail website, an Investopedia article contends, “Credit scores range from 300 to 850.”  However, in Canada the “pointages FICO vont de 300 à 900.”

In the U.S., the FICO credit score scale is 300 to 850.

Investopedia (who is actually based in Canada), a division of ValueClick, provides junk journalism articles to Hearst and Forbes, too.  Martin T. Hart is the chairman of ValueClick according to Forbes.  Whether you choose to believe Forbes about that is entirely up to you.

Dave Ramsey on employers and credit scores


The three national consumer reporting agencies all state that they do not provide credit scores for employment screening.

From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 6:46 PM
To: Dave Ramsey
Subject: FW: credit score, employers, Dave Ramsey, Dave Says

You wrote, “I wouldn’t want to work for a company that puts more emphasis on my FICO score than on me as a person… there are so many ways to make a living in this world that there’s no reason to put up with being reduced to a number like that.”

Who is your source regarding credit score use by employers?


Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio  45409-0342

______________________________

From: Greg Fisher 
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 12:04 AM
To: Dave Ramsey; Dave Ramsey
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Dave Ramsey, Dave Says II

Please reply.

______________________________

From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Monday, November 29, 2010 10:22 PM
To: Dave Ramsey; Dave Ramsey; Dave Ramsey
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Dave Ramsey, Dave Says III

Please reply.

______________________________

See

http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2010/11/23/potential-employers-check-credit-score/

 http://www.cbn.com/finance/ramsey111610.aspx

http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Dave-says-112110

http://www.thekansan.com/newsnow/x794473925/Advice-on-engagement-ring

http://www.decaturdaily.com/stories/A-ring-on-her-finger-doesnt-have-to-cost-an-arm,71508

http://www.independentmail.com/news/2010/nov/21/dave-says-guidelines-purchasing-engagement-ring/

http://www.sj-r.com/business/x1892561430/Dave-Ramsey-Personal-Finance

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/nov/22/spend-one-months-salary-on-engagement-ring/?partner=RSS

credit score, employers, Huffington Post III

[previous message]

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 4:39 PM
To: Laura Bassett, reporter, The Huffington Post
Cc: Mario Ruiz, VP, media relations, Huffington Post
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Huffington Post, identity II

 Please reply.

 —
Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio  45409-0342

____________________

From: Laura Bassett, reporter, The Huffington Post
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 4:43 PM
To: greg@creditscoring.com
Subject: Re: credit score, employers, Huffington Post, identity II

www.amrail.net

____________________

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 8:49 PM
To: American Rail Marketing
Cc: Laura Bassett, reporter, The Huffington Post; Mario Ruiz, VP, media relations, Huffington Post; Chris Davis, Huffington Post
Subject: credit score, employers, Huffington Post

The Huffington Post reports: “After working for the same railroad for 14 years, never missing a house or car payment, Sammy Bailey says he never expected his credit score to keep him out of a job… Bailey said he applied for a new job at Am-Rail in Kansas City, Missouri, three weeks ago but failed to pass the background check because of his poor credit.”

Do you use credit scores in employment screening?


Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio  45409-0342

____________________

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 12:06 AM
To: [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; American Rail Marketing (info@amrail.net)
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Huffington Post

The last message, which was sent to the email address on your homepage, was returned as not able to be delivered.

Please reply.

____________________

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2010 10:18 AM
To: American Rail Marketing (info@amrail.net); [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing
Cc: Laura Bassett, reporter, The Huffington Post
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Huffington Post III

The Huffington Post reports: “After working for the same railroad for 14 years, never missing a house or car payment, Sammy Bailey says he never expected his credit score to keep him out of a job… Bailey said he applied for a new job at Am-Rail in Kansas City, Missouri, three weeks ago but failed to pass the background check because of his poor credit.”

Do you use credit scores in employment screening?


Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio  45409-0342

____________________

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 8:32 PM
To: Laura Bassett, reporter, The Huffington Post
Cc: American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; [name withheld], American Rail Marketing; Mario Ruiz, VP, media relations, Huffington Post; Chris Davis, Huffington Post
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Huffington Post III

See “credit score, employers, Huffington Post III.”

Did you ask American Rail Marketing if they use credit scores in employment screening?  If you did, what was their response?


Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio  45409-0342

credit score, employers, Huffington Post, identity

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2010 8:25 AM
To: Laura Bassett, reporter, The Huffington Post
Subject: credit score, employers, Huffington Post, identity

See https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=1480.

You wrote: “After working for the same railroad for 14 years, never missing a house or car payment, Sammy Bailey says he never expected his credit score to keep him out of a job… Bailey said he applied for a new job at Am-Rail in Kansas City, Missouri, three weeks ago but failed to pass the background check because of his poor credit.”

Seldom do stories about credit score use in employment mention employers’ names.  The consumer reporting agencies all state that they do not provide credit scores for employment screening.

What is the address, telephone number or website address of Am-Rail?

[next message]