Acknowledgement

Here is a list of steps to attempt to get the attention of people who misinform citizens.

1. Email
2. Social media message
3. Postcard
4. Letter
5. Certified letter, return reciept requested
6. Visit, in-person, whistle stop

Further steps (if necessary) might include cash, merciless berating and singing telegrams.

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 2:50 PM
To: José Quiñonez, executive director, Mission Asset Fund, and chairperson, Consumer Advisory Board, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Subject: The right thing

You wrote: “Experian, a major credit reporting agencies[SIC], estimates that 66 million Americans are unscoreable[SIC]—they do not have enough credit history to generate a credit score. And without a credit score, they can’t get loans to buy cars, start businesses, get mortgages, rent apartments, or even get jobs.”

However, Experian also states, “Employers never get a credit score.”

So, where did you get the idea that employers use credit scores?


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

New Young Broadcasting errors and corrections

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 11:12 AM
To: Deborah A. McDermott, president, New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc. (via Nashville Bank and Trust); Deborah A. McDermott, president, New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc. (via Leadership Nashville Foundation)
Cc: Angela Kennecke, news anchor, KELOLAND Television, New Young Broadcasting; Press office, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Corrections, KELOLAND News, KELO-TV, New Young Broadcasting
Subject: RE: The News at Ten and its corrections, .tv II

Please reply.


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

[previous message]

The News at Ten and its corrections

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Friday, April 13, 2012 10:37 AM
To: Deborah A. McDermott, president, New Young Broadcasting Holding Co., Inc. (via Nashville Bank and Trust)
Cc: Angela Kennecke, news anchor, KELOLAND Television, New Young Broadcasting; Press office, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Subject: The News at Ten and its corrections, .tv

See this message and your response at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=3843.

You broadcast, “Whether you’re applying for a mortgage or a job, your credit score determines how easy it will be for you to get it” and “You could even be turned down for a job if your credit score isn’t high because you may look irresponsible to a prospective employer.”

Employers do not use credit scoresPay no attention to that attorney general behind the website.

Did your interviewer ask the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director about employers allegedly using credit scores?

It’s complicated.

When do you air corrections?

Have you been to Tuvalu?


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

[next message]

Who told you that?

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 2:34 PM
To: K. James Yager, CEO, director, Barrington Broadcasting Group, LLC
Cc: Walter D. Bristol, chairman, Consumer Reports, Consumers Union; Amanda Walker, Consumer Reports senior project editor, Consumers Union; Communications, Consumers Union; James A. Guest, president, CEO, consumer Reports, Consumers Union
Subject: Whistle-Stop, Consumers Union, Barrington Broadcasting, Who told you that?

With incredulity, you published: “Your credit score is obviously important if you’re borrowing money. But many employers also look at scores when hiring.”

At the bottom of that story is a link to the “Consumers Union website,” however, the Consumers Union page at the link address does not support your statement; it does not mention employers.

New Yorker Hotel

On a whistle-stop tour this month, I visited Consumer Reports.  The person with that organization I spoke to there wrote:

Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 1:34 PM
To: greg@creditscoring.com
Subject: Follow up to your visit earlier today

Hello Greg,

After your visit, I conferred with Mandy Walker and our experts over at Consumers Union (the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports), and we’ve since updated Mandy’s quote in my blog to more accurately reflect the updated language now found at the website cited.

I just wanted to thank you for bringing this to my attention, and apologize for the communication disconnect that occurred on this end between Consumers Union and Consumer Reports, which meant the update was not made to the blog post sooner.

Again, thanks for your sharp eye and follow through,
[name]

(Despite that, still, another Consumers Union document states, inaccurately, “Without a Disaster Information Shield, FICO scoring models could pose an affirmative barrier to the efforts of disaster victims to regain, and maintain, financial stability, access reasonably priced credit, and even regain employment.”)

Your page even contains advertisements while misinforming readers by saying that employers use credit scores.

Who told you that?


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

 

Hearst Corporation correction policy: “promptly;” ValueClick / Investopedia

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 10:26 AM
To: George R. Hearst, Jr., chairman, Hearst Corporation (via Lisa Bagley)
Cc: Shauna Carther, VP, Content, Investopedia, ValueClick; Martin T. Hart, chairman, ValueClick (via Rachel McDonald, CPA, sr accountant & Public Relations specialist); Martin T. Hart, chairman, ValueClick ( via John Ardis, VP, Corporate Strategy); Stephen Proctor, managing editor, San Francisco Chronicle; Public Relations department, ValueClick ; Press office, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Subject: RE: Hearst Corporation, publishing inaccurate information II

People in Canada exhibit a lack of comprehension regarding credit scores in the United States.

Neither employers nor “potential employers” have access to credit scores.  Credit scores are not credit reports; one is a document, and the other is merely a number.

What is your definition of “promptly”?  You continue to display advertisements on a page containing misinformation.  Please use any ill-gotten gains to pay someone to make the correction now.


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

 

 

From: Shauna Carther [Investopedia]
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 5:19 PM
To: greg@creditscoring.com
Subject: FW: Heast Corporation, publishing inaccurate information

Dear Greg Fisher,

After reviewing our article and a reputable source, we’ve decided to clarify our statement to read “potential employers” rather than “employers”.

See: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Report_20110719_CreditScores.pdf

Page 3, I.A “Consumer files are used to produce reports that the CRAs provide to creditors, insurance companies, potential employers, and other users.”
CS3 – The impact of differences between consumer- and creditor-purchased credit scores. (2011, July 19). Retrieved from Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Regards,
Shauna

[previous email]

 

Consumer Reports’ inaccurate information, whistle stop

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 9:55 AM
To: Walter D. Bristol, chairman, Consumer Reports, Consumers Union
Cc: James A. Guest, president, CEO, consumer Reports, Consumers Union; Amanda Walker, Consumer Reports senior project editor, Consumers Union; David Butler, communications director, Washington DC, Consumers Union; Michael McCauley, media director, Financial Privacy Now, media director, Stop Hospital Infections, Consumers Union; Michael McCauley, media director, Financial Privacy Now, media director, Stop Hospital Infections, Consumers Union (alt); Margaret Shader, Web associate editor, Consumer Reports, Consumers Union; Kara Kelber, media relations associate, Consumers Union; Heather C. McGhee, director, Washington Office, Demos, and board member, Consumer Reports; Financial Services Team, Consumers Union; Financial Services Team, Consumers Union (alt); Press office, U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Subject: RE: Follow up to your visit earlier today, Consumer Reports’ inaccurate information, Whistlestop

Walter D. Bristol, chairman
Consumer Reports, Consumers Union

See this message and your response at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=3629 and https://blog.creditscoring.com/?tag=consumer-reports.

You still make these claims:

  • “An automatic FICO disaster information shield would also prevent FICO scores from becoming a barrier to reemployment of displaced people looking for new work with employers who rely in part on credit scores.”
  • “Experian also sells its proprietary PLUS scores along with its credit reports. The company says your score helps ‘lenders, landlords, and employers quickly gauge your credit history and decide what kind of risk they are taking if they approve your application.’”
  • “’Your score is used by lenders, insurers, and even prospective employers, to judge how great of a credit risk you are,’ says Amanda Walker, Consumer Reports Senior Project Editor.”

Employers do not use credit scores.

What is your correction policy?


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

 

 

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2012 10:19 AM
To: Walter D. Bristol, chairman, Consumer Reports, Consumers Union
Subject: credit score, employers, Consumer Reports

Correct this, fire James A. Guest, then resign.

https://twitter.com/#!/creditscoring/status/162542622710312961


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

 

 

From: creditscoring.com [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: 2/16/2009
To: Gail Hillebrand, Consumers Union
Subject: credit score, employers

You said, “An automatic FICO disaster information shield would also prevent FICO scores from becoming a barrier to reemployment of displaced people looking for new work with employers who rely in part on credit scores.”

See http://www.creditscoring.com/influence/government/employercreditscorebelievers.html#consumersunion.

Who is your source regarding credit score use by employers?

What is the name of an employer who uses credit scores?