From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011
To: Gary Johnson, president & CEO, Vertrue Incorporated (FreeScore.com member support address); Rob Wyse, Media First Public Relations
Cc: Caitlin Senior, Media First Public Relations; Carrie Coghill, director of consumer education, FreeScore.com
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, FreeScore.com VIII
Category: Media
credit score, FICO availability, Associated Press
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2011
To: William Dean Singleton, chairman, Associated Press; William Dean Singleton (via Bernie Fischer, MediaNews Group), chairman & CEO, MediaNews Group
Cc: MSNBC.com; Candice Choi, personal finance writer, Associated Press
Subject: credit score, FICO availability, Associated Press
See this message and your response at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=1956.
Your reporter wrote:
As background, lenders rely on two types of scores to gauge a borrower’s risk. FICO scores, which range from 300 to 850, are still the predominantly used scores. But VantageScores, which were developed by the three credit bureaus and range from 501 to 990, have gained popularity in recent years too.
The type of score you’ll get depends on where you buy it.
TransUnion sells both versions to consumers. Equifax only sells FICO scores and Experian markets the PLUS score on its homepage.
Where does TransUnion sell FICO scores?
If Equifax only sells FICO scores, then what is the Equifax Credit Score?
—
Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio 45409-0342
credit score employers myth, Advance Publications, Inc.
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2011
To: S. I. Newhouse Jr., chairman and CEO, Advance Publications, Inc.
Cc: John P. Hiner, executive editor, Bay City Times (Advance Publications, Inc.); Matt Sharp, publisher, Bay City Times (Advance Publications, Inc.); Shannon Murphy, reporter, Bay City Times (Advance Publications, Inc.); Karen Rowlader, assistant director of Professionalism, Thomas M. Cooley Law School; Jon Switalski, Michigan state Representative
Subject: credit score employers myth, Advance Publications, Inc.
See this message and your response at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=1951.
In an editorial, you published, “Checking credit scores is no longer a reliable or even fair way to rate job candidates.”
What evidence suggests that employers use credit scores in hiring decisions?
—
Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio 45409-0342
From: creditscoring.com
To: The Honorable Jon Switalski
Cc: Andy Dillon; Todd Heywood, Michigan Messenger
Date: 3/17/09
Subject: credit score, employer
You said, “If employers are allowed to continue using credit scores in hiring decisions, many hard-working people will be unfairly penalized.”
What evidence suggests that employers use credit scores in hiring decisions?
credit score employers myth, Consumerism Commentary
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011
To: Luke Landes, founder, author, and CEO, Consumerism Commentary
Subject: credit score employers myth, Consumerism Commentary
See this message and your reply at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=1948.
You wrote, “FICO and FICO 08 are the most popular credit scores, but when lenders, landlords, employers, and anyone else checking your credit researches your score, they could be looking at any one of a number of scores.”
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 scores and credit scares on CBS
The national consumer reporting agencies all state that they do not provide credit scores for employment screening.
In 2010, CBS gave us, “From your prospective employers to your prospective landlords, most companies will check your credit score in order to gauge their risk.”
Today, the Early Show host completed the list of the big three network hosts, saying, “this three-digit number can determine whether you get a mortgage or car insurance–sometimes even a job.”
He throws it to the same correspondent who did the dubious deed in 2010.
FreeScore.com spreads credit score/job myth
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2011
To: Rob Wyse, Media First Public Relations
Cc: Caitlin Senior, Media First Public Relations
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, FreeScore.com VII
See this message and your reply at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?tag=freescorecom.
Yesterday, you wrote: “Said [a school teacher], ‘While every person might not use much of what they learn in Algebra 2 and Calculus throughout their life, every person must understand credit scores. Good credit and good credit scores can be the key to the future for students in getting a loan, and even getting a job.’”
Also, your September 8, 2009 press release states: “‘Credit scores and credit reports play a much bigger part in your finances than most people know,’ says FreeScore.com spokesperson Rob Wyse. ‘Poor scores can cost you a higher interest rate, a job, or even a place to live. That’s why it’s so important to see where your credit stands and to make sure the information in your credit files is accurate.'”
What evidence suggests that employers use credit scores?
—
Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio 45409-0342
Employers credit score Catch-22 myth, Tribune Co. IV
It has been a contentious and rocky road, but Maryland media may finally be getting it (it’s a start, anyway) right.
After publishing
[Vangel Paper co-owner Valerie S.] Androutsopoulos said she doesn’t have blanket rules about using the reports and tends to ignore bad credit scores if they involve medical or education debts or mortgage issues,
the Baltimore Sun (“Light for All”) publshed a follow-up:
Employers already are barred from seeing a person’s credit score, but the Assembly wants to limit their ability to access the entire report.
Regarding the first piece, the paper’s politics and government editor wrote:
Mr. Fisher:
Thank you for calling this issue to our attention. We have run a correction in our print and online editions.
However, the correction does not appear on the paper’s errors and corrections (named “Corrections and Clarifications”) web page. Further, other items from the same fold are still wrong.
It does not stop with media.
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
Employers credit score Catch-22 myth, Tribune Co. III
From: Valerie Androutsopoulos
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011
To: ‘greg@creditscoring.com’
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Company, 2011-03-20
This was in spam. That’s the part that everyone’s missing. The credit histories DO NOT CONTAIN SCORES.
Valerie
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 5:23 PM
To: Jane Hirt, managing editor, Chicago Tribune; Allison T. Davis, vice president, communications, Equity International; Jennifer Moralis, vice president, operations, Equity International
Cc: United Press International; Valerie S. Androutsopoulos, principal, Vangel Paper Inc.; Julie Bykowicz, reporter, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Co.; Mary Corey, director of content and senior vice president, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Co.; Talk Back, editor, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Co.; Timothy E. Ryan, publisher, president and chief executive officer, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Co.
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Company, Equity International, 2011-03-20, terms
[FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO SAM ZELL]
Sam Zell, chairman
Equity International
Chicago
The result of the attached correspondence regarding the employers and credit scores myth must convince you of the irresponsibility of continuing to maintain inaccurate information on the websites of the Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Newport News Daily Press, Allentown Morning Call, Chicago Tribune and any other property you control. I feel it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself to you the responsibility of any further dishonor and embarrassment to you and your colleagues. I do so by asking for your discontinuation of spreading the myth and of your attempts at enriching yourself through advertising placed on those pages containing the misinformation that harms the public.
Through what email address do you wish to discuss the terms under which you will make your corrections?
—
Greg Fisher
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio 45409-0342
Employers credit score Catch-22 myth, Tribune Co. II
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 1:56 PM
To: Timothy E. Ryan, publisher, president and chief executive officer, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Co.
Cc: United Press International; Valerie S. Androutsopoulos, principal, Vangel Paper Inc.; Angelos Androutsopoulos, president, Vangel Paper; Julie Bykowicz, reporter, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Co.; Mary Corey, director of content and senior vice president, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Co.; Talk Back, editor, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Co.; Jane Hirt, managing editor, Chicago Tribune; Allison T. Davis, vice president, communications, Equity International
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Baltimore Sun, Tribune Company, 2011-03-20 II
On your website, ConservativeAmerican writes, “Unless one’s credit score/history is relevant to the job, such as a bank teller or accounting department A/P, employers should be prohibited from checking on one’s credit rating prior to and after hiring.
And, MikeCalo said, “Am I to understand that Ms. Androutsopoulos denied a job to one guy because his credit score was low and she was afraid that he was a security risk, yet she hired a person, who had to declare BANKRUPTCY because of a mortgage, as an administrator??“
Politics R Dumb commented, “A qualified, hard worker should not be denied a job because their spouse was laid off, suffered a debilitating illness or accident or otherwise emergency situations that lowered credit scores.”
Brian writes, “People aren’t being hired because of credit score, age and, because they are already jobless.”
They believe what you published. However, the national consumer reporting agencies all state that they do not provide credit scores for employment purposes. The unique and, indeed, startling thing about your story is that you actually seem to have actually uncovered an actual employer who actually uses actual credit scores for actual employment purposes!
But, I’m betting that you actually didn’t. That is because it would be a violation of the employer’s contract with the consumer reporting agency. And, the reports that employers get do not even include credit scores.
This is not the first time that your company furthered this myth. Last year, Jane Hirt of the Chicago Tribune replied: “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I had not seen previous emails. I will ask that we look into this further and publish a correction if warranted.”