Month: February 2013

Unicameral

In planning another whistle stop trip, the train to Lincoln (California Zephyr) seems feasible.  But terminating in the capital and bypassing Nebraska’s nearby major city means foregoing another opportunity to experience what appears to be a majestic large public space in Omaha, the Union Passenger Terminal Great Hall.

photograph, Union Passenger Terminal, Omaha
Union Passenger Terminal, Omaha

The manager of the Lincoln Marriott, however, makes staying in the capital city, at least, a comfortable choice (assuming the senator does not reply).

Getting to North Platte?  That’s another story.

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 1:09 PM
To: Annette Dubas, state senator, Nebraska
Subject: credit score, employers, Nebraska Unicameral Legislature

A report quotes you saying, “The use of a credit score in job applications has an especially negative impact on women, the disabled, and certain populations such as Hispanic and African Americans because their scores tend to be lower.”

Employers do not use credit scores.

What will you do to correct the record?

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

Nebraska State Capitol building
Nebraska State Capitol

Bad reporting at the Washington Post

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 11:44 AM
To: Michelle Singletary, columnist, Washington Post
Subject: Your bad reporting

See this message and your response (or lack of it) at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?tag=washington-post-company.

You wrote, “The information is then used to create credit scores, which can affect consumers’ ability to get a credit card, a home loan, an apartment or even a job.”

Employers do not use credit scores, and you failed to substantiate your claim.  Did you just make it up?

Who is your source?

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

30, 30

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Friday, February 08, 2013 4:08 PM
To: John Branham, public relations and social media manager, TransUnion Interactive, TransUnion
Subject: 30, 30

See this message and your response at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=4657.

Your press release states, “A history of late payments – even by a few days – can potentially harm your credit score.”

However, according your key, an adverse rating only begins at 30 days.  By “a few days,” do you mean a month?  And, couldn’t just one late payment harm a score?

Also, what is so healthy about keeping balances “at or below 30 percent” of a person’s total available credit?  Did you poll lenders?

Finally, what are you doing about the inaccurate USA Today report?

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

 

Prediction: USA Today publisher Gannett will make a correction

USA Today publisher Gannett will make a correction to its latest story about credit scores.  You can believe that prediction because it isn’t easy to get around fundamental numbers.

USA Today claims that the VantageScore credit score scale is 501 to 999 when it is actually 501-990.

But, McPaper is in good company. Testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives, VantageScore chief Barrett Burns committed the same error twice, according to the official record.  VantageScore’s account of history is peculiarly different.

Further, Gannett will make a correction because the company has never come to terms with its inaccurate story about employers and credit scores.  The newspaper’s response was to use the pathetic and annoying “Read the story again” strategy.  Its editorial department (fine people, all) is, thankfully, cooperative and much wiser.  Happy Groundhog Day, by the way.

The numbers journalists use to add credibility to their stories are the same ones that can come back to bite them.

Revolution Capital Group, LLC and the Tampa Tribune

From: Greg Fisher [mailto:greg@creditscoring.com]
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2013 11:01 AM
To: Robert Loring, founder and managing partner, Revolution Capital Group, LLC; William Barker, publisher, Tampa Tribune; William Barker, publisher, Tampa Tribune (2)
Cc: Chris Ingram, president and founder, 411 Communications; Nancy C. Detert, chair, Committee on Commerce and Tourism, Florida Senate; Regan McCarthy, senior producer/assignment editor, WFSU-FM/ Florida Public Radio
Subject: RE: Florida Senate Committee on Commerce and Tourism, Revolution Capital Group

See this message and your response at https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=4630 and https://blog.creditscoring.com/?tag=florida.

You published, “So the Legislature is here to save the day because Detert has apparently deduced that people are unemployed because they can’t get a job because of the bad economy, which caused them to pay their J.C. Penney bill late, which caused them to get a lower credit score, which employers are using to deny them jobs they would otherwise be hired for.”

Employers do not use credit scores.

Your policy is to correct all errors of fact.

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

[email to WFSU attached]