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
Tag: believers
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, 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
Trail of a rumor: Credit scores, employers and media
Consumer reporting agencies TransUnion, Equifax and Experian all state that they do not provide credit scores for employment purposes. Author and SmartCredit.com writer John Ulzheimer calls the notion that employers use credit scores the myth of the decade. Lester Rosen, president of Employment Screening Resources (ESR) and a qualified employment screening expert calls it an urban myth.
Here’s how the rumor spreads. This is seedy, so wear your boots.
Today, the headline “Government and Private Employers Check Credit Scores” appears on a popular news search website. The headline comes from pressreleasemag.com, a domain created only two months ago. The January 12 story begins with this paragraph: “More and more employers especially in the government sector… finding a new job, because their credit score is low.”
Those are the same, exact 93 words, found on CreditCardGuide.com in a story dated January 9.
CreditCardguide.com has not responded.
The following is unrelated to employers and credit scores, but is too intriguing to pass up. The pressreleasemag.com story continues in the second paragraph: “On account that credit is a nebulous number… free annual credit reports I could keep up.”
So, there are 92 more words that are exactly the same as another press release on another website.
Next paragraph: “However, cards with a flexible spending limit, while convenient, can present… preferably under 30 percent and ideally at 10 percent to 20 percent.”
That’s a new twist. 85 of the words in that paragraph are exactly the same as an 87-word paragraph in a December 27 story on CreditCardGuide.com. But whoever is doing the deed at pressreleasemag.com changed the last two words. They actually did some real work— such as it is.
Next paragraph: “That rankles a lot of people, but what really annoys … will use when you apply for a loan.”
Ouch. The big Kahuna. Gannett’s USA TODAY was the victim this time; 81 words.
Finally: “The Equifax website has a lot of information about not only free, but discounted… prices vary but all are less than the $10.50 the bureau normally charges for a single report.)”
75 words. Victim: AOL.
creditscoring.com vs. The Federal Reserve – on employers
See https://blog.creditscoring.com/?p=1561.
In terms of video views, today, the score is
creditscoring.com: 1993
The Federal Reserve: 554
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.
Zillow and SF Chronicle believe Fed credit score info
Consumer reporting agencies TransUnion, Equifax and Experian all emphatically state that they do not provide credit scores for employment purposes.
Despite that, again, the Federal Reserve claims that credit scores are, indeed, used in employment. Zillow and the San Francisco Chronicle believe it.
The first sentence of a Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland commentary states, “Credit scores are used in nearly every part of our lives, from applications for car loans, mortgages, credit cards, and car insurance to even some hiring decisions.”
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
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
____________________
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?