The Dallas Morning News on employers using Equifax credit scores and reports
Newspaper syndicate reports Equifax does not provide credit scores or even reports to employers, but Equifax's ads say something else
| By Greg Fisher
The Dallas Morning News reported, "Equifax doesn't 'provide credit scores or files [credit reports] for pre-employment screenings,' said spokesman Tim Klein."
However, Equifax's website states, "Lenders, employers, car dealers - they all can know your FICO score, and so can you."
The story also appeared on other media outlets' websites:
Philadelphia Inquirer
BusinessWeek
WFAA-TV, Dallas/Fort Worth
New Jersey Star-Ledger
Modesto Bee
Grand Forks Herald
Bellingham Herald
KVUE-TV, Austin
Denton Record-Chronicle
San Luis Obispo Tribune
And, advertisers for Equifax still display messages that state, "Lenders, employers, car dealers, landlords - they all know your FICO score, and so should you," and "Lenders, employers, car dealers, - they all can know your FICO score, and so can you."
Attempts at clarification failed:
From: Greg Fisher, creditscoring.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 5:12 PM
To: Tim Klein [vice president, public relations, Equifax]
Subject: credit score, employers, Dallas Morning News
This appeared in the Dallas Morning News: "Equifax doesn't 'provide credit scores or files [credit reports] for pre-employment screenings,' said spokesman Tim Klein."
Do you provide consumer files for employment purposes?
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 3:10 PM
To: Tim Klein
cc: Pamela Yip, Dallas Morning News
Subject: credit score, employers, Dallas Morning News
Please reply.
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 2:10 PM
To: Tim Klein
cc: Yip; Bob Yates, [Deputy Managing Editor/Sports, Business News and Recruiting], Dallas Morning News
Subject: credit score, employers, Dallas Morning News
Please reply.
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Saturday, October 03, 2009 9:31 AM
To: Tim Klein
cc: Yip; Yates; Trish Graybeal, office of executive consumer services, Equifax; Gary Poch, Equifax; Richard F. Smith, chairman and CEO, Equifax
Subject: credit score, employers, Dallas Morning News
Please reply.
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Monday, October 05, 2009 3:07 PM
To: Tim Klein
cc: Yip; Yates; Graybeal; Poch; Smith; Jennifer Costello, public relations director, Equifax; George Rodriquez, vice president/managing editor, Dallas Morning News
Subject: credit score, employers, Dallas Morning News
Please reply.
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 10:00 AM
To: Tim Klein
cc:Yip; Bob Yates; Trish Graybeal, office of executive consumer services, Equifax; Gary Poch, Equifax; Richard F. Smith, chairman and CEO, Equifax; Jennifer Costello, public relations director, Equifax; George Rodriquez, vice president/managing editor, Dallas Morning News; [11 email addresses associated with the websites below]
Subject: credit score, employers, Dallas Morning News
If you do not provide consumer files or credit scores for pre-employment purposes, did you forget to correct your website, which says, "Lenders, employers, car dealers - they all can know your FICO score, and so can you"?
And, what are you doing to control the people who operate these websites to sell your service by saying, "Lenders, employers, car dealers, landlords - they all know your FICO score, and so should you"?
http://equifaxcreditreporting.com/http://www.creditsknowledge.com/equifax_credit_report.htm
http://www.ednology.com/equifax-sd.htm
http://www.dealhunting.com/coupon-codes.php?cat=46
http://www.31167.com/coupon-codes.php-cat=46.htm
http://www.katskars.com/financing.htm
http://www.toasteroven.us/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://free-equifax-reports.com/score-power.shtml
http://www.talkandgossip.com/coupon-codes.php?store=1527
http://www.tulsa.net/show/range/2
http://www.currentcodes.com/show/cat/24
http://equifax-reports.com/score-power.shtml
http://couponintro.com/coupon-codes.php-cat=46.htm
http://www.discountfinanceoutlet.com/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://www.discountcodes.ca/coupon-codes.php?cat=46
http://www.eoutletcenter.net/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://researchknots.com/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://businessknots.com/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://biglend.info/auto-loan.php?id=15279
http://www.gotapex.com/coupons/merchant/535.htm
http://www.internetstorez.com/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://creditcardsreport.com/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://www.naughtycodes.com/Equifax-promotional-codes-m1527.html#
http://www.discountcodes.com/show/store/1527
http://123coupons.com/show/store/1527
http://www.tallcity.com/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://www.searchsrv.com/equifax.equifax-SID.0.htm
http://cutouthunger.currentcodes.com/show/store/1527
And, what are you doing about those who, on your behalf, say, "Lenders, employers, car dealers, - they all can know your FICO score, and so can you"?
http://registryfixing.com/Equifax-Identity-Theft-Resouces.html
http://www.mymoneyhelp.com/credit-reports/equifax/equifax-credit-report-fico.shtml
http://www.learncreditnow.com/products/
http://www.couponsandreviews.com/credit-reports/equifax/
http://www.quotes4you.com/shopping/index/listings/category264.htm
http://www.couponsdetector.com/coupon-codes.php-cat=46.htm
Did you tell them to say that? Do you pay them-- directly, or indirectly-- while they say that?
From: Tim Klein
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:03 AM
To: Greg Fisher
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, Dallas Morning News
Greg -- We took down all references to "employers" in our advertising earlier this year. The fact that it has reappeared has been described to be[SIC] as a technical glitch and we're working to get it removed. Tim
From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:21 AM
To: Tim Klein
Subject: credit score, employers, Dallas Morning News
This appeared in the Dallas Morning News: "Equifax doesn't 'provide credit scores or files [credit reports] for pre-employment screenings,' said spokesman Tim Klein."
Do you provide consumer files for employment purposes?
