March 24, 2016 | By Greg Fisher

From: Greg Fisher [mailtgreg@truthandfalsity.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 12:14 PM
To: Michelle Singletary, Washington Post
Cc: Harry J. Deitz Jr., Reading Eagle
Subject: RE: Credit Scoring story, truth

Michelle Singletary
Washington Post
Washington, D.C.

Your email address is at the bottom of a recent article and I am using it to contact you with this message. I am with the media, am on a deadline (it is tomorrow) and I am writing about you. See this message and your response at http://creditscoring.com/interaction/2016/03/24-washington-post.html.

See my message to the publisher of the Reading Eagle below. I wrote to Mr. Deitz because he is not tone-deaf, and I anticipated that he would prove his cognizance by making another correction. He did so.

His publication came to my attention again because of an item that you wrote and he published. In it, you make a questionable claim about the use of credit scores. You wrote

Pumping up your credit number should be a priority. The higher your score, the more likely you'll get favorable lending terms, because the algorithms say you're more expected to pay your debts.

A landlord is likely to ask for a credit number. A potential employer will want you to disclose it. Even a date, hoping to become serious, might judge you by your credit score.

That is a new facet in an old and continuing story. I tagged the saga Credit Score Myth 2, or, simply, #myth2: The mere notion of employers and credit scores. A long time ago, the three consumer reporting agencies who compile and maintain files on consumers on a nationwide basis told me that they do not provide credit scores for employment purposes.

So, name such an employer, or name your source for your contention. In an electronic version of the book central to your article, the author states that employers look at credit reports, but not credit scores.

In the 7-year microcosm of Myth 2, ancillary issues have arisen, not the least of which is truth, itself. Tell Mr. Bezos, your publisher, that his information is false. He published falsity about the history of my country, the United States of America, and that will not stand. A Washington Post item dated 2014 states, "Look at how Speaker John Boehner pushed through a 'clean' debt-limit increase with the help of Democrats in the House and how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell voted to break a Sen. Ted Cruz filibuster of this legislation."

Senator McConnell did not become Majority Leader until 2015. If your organization has information about world history that I do not, I demand that you provide it.

I wrote to Mr. Bezos, and I have no response. Two years is long enough for him to reply.

--
Greg Fisher
Truth and Falsity
truthandfalsity.com
Page A2
pagea2.com
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio 45409-0342
mobile/text 937-681-3224

From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2016 6:15 PM
To: Harry J. Deitz Jr., Reading Eagle
Subject: RE: Credit Scoring story, #1510J, #1511d, false information, #1509BE

As I told you in our phone call today, I am with the media, am on a deadline and I am writing about you. See https://twitter.com/creditscoring/status/709458118334349312 and http://truthandfalsity.com/history/north-america/united-states-of-america/house-of-representatives/speaker-of-the-house/53/reading-eagle.html.

You published this false statement (and changed it after we talked): "The crowd frequently yelled 'Amen!' and consistently booed any mention of Obama, congressional Democrats, House Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky."

At no time was John Boehner House Majority Leader while Mitch McConnell was Senate Majority Leader. On September 10, 2015, the date of that Associated Press and Washington Post item, Mr. Boehner was Speaker and Kevin McCarthy was Majority Leader. I am right and you were wrong, but, at least, you pick up the phone.

What is your correction policy?

--
Greg Fisher
Truth and Falsity
truthandfalsity.com
Page A2
pagea2.com
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio 45409-0342

From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2015 4:33 PM
To: Harry J. Deitz Jr., editor, Reading Eagle
Cc: Diane Lee, anchor, WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, Media General; Patrick J. Talamantes, president and CEO, McClatchy Company (via E. Lintecum); Steve Rosen, kansascity.com
Subject: RE: Credit Scoring story, #1511d, quote, Reading Eagle, #SocialScienceFiction

See #1510J and "No social media data in US credit scores - Headline hype by anonymous writer in domain ft.com regarding FICO scores, and Fair Isaac statement to the contrary"

You published: "FICO has noted that the new credit assessment tests are not fully intended to negatively impact a person's credit score. A clean image on Facebook, for example, might actually help a person get credit."

There is no nameless, faceless arbiter looking at our pictures and tagging them as clean. #SocialScienceFiction

What is your correction policy? #n502

--
Greg Fisher
Truth and Falsity
truthandfalsity.com
Page A2
pagea2.com
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio 45409-0342

From: Greg Fisher
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2015 11:45 AM
To: Diane Lee, anchor, WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, Media General
Subject: RE: Credit Scoring story, #1511d, quote

My telephone number is 937-681-3224.

I am with the media, I am on a deadline (it is today) and I am writing about you and Media General. I might quote what you say to me.

--
Greg Fisher
Truth and Falsity
truthandfalsity.com
Page A2
pagea2.com
The Credit Scoring Site
creditscoring.com
PO Box 342
Dayton, Ohio 45409-0342

From: Lee, Diane [WSPA-TV]
Sent: Friday, November 06, 2015 11:10 AM
To: greg@truthandfalsity.com
Subject: Credit Scoring story

Hi Greg,

I saw your twitter post, and I wanted to reach out to you directly regarding the story I did on social media and credit reports.

Obviously my top aim is to be accurate, so I'm eager to talk with you.

Please send me your number so I can call you when I'm in-between interviews for today's story.

Many Thanks!

Diane Lee
7 News
[TELEPHONE NUMBER]