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Experian Health has announced a partnership with Change Healthcare, a leading revenue cycle management provider, to jointly provide an identity management solution to solve patient identification and duplication challenges most often occurring during the patient registration process. Accurate identification of patients across care settings is one of the most common challenges in healthcare today. Improper identity management plagues multiple aspects of the healthcare system and all stakeholders, including providers, payers, pharmacies, employers, and consumers. Without accurate record matching, patients can be put at risk. According to statistics cited by Pew Research Center up to 20 percent of patient records are not accurately matched within the same healthcare system—driving up costs, creating inefficiency, and risking patient safety. The solution delivered to the market will leverage Experian Health’s robust identity management capabilities, along with Change Healthcare’s Intelligent Healthcare NetworkTM connecting providers and payers, to accurately identify patients and match records within and across disparate healthcare organizations. With the companies’ extensive footprint across healthcare providers, and Change Healthcare’s ecosystem of over 700 channel partners, the partnership will aim to deliver trusted identity management capabilities that are integrated with healthcare workflow applications across the continuum. “It’s imperative the healthcare industry focus on accurate patient identification and data management to improve overall patient safety,” said Jennifer Schulz, group president, Experian Health. “This new partnership aligns with our commitment to connect and simplify healthcare in a data-driven world, and ultimately deliver an optimal consumer experience.” At launch, the solution is expected to be available to all providers and payers in the United States.  Currently, Experian’s Universal Identity Management solution, in particular, now includes 136.3 million people, representing 42.6% coverage of the U.S. population, and that number continues to grow every month. This partnership will expand the company’s reach even more with partners such as payers and smaller clinics to scale its identity solutions at a quicker pace and benefit the entire industry. “We are pleased to be able to move our business forward with key collaborations that will help us deliver a seamless and scalable identity management solution to more organizations,” added Schulz. “We look forward to working with Change Healthcare and exploring more partnership opportunities with them that can continue to address the healthcare industry’s most pressing operational issues through the power of data and analytics.”

I nearly made a bad mistake a couple of weeks ago after I received an email from a top online retailer stating there was a “problem with my recent order.” I had recently purchased several items and knew that any delay would jeopardize my holiday gift delivery. I was just about to click the “Login” button and then stopped. Thankfully, I had the presence of mind to double-check the sender, and, it wasn’t my favorite shopping site after all – just a really good fake email from a phishy sender. I had almost fallen victim to one of the oldest and most common fraud scams in the books — a phishing email. Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails claiming to be from reputable companies. Fraudsters do this to get recipients to click a link and reveal personal information, like passwords and credit card numbers. Sometimes, they will even install malware on your mobile device or computer, directing you to a fake storefront to pilfer information like bank accounts or create new fraudulent accounts using your identity information. First, I thought, “Wow, what a dumb mistake, especially given our focus at work.” But phishing scams today have become more sophisticated and personal. We are all busy with life – our work, family, commute, and dinner plans, along with keeping up on the latest news cycle. Virtually anyone could be inclined to quickly click on a link stating there is an issue with their recent order. The best phishing scams are those that appear to come from a trusted source and reference real information about you, one of your recent shopping orders, or your personal preferences. Sometimes, a scam can even take the form of an “update” on the delivery of your recent orders, and you might rush into clicking links to resolve the problem. Know then trust What is it about phishing scams that make them so effective? It is the personal nature of the attack. The best ones are those that appear to come from a trusted source and discuss information about you, a recent order, your personal preferences, or even just to provide an “update” on delivery to rush you into clicking based on an issue or delay. One extremely lucrative attack that comes to mind is a recent UK bank attack where fraudsters obtained banking login credentials and accessed accounts in an attempt to submit fraudulent wire transfers. Posing as bank employees, the fraudsters contacted the accountholders to let them know that a fraudulent wire transfer attempt had been made on their account. And in order for the bank to cancel the wire, they needed the accountholders to provide a confirmation code that they would receive instantaneously through their mobile device to confirm their identity. What the accountholders didn’t realize is that the bank’s standard process for any wire transfer was to send a one-time password to the mobile phone number on file to confirm an abnormal transfer’s authenticity – not to stop fraudulent attempts. So, when the accountholders received the passcode, they unknowingly provided them to the fraudsters over the phone, effectively authenticating the transfers with the bank. Oh phishing fraud… Oh phishing fraud… But what about the holidays, you ask? Given our chaotic lives, fraudsters love to use phishing during the holidays. Attackers generally focus on major online retailers to enable the largest possible attack. Many consumers have established two-factor verification for accounts with top online retailers, but fraudsters can use this to their advantage if you’re not vigilant. For example, a scammer might send an email to suggest there is a problem with your recent order, then when you click on a link in the email to check on the issue, you might see a pop-up indicating that you’re using a different device than previously seen in the account. Without thinking too far into it, you’re given a one-time passcode that you enter to confirm your identity. The attacker can use your credentials and passcode to successfully log in as you, purchase goods using on-file payment information, and have the goods shipped to an alternate address. Another effective method for fraudsters is to leverage mediums that billions of consumers around the world use daily, like social media. This is the time of year where everyone is sharing photos and links with their friends and family – which is a prime opportunity for fraudsters to use malware or keyloggers to access social media accounts, masquerade as you, and amplify attacks by reaching out to all of your connections. And since fraudsters can just as easily take advantage of the latest AI and machine learning advances, scams are more sophisticated than ever before. Today’s attacks often use millions of servers worldwide to make attacks appear personal – to look like messages from a friend, family member, or other connection. They know your name, mention something personal that they found on one of your social media posts and ask you to do something – like click on the latest viral video or picture. This can all be done automatically and be sent to millions of people at the touch of a button. Send phishing scams on their way I know this all seems unsurmountable, but there are things that businesses and consumers can do to identify if they’ve been a victim and to avoid becoming a victim in these types of schemes. From a business perspective, the most effective approach is to assess users’ historical behavior. Are you seeing a large number of customers trying to move similar amounts to recently linked accounts or purchasing huge volumes of in-demand items? Perhaps the contact center is getting a lot of calls claiming fraud, which can be a sign of recent fraud attacks. Businesses can closely monitor transactions, educate their employees and customers to not click on untrusted links, and make sure there is more than one person to sign off on any account changes or large money transfers. For consumers, the number one thing you can do is to immediately contact the organization or financial institution where you were victimized. I know this takes time out of an already busy day, but it provides the best chance of recouping any lost funds. The other thing you can do is to immediately notify your social contacts about the scam if you’ve fallen victim. That way, others can protect themselves and help limit the damage and spread of any phishing incident. My experience with an “almost” phishing scam is that no one is immune. But the more everyone is aware of the potential consequences and how they can protect themselves, the less likely phishing attempts will be successful. Check out the Experian Insights blog to learn more about how Experian helps businesses and consumers during the holidays and throughout the year.

It’s an exciting time for all of us at Experian. When I became CEO, just over four years ago, we set a clear path to put an even greater focus on our relationship with consumers and how we can help them in their financial journey. Today, as we prepare to launch Experian Boost, we are marking a major milestone in that commitment. There are more than 100 million Americans who don’t have fair access to credit today. These consumers are often overlooked by lenders and forced to rely on high interest credit cards and loans. Too often they find themselves stuck in a never-ending cycle in which the best of intentions and the desire for a better financial future clash with reality. At Experian, we know that a credit score is the gatekeeper to better financial opportunities. It can make or break people’s access to the very things that help them thrive in today’s economy like getting a loan for a family car or access to a credit card with a lower interest rate. Unfortunately, many consumers have credit files that are considered too “thin”. And while they may be paying their utility, mobile phone and cable TV bills on time month after month, this responsible behavior hasn’t been acknowledged or rewarded with a higher credit score. Experian Boost changes this scenario and give consumers the credit they deserve. As a business, we want to ensure that as many people as possible can access and participate in the financial system and we believe everyone deserves a fair shot at achieving their financial dreams. Today’s Experian Boost announcement drives our mission forward by giving consumers more control over their credit score. This industry-first online platform will give consumers an opportunity to instantly improve their credit scores by adding positive telecom and utility payment information directly into their credit profile. Experian Boost is free and will be accessible to every credit-active adult in America. We recently briefed Experian’s Consumer Council, a group of 12 leaders from organizations committed to helping consumers on their financial journey, on Experian Boost with great feedback. Here’s what one of the organizations, the Credit Builders Alliance, had to say: “Limited credit activity and history are key barriers for consumers to achieve their financial goals,” said Dara Duguay, executive director, Credit Builders Alliance. “We fully support initiatives that promote financial inclusion and think Experian Boost could play an important role in overcoming that barrier. We look forward to seeing how Experian’s new platform impacts consumers.” Innovations like this and the modernization of an industry don’t happen easily. I couldn’t be prouder of our employees who have been working for past three years to make this platform a reality. We are pioneering a bright future for the world of credit with Experian Boost, a product which is emblematic of the innovation culture we foster at Experian. Experian has a fundamental purpose that is shared by colleagues around the world: to strive to be a champion for the consumer. With Experian Boost, we’re bringing our purpose to life and we can’t wait to share it with you. To find out more about Experian Boost, please visit: experian.com/boost.

Having a diverse workforce is vital to help us innovate and deliver on the needs of our increasingly diverse clients and consumers. Over the years, we’ve made some great progress, but there’s so much more we can do and it’s going to take the collective effort of all of us to continue to move the needle. That’s why we’re gearing up to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD). It’s a day celebrated in many countries around the world to recognize the achievements of women and drive equality among men and women. At Experian, IWD activities are extending throughout the month of March. Have a look at what’s going on around the world as Experian celebrates this important day: Asia Pacific The Asia Pacific region is hosting a range of activities across our offices in March, which will include round-table and speaker events as well as an opportunity to network and pledge their support for IWD. EMEA and UK&I EMEA and UK&I are joining together for IWD to support and celebrate diversity and inclusion. The week started with a video of employees from both regions reflecting on what diverse teams bring to our business. Employees will also be invited to a variety of events to engage and network with inspirational women and hear stories from our leaders on what diversity means to them personally. Latin America Throughout the month of March, Latin America has been running a campaign to share stories of achievements in their region and raise awareness about breast cancer prevention and other diseases more common in women. On IWD, there will be a panel of women leaders who will address issues such as the social inclusion of women in the region, women’s participation in the labor market, Experian’s commitment to female leadership and the importance of a work/life In Brazil, IWD is kicking off with a presentation by members of the United Nations to present their 50-50 Gender Equality program (which aims to eliminate gender inequalities by 2030) and how they are working with companies around the world to achieve this vision. Employees will have an opportunity to hear from leaders in our business about diversity and inclusion plans for the region, and listen to a panel of external speakers discuss diversity challenges and career development. North America Our employees in North America will be kicking off the week with celebrations across their ITS’ 13 offices in the region. Each office will have daily activities throughout the week, and all employees – including virtual and those based in smaller offices – will be invited to attend webinars focused on Diversity and Inclusion topics. On IWD, there will be panel discussions with senior leaders who will speak on various career development topics. To close out the week, there will be a special Book Club discussion on March 9. We will continue to update this blog post all week with pictures and other ways we’re celebrating IWD. Bookmark this page and come back.

I work at SEGA, a global games company. I first met Nakamura-san, my contact at Experian, about eight or nine years ago. I remember telling him at the time that I was a little sceptical of credit report and analytic companies – I thought they were either too expensive or their reports weren’t detailed enough. However, a year later I needed help from a company like Experian, and I thought I’d put them to the test.   My team and I were starting to communicate with overseas markets, to work with companies around the world. So, I phoned Nakamura-san. It was a business negotiation, so I had my poker face on – I played the usual mind games you have to, insinuating that if Experian did this job well then our company might be able to offer them even more business in the future.   Safe to say, they passed the test. We’ve been building a really positive relationship with Experian for the last eight years.   We’re working with companies in Hong Kong, Taiwan and London at the moment. To work with them, we need information – for instance, we need to know if they’re actually located where they say they are. Even if a company gives us an address, it’s always possible that it operates from a different country – we’ve all heard about companies and their tax havens. When we have these questions, Nakamura-san and his team at Experian collect and analyse data on these companies, and give us very thorough information – breaking it all down and explaining everything to us really clearly.   It’s really difficult to get the rich, detailed analysis of data you need, but Experian provides us much better data than any of our previous credit research companies managed to. They consult with us, and help us use this data to get our business to a better place. I’m very grateful for it – they’ve added great value to our business. Mr. Shinji Mutazono, Team Manager, SEGA Group Companies Finance Department, SEGA Holdings CO., Ltd. 

In Malaysia, nearly 280,000 people live without electricity. By volunteering with the Liter of Light program, we’re bringing solar panel lights to remote villages, transforming the quality of life and brightening the darker hours for families. In Malaysia, more than 1 percent of the population lives without electricity – one of life’s basic necessities – which equates to nearly 280,000 people living in darkness after the sun goes down. Some people have never had electricity in their life, making simple tasks like cooking or reading nearly impossible after dark. I wanted to change that. My day job is to support and enable individuals within Experian to pursue various career opportunities, but what I’m most passionate about is the way Experian helps me invest in my local community through the Heart of Experian Corporate Social Responsibility program. This year, my team and I had the chance to collaborate with Liter of Light (LOL) – a global, grassroots movement committed to providing affordable, sustainable solar light to people with limited or no access to electricity. In February, we joined one of their projects to install 60 solar street lights in the village of Orang Asli, an indigenous community in the Cameron Highlands.   Over the span of two days in February, a group of 30 Experian volunteers built and installed the solar panel lights. On the first day, the LOL team taught us how to build the panels, teaching us the skills needed to cut wire, assemble PVC pipes and drill holes. The second day, we rode in Jeeps through muddy roads and a three-foot deep river to reach the village. We spent hours unloading the lights and assembling the panel boxes, plotting the village maps and identifying the right spots to install the solar panel lights. I was happy to see some of the local villagers’ curiosity and participation throughout the day. Some helped us assemble the lights while others prepared the right spots for installation by building bamboo stands. The weather was kind to us, so by 5 p.m., nearly all the lights were installed – just before dark! After completing all the hard work, our team recorded a group video using a drone that all of the Orang Asli children chased after. Thanks to our service project providing light to a village in darkness, 150 villagers in Orang Asli will now have more productive, higher-quality lives during the dark hours of the day. I’m so glad I got to play a role in that.