There’s a lot of commentary in the press today as a result of a report the Federal Trade Commission issued this morning about the accuracy of credit reports.
This gives me the opportunity to share some insight into Experian’s business and how we actively manage the integrity of our data.
After thoroughly reviewing the FTC report issued today, we believe it confirms that consumer credit reports are predominately accurate and serving lenders and consumers well.
As you may have seen, 60 Minutes ran a story on the credit reporting industry tonight, and unfortunately, much of the story was inaccurate and misleading. The focus of the segment was on data accuracy and the results of the yet-to-be released FTC accuracy study.
Many parts of the story did not accurately reflect the facts that have been validated by independent third party studies, the industry’s position or Experian’s position. As such, we would like to clarify our industry position and specific allegations about Experian’s practices.
As the global leader in the credit business, it’s our responsibility to assist lenders in managing consumer credit risk, and importantly, to empower consumers to understand and responsibly use credit in their financial lives.
These responsibilities require a commitment – a commitment from us to play a leading role in helping consumers understand the fundamentals of credit management and how they can benefit from this growing marketplace reliant upon credit. To do this, we continually invest in processes and products that help consumers throughout their credit journey.
Experian has created a long-standing culture of commitment to evolve with the changing marketplace and demands of consumers (and the credit industry). We have a proven track record of continual improvements to our systems over the years, including: