Release 124 Regression Test

  Becoming a victim of identity theft and fraud can be a constant fear for many consumers. In fact, according to Experian’s recent Identity Theft Survey findings, 84 percent of respondents acknowledged concern about the security of their personal information online. Surprisingly, despite this overwhelming concern, our survey also found that nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of consumers also believe it’s “too much of a hassle to constantly worry about securing personal information online.” With personal vigilance declining and identity theft on the rise, developing the right consumer tools is essential. Today’s consumers demand easy-to-use, reliable identity protection products that give visibility to their personal and financial information’s possible theft and fraud exposure. In response to this growing need, we’ve launched IdentityWorks – a comprehensive identity theft protection product which helps consumers become actively engaged in defending themselves against identity fraud. For example, IdentityWorks’ dark web monitoring and alerts help consumers manage the risk of exposure in a place they can’t even see or access. Most consumers don’t really know anything about the dark web – other than it’s a bad “place.” The product also allows a user to instantly lock or unlock their Experian credit file, literally by clicking or tapping an icon via desktop or mobile device. It’s that simple. In addition to providing an array of user-friendly tools, IdentityWorks offers a set of resources to give consumers peace of mind. If suspicious activity is detected, Experian’s team of fraud resolution specialists are available to guide consumers through the process of repairing the damage done and shielding them from additional damage. Furthermore, while we work to secure your information, up to $1 million in identity theft insurance is available, just in case. * We know consumers perceive keeping track of, and protecting one’s identity as complex and inconvenient. According to our Identity Theft Survey, approximately 53 percent of individuals believe staying on top of financial transactions is a challenge. That’s why we believe IdentityWorks is exactly the right solution at the right time. It reduces the scale of that challenge into something much more manageable, with resources for both monitoring and remediating identity theft and fraud. The responsible use of credit can propel consumers’ livelihoods – helping to qualify opportunities like affordable mortgages and automotive loans – but identity theft can make it more difficult to obtain credit, making someone’s good credit history look poor. This is why IdentityWorks is so relevant to Experian. We are driven to help consumers achieve their long-term financial dreams. By enabling consumers’ active role in protecting themselves from identity theft and fraud, we help them buy a home, purchase a car or invest in their education. We hope the launch of IdentityWorks will empower consumers to manage their financial futures and remain vigilant against those who would take that away.       * Identity Theft Insurance is underwritten by insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates of American International Group, Inc. (AIG). 175 Water Street, New York, New York 10038. Please refer to the actual policies for terms, conditions, and exclusions of coverage. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions.  

In 2012, employees across Experian’s Turkish office began a program to promote financial awareness and education for young people ages 18-30, which we called the Manage Your Future Now Project. For young people pursuing higher education in universities, financial literacy is a required life skill, especially since many depend on educational loans and credit cards to pay for their education. Bad loan management resulting in a poor credit score can hurt the financial future of these students. We found that most local universities lack the human resources necessary to train students on the topic. We decided that the best way to promote financial literacy was through a peer education model. Using this model, we would train volunteers to help their fellow students calculate their credit risk, manage their budget and understand the long-lasting effects of bad credit. We partnered with the Turkish Credit Bureau, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Happy Thought organization to launch the program.  With our partners, we provide a two-day training session for student volunteers in Istanbul. We give our volunteers the resources and tools they need to train others on financial risk, while also training them on how to present the same materials to others. These volunteers then go back to their local communities to train their peers through one-on-one sessions, or – if they generate enough interest at a university – organize a conference where they invite Experian experts to share their knowledge with a group of 100 or more students and faculty. The Manage Your Future Now Project has become a leading contributor in improving the financial skills and knowledge of young people and improving the financial literacy rate throughout Turkey. Since we began the program, we’ve reached more than 8,500 people and offered more than 100 training courses at universities, carried out by our growing number of volunteers. For me, the most rewarding part of this project is helping inspire and equip these students. I recently traveled to a university in Turkey as a speaker, giving a financial literacy conference to about 200 people. After I taught them about their credit scores and ways to secure their financial futures, one of the students came up to me, telling me how passionate he was about financial education and how eager he was to become a peer volunteer with the Manage Your Future Now Project. Our team at Experian was able to help convince his family to let him join the program so he could attend a training session and become a speaker in that city. To date, he has met with and educated more than 100 fellow students, guiding them through the program’s tools. Understanding how finance works has a huge impact on people’s daily lives, because it’s relevant for both their present and future welfare. It’s amazing to see year after year how we are helping change people’s lives in Turkey, by opening new doors for them as they understand how to manage credit.    

  I grew up in a major industrial city in Communist China just east of Beijing in a world where information was scarce. I was born into a pretty traditional Chinese family back in the 1960s and lived with my five siblings and parents in a small, crowded house. When the Cultural Revolution hit in 1966, the schools never officially shut down, but essentially nothing was taught at the time since students were expected to participate in the revolution. Throughout that period, almost all novels and movies were banned because they were not considered appropriate for educating students. But rather than causing me to lose my interest in learning, the ban led me to develop a habit for reading anything I could get my hands on, and my natural hunger for information grew. As my love for collecting and consuming information continued, I decided to become a data scientist. I moved to the U.S. to complete my Master’s degree and Doctoral Program. Today I work with “Big Data” at Experian, developing analytical solutions for financial telecommunication and insurance companies. What’s amazing to me about my job is the fact that 90 percent of the data in the world has been created in just the last two years. Data Scientists like myself retrieve, sift, analyze, process and store all the data according to a business or consumer’s needs. I believe that data tells a story; it’s business intelligence that can help an individual or business identify where they may need to change or adjust in order to move forward. For consumers, it can help them improve their credit scores and secure an affordable loan. It can help protect identities by detecting and stopping suspicious activity. For businesses, the data can mitigate risk, help prevent fraudulent transactions or even ensure they’re marketing to proper audiences. I believe that data has the power to transform lives and societies for the better. My job is to help clients and consumers understand the story of their data so they can take financial control, achieve their goals, and help meet the needs of customers. I have always told myself, “no matter the situation, do your best.” For me, doing my best is using this lifelong passion to help others succeed.  

When it comes to credit for small businesses, it’s a classic chicken-and-egg situation: you can’t get credit until you have credit history, and you can’t get credit history until someone grants you credit. I know this first-hand because my own parents were small-business owners in California. My parents had built an independent insurance agency. I distinctly remember as a kid sitting in the backseat of our car and overhearing the discussions they would have about their struggles to grow the business or how they would make payroll that month. Many small businesses don’t have access to small-business loans or business credit cards, so they rely entirely on the business owner’s personal credit to make purchases. This means that while there may be a credit history for the individual, there is none for the business itself. This also means that whenever my parents needed money to get through the month, they essentially had to put their livelihood at risk because there was no separation between personal and business loans. The lack of access to funds, and the consolidation happening in the insurance industry at the time, led my parents to take another big risk – they sold the business and our house, and they liquidated their retirement accounts and put everything into a restaurant franchise. They felt there would be more stability representing an established brand owned by someone else. When I graduated from my MBA program years later, one of the things that first attracted me to Experian was the opportunity I had to ease the burdens of small business owners through my work here. The work I do really hits home, because I’m working every day to open up small-business credit, using different types of data. In today’s economy, a lot of great business ideas – profitable ones, at that – never get a chance to see the light of day simply because they don’t have the capital they need to grow. Experian is making business ideas a reality by gathering, analysing, combining and processing a breadth of new data that allows us to develop credit scores for more people and paint the most realistic picture of a situation. By verifying a business’s history, its social media accounts, its website sophistication and traffic, and customer reviews, we can measure a small business’s legitimacy, how long they’ve been operating and how they’re growing. This information, coupled with transaction data, all help determine a business’s credit worthiness and allow us to give its owners greater access to capital. Data is a huge enabler for positive change because it can give small-business owners access to credit that they wouldn’t receive otherwise. When used in the right ways, data can empower and enable small businesses to get the funding they need to hire employees, invest in their business or open a new location. In many ways, I’m helping people just like my parents.

Spring clean your credit during Financial Literacy Month with our finances in order. #FLM2017 is dedicated to teaching Americans healthy credit habits.

About a year ago, my colleague Natalia invited me to join her in a new volunteer opportunity with the Ministry of Housing in Colombia. The Ministry had created a new program called Mi Casa Ya – which means in English “My Own Home Now,” to help people in Colombia own their first homes. Excited and eager to lend a hand, Natalia and I introduced ourselves to Alejandro, the Director of the National Housing Fund at the Ministry of Housing. Alejandro told us how an unexpected roadblock threatened to derail the program. He had created Mi Casa Ya so that even the poorest people in the country could get a government subsidy to purchase a home. To get the subsidy, they just needed to qualify for a mortgage from a local bank. But that was the problem. In order to get the bank loan, applicants needed a strong credit history. Yet most of the people looking to take advantage of the subsidy through Mi Casa Ya, he explained, were considered “credit invisible.” That is, they had no viable credit history, thin or un-scoreable credit files, or they simply had bad credit. So banks had no choice but to reject them. Natalia and I heard the frustration in Alejandro’s voice, and we knew just how we could help. We told Alejandro that if the Ministry could determine which individuals were being rejected by the banks, we could come in and build credit scores for them using Experian’s data. You see, building credit histories is the sort of thing we do every day at Experian. Over the years, Experian has innovated with analyzing traditional and alternative data sources, such as public records and magazine subscriptions, to create the most accurate and realistic picture of someone’s credit. And by unlocking the power of this data, we are able to identify the data sets that can help lenders make better decisions when making loans, especially for people with thin credit files. Working with Natalia and Alejandro for Mi Casa Ya over the past year has been incredibly rewarding – and our work here isn’t done! Since I work in the legal department at Experian, I am now involved in reaching an agreement with the Ministry of Housing to help advance this project. The details are tricky and the process is tedious, but when I think about the people whose lives we have the ability to transform, I just get excited. Because of our work, many more families in Colombia will be able to fulfill their dream of owning their own homes – that’s huge.

Experian celebrates Financial Literacy Month each year to enrich financial education in America and why we have a dedicated team educating consumers.

By volunteering through Experian’s Sohos Reais – Real Dreams – project, I taught a mother of five about understanding basic business concepts so she could expand her sewing business and keep pursuing her dream. I grew up with parents who loved helping others, which fostered my love for volunteerism. Now that I work at Experian, this passion has blossomed as I’ve volunteered in many different capacities, from dressing as a clown to cheer up people in hospitals, to helping teach financial literacy to small-business owners in São Paulo, Brazil. Experian’s Sohos Reais – Real Dreams – program is designed to help connect entrepreneurs and small-business owners with experts who can advise them on how to help their business succeed. My volunteer partner, Diana, and I went through the training together, and a few months later were contacted by Aliança Empreendedora – Experian’s project partner – to help support a local entrepreneur. We were sent information about a woman named Adriana who was looking for advice for her sewing business. When we first met at Adriana’s house, she welcomed us into her home, fed us toast and black coffee, and introduced us to her five children. Adriana is a single mom whose husband left her after becoming a drug dealer. She told us how he had stopped supporting her and the children financially, and how Adriana now relied on her sewing business to support herself and the children – two of whom had serious health issues. Creating this business had been her dream since she was 12, when she had made her first dress for a school party. Now, she sewed colorful shopping bags and purses every day that she sold for R$1.25 a piece – a tiny price compared with the amount of work it took her to produce them. While she loved her job, Adriana told us that the money she made from her sales barely allowed her to cover basic living expenses, like water and electricity. She was on the brink of giving up her dream. The more we talked with Adriana, the more Diana and I realized that what she needed most was someone to help her understand basic business concepts, like cost and revenue. I thought that if we could help her control the money going out, we could solve a lot of her problems. Adriana was eager to learn, so right then and there, I showed her how, by keeping track of costs and profits, she could pay her bills and start to save money for her family. After our first meeting, a group of us from Experian were so inspired by her story that we raised R$1,415 for Adriana to buy fabric for her bags, and gave her a book to help her track her finances. Now every time we meet, Adriana brings the book with her, full of notes – she says it helps her work out her profit from the bags she sells so she knows how much more fabric she can buy. I never imagined that just sharing my financial knowledge with someone could help change their life. By volunteering with Real Dreams, Diana and I helped Adriana get back on her feet and continue pursuing her dream as a small-business owner and provider for her family.  

I recently attended a conference in Alwar, India, hosted by Experian and the International Finance Corporation. During one of the sessions, I met a single mother of two who had recently moved to a rural village in India. Her husband had left her and she was hoping to pick up work as a tailor once she purchased a sewing machine to support her family. As we talked, she confided in me that she was having trouble securing a loan from microfinance institutions because she didn’t have papers to prove her identity. And since she was new to the village, no one knew who she was. Without a proven identity, she couldn’t qualify for a loan and get the money she needed to support herself and feed her children. Indian banks predominantly serve urban customers whose credit reports are extensive. However, most customers from smaller districts and rural towns – like this woman – can fit their credit history on less than a page. Identification may be the only way they can verify their character to secure a loan. As I sat with this woman, I started telling her about our Prove ID tool that I had recently helped to develop. Using an individual’s biometrics, the tool would search her credit history, bank card and any information that can prove she is who she claimed to be. I explained that by using this tool, she could now prove what village she’s from, that she was a permanent resident in her new village and that she was likely to repay her loan. She was stunned and overwhelmed. In that moment, I realized that rural clients often need human connection to clearly understand what a bank or microfinance institution requires in order to obtain a loan. Many rural customers can’t read the brochures or pamphlets sitting in a bank, but by engaging them in conversation, you can effectively educate them about how to prove their identities and build their credit profiles to successfully access the finances they need. As a Product Developer for banks, I sometimes get so caught up on how to make products run that I lose sight of how the work I do impacts the community. Helping one woman discover Prove-ID to secure a loan and provide for her family inspired me. I want to continue being more involved in my community to help others who may not be literate learn how to prove their identities so they can better support their families.

The field of data science is still in its infancy.  Every day, new advancements are helping to yield more exciting results. We’re learning how data can allow cities to provide more effective services for residents, how it can help to solve vexing health riddles, and how companies can leverage data to better serve consumers. But for advancements to be achieved, collaboration between research institutions and the private sector is essential. Even more essential is ensuring that the next generation of data scientists are equipped with the latest knowledge and resources to continue to advance the field. That’s why we are excited to announce Experian’s $750,000 gift to create the Experian Assistant Professorship in Machine Learning at Chapman University, which will be used to expand machine learning opportunities at Chapman University’s Machine Learning and Assistive Technology Lab (MLAT), where Chapman researchers use big data and technology to address challenges of social significance like autism. We believe this investment is a necessary step in an ongoing commitment to ensure our Southern California community continues to fuel economic growth by ensuring that businesses like Experian have the talent to advance field of information services. The assistant professorship will be held by Erik Linstead, Ph.D., the director of the undergraduate computing programs in computer science, software engineering, and data analytics. Dr. Linstead, one of the nation’s leading authorities on big data, is also the principal investigator MLAT. Experian has learned the value of attracting data scientists with a wide degree of interests, backgrounds, and professional experiences to help assist our clients best serve consumers. Similarly, MLAT seeks to do the same. Projects that they take on range from bioinformatics and molecular biology to machine learning and artificial intelligence. Experian’s gift will help MLAT to expand their data science-focused efforts into new fields. This gift is the latest of a long series of collaborations between Chapman and Experian. Several years ago, Experian and Chapman began a partnership that involved placing graduate students training to become data scientists in internships within Experian to provide them real-world, hands on training. Since then, the partnership has blossomed to include embedding a Chapman faculty member within Experian to better ground the academic community on how data scientists work within the private sector to better shape their curriculum. We’ve also supported scholarships and programs at Chapman to ensure that the field of data science remains inclusive, diverse, and talented. Data science will inevitably continue to have a growing impact on our lives. This gift is a commitment to the future of data science and the promise of a better tomorrow that it holds. We wish a congratulations to Dr. Linstead, and look forward to a continued stream of talent emerging from Chapman to continue to advance the field and produce better outcomes for everyone. Photo of the check presentation courtesy of Christopher Simonson. Pictured (L-R): Dean of Schmid College of Science and Technology Andrew Lyon, EVP of University Advancement Sheryl Bourgeois, President of Experian Consumer Services Guy Abramo and Principal Investigator of the MLAT Lab Erik Linstead.

Spanish Translation I’m a Senior Product Manager in Experian’s Fraud and Identity Solutions department, which means I partner with data scientists to protect banks and their customers from fraud. When most people think of fraud, they envision someone trying to open a bank account in someone else’s name. However, it wasn’t until I did a series of customer visits with big banks to understand their struggles and discovered a pervasive form of fraud in the finance industry called “bust-out” fraud. In a “bust-out” fraud, an individual applies for a credit card in their own name, establishes a normal usage pattern and builds a solid repayment history. Then, when they’re ready to execute their scam, they max out all their available lines of credit from various lenders, disappear and leave the banks with the losses. Meanwhile, the money could be funneled into funding many types of organized crime, from human trafficking to drug trading and other illicit activities. What makes this type of crime all the harder to identify and catch before it occurs is that the person applying for a credit card is who they say they are. So it’s not about identity theft. To address this issue, my team and I created a solution called BustOut ScoreSM. We began by reviewing data from different banks to identify patterns where bust-outs occurred. From there, we built a score that predicts the likelihood that an individual will execute the scam — months before the scam occurs. Our clients now use this tool both when opening new accounts and as part of account management. The tool flags suspicious-looking accounts, which our team then manually reviews to evaluate if the account is truly at risk for a bust-out. If it is, we work with our clients to freeze or close out those suspicious accounts. Finding solutions to a fraud problem that hasn’t been solved is probably my favorite part of the job. I love seeing products that solve real issues affecting real people come to life — from inception to launch. Helping protect people from identity theft and fraud is what gives me purpose and meaning in my work. I am proud to use the power of data as a force for good.

There’s no arguing the importance of data to the marketing industry, but it’s equally important for marketers to leverage data in a responsible manner. On March 22, the Data & Marketing Association (DMA) held the Dynamic State of Data conference in Washington, D.C. to highlight critical public policy initiatives the industry is currently engaged in Congress and state legislatures across the country. The conference included remarks from Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Maureen Ohlhausen on their views of why data driven marketing is vital to our nation’s economic engine. Additionally, Liz Oesterle, Experian’s Senior Director for Government Affairs and Public Policy, participated in a panel discussion on the DMA’s Data Standards 2.0 initiative. The Data Standards 2.0 will tackle new high profile and emergent data issues, and update DMA’s marketing compliance standards – DMA’s Guidelines for Ethical Business Practice – focusing them to be more relevant for today’s data practices. During the panel, Oesterle outlined why industry self-regulation and the Data Standards 2.0 initiative is critical for responsible information sharing. In addition to providing business and compliance teams with certainty, Oesterle said “self-regulation helps to get in front of potential legislative and regulatory action by demonstrating to policymakers the industry is able to address any potential issues.” Stu Ingis, a Partner at Venable and DMA’s Legal Counsel, also participated in the panel. Ingis provided background on the Data Standards 2.0 initiative and discussed some of the areas in which the updates are expected to address, including cross-device tracking; data security; compliance with health and children’s data privacy; onboarding; and the Internet of Things. “Experian believes that self-regulation, like the DMA Data Standards 2.0, strengthens consumer protections, allows for responsible innovation and creates regulatory certainty,” said Oesterle. Photo courtesy of: The Data & Marketing Association  

Experian’s groundbreaking generative AI-powered tool, Experian Assistant, has earned the prestigious 2025 BIG Innovation Award in the Products for Financial Services category. This recognition underscores Experian’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation by helping businesses achieve success and enhancing consumer experiences. The BIG Innovation Awards, celebrated since 2011, honor organizations and solutions that redefine excellence through creativity and measurable impact. Experian Assistant was recognized for transforming how financial institutions approach data and analytics, enabling faster, smarter decision-making that enhances customer experiences and operational efficiency. Redefining Financial Services Integrated with the Experian Ascend Platform™, Experian Assistant functions as a 24/7 data expert, enabling financial institutions to optimize their credit and fraud models with ease. Using natural language processing (NLP), the virtual assistant guides users providing insights, recommendations and coding assistance. The impact is transformative: Experian Assistant cuts model-development timelines from months to just days— and even hours in some cases. By helping users analyze credit and fraud data, adjust model attributes and streamline workflows, it empowers organizations to innovate faster and make data-driven decisions with confidence. Powered by agentic AI technology, Experian Assistant reimagines how data scientists and analysts approach their work. It accelerates insights, fosters collaboration and empowers businesses to deliver exceptional customer experiences while reducing the time and resources needed to bring new initiatives to market. Driving Results Across Industries While tailored for financial services, Experian Assistant’s capabilities extend across industries. Businesses can leverage its tools for data exploration, model deployment, performance monitoring and faster time-to-market for new offerings. With Experian Assistant, users gain a powerful edge in scoring more consumers, optimizing processes and enhancing overall customer satisfaction. Recognized Excellence The 2025 BIG Innovation Awards spotlight trailblazers evaluated on creativity, impact and results by seasoned business leaders. This accolade solidifies Experian Assistant’s position as a game-changing solution in financial services and beyond.

We are thrilled that for the sixth consecutive year, Experian has earned a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRCF) 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This recognition underscores our commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. We are honored to join the ranks of 765 U.S. businesses that have been awarded the HRCF’s Equality 100 Award, celebrating our leadership in fostering an inclusive workplace. Experian’s dedication to supporting the LGBTQ+ community is reflected in several key initiatives: Name Change Process: We have a process for transgender and non-binary consumers to update their names on credit reports, ensuring their identities are accurately represented. LGBTQ+ Allyship 101 Training: This new training program is available to all Experian employees, promoting allyship and understanding within our workforce. Pride ERG Parenting Committee: Launched to support parents, grandparents and guardians of LGBTQ+ individuals, this committee provides valuable resources and community. Transgender Resource Guide: This guide supports employees who are transitioning at work, offering education and resources for colleagues and managers. Partnerships: We collaborate with organizations such as Out & Equal, GenderCool, The Trevor Project and Born This Way Foundation’s Channel Kindness to provide financial health, mental health and other resources to empower both our internal and external communities. At Experian, we are proud to be part of this movement towards greater equality and inclusion. We remain dedicated to fostering a workplace where every employee feels respected, valued and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. Learn more about how we drive social impact in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

Achieving Top Workplace recognition for 12 consecutive years is no small feat, yet Experian North America has done just that. Named a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register once again, this milestone reflects not just policies or benefits but what truly makes Experian exceptional: our people. As Hiq Lee, Chief People Officer at Experian North America, notes, this honor is a testament to the remarkable contributions of our team. Experian’s employees shape an environment where innovation, inclusivity, and purpose thrive. More Than Work What sets Experian apart is our engagement with the world and community. Through initiatives like the Experian Volunteer Leadership Network and partnerships with organizations such as the Octane Foundation for Innovation and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County Education Foundation, our impact extends beyond the workplace. In 2024, we earned additional recognitions, including being named one of the World’s Best Workplaces™ by Fortune and Great Place to Work®. We were also recognized as one of the Best Workplaces for Parents, Millennials, and in Technology. The Secret to Success Our success lies in focusing on people. Experian is a place where careers are built, ideas are encouraged, and employees feel valued. Initiatives such as, Employee Resource Groups foster belonging, Mental Health First Aiders provide support, and technology hackathons inspire creativity. Innovation at the Core Innovation continues to drive our success. By leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, we are redefining decision-making and fraud prevention. This commitment to innovation empowers businesses and consumers worldwide, aligning with our mission to promote financial inclusivity. Looking Ahead For Experian, being a Top Workplace for more than a decade isn’t a finish line—it’s a springboard. With an ongoing commitment to our employees and communities, we continue to evolve, creating better experiences for our team, clients, and the world.

The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) is fueling a new wave of sophisticated fraud, transforming the financial services landscape. Experian’s 2024 Global Identity & Fraud Report highlights the challenges businesses face, and the strategies needed to protect consumers while maintaining seamless digital experiences. Based on insights from more than 1,000 business and fraud leaders, and 4,000 consumers worldwide, the report identifies three key forces shaping fraud prevention: GenAI-Powered Fraud: Fraudsters use AI to craft highly personalized attacks, exploiting vulnerabilities across the customer journey. Evolving Regulations: Stricter government requirements demand rapid adaptation of fraud prevention strategies. Customer Expectations: Consumers prioritize secure, efficient services. Many abandon brands after poor account-opening or transactional experiences. A Multi-Layered Defense The report emphasizes the need for a multi-layered approach to combat fraud effectively. Businesses are increasing investments in AI, machine learning, and data-sharing networks to detect and prevent fraud in real-time. “Fraud operates across borders and targets various points in the customer journey,” said Greg Wright, Experian’s Executive Vice President of Identity and Fraud. “Businesses must leverage advanced analytics and alternative data to stay ahead of these evolving threats.” Balancing Security and Experience Consumers value security, but demand convenience. Striking the right balance is critical, as many switch providers after experiencing delays or cumbersome processes. Businesses can succeed by: Using Advanced Analytics: Leveraging AI-driven insights to prevent fraud while maintaining smooth customer experiences. Orchestrating Fraud Prevention: Integrating tools to provide a 360-degree view of customers, ensuring fraud detection is seamless and comprehensive. The Path Forward The rise of GenAI fraud underscores the need for global collaboration and innovation. By adopting advanced technologies and prioritizing customer-centric solutions, businesses can protect consumers while fostering trust. Experian’s 2024 report offers actionable insights for navigating these challenges. Download the full report to learn how to outpace fraudsters while delivering secure, seamless experiences.

The advertising ecosystem has seen significant transformation over the past few years, with increased privacy regulation, changes in available signals, and the rise of channels like connected TV and retail media. These changes are impacting the way that consumers interact with brands and how brands understand and continue to deliver relevant messages to consumers with precision.   Experian has been helping marketers navigate these changes, and as a result, our marketing data and identity solutions underpin much of today’s advertising industry. We’re committed to empowering marketers and agencies to understand and reach their target audiences, across all channels. Today, we are excited to announce our acquisition of Audigent—a leading data and activation platform in the advertising industry.   With Audigent’s combination of first-party publisher data, inventory and deep supply-side distribution relationships, publishers, big and small, can empower marketers to better understand their customers, expand the reach of their target audiences and activate those audiences across the most impactful inventory.      I am excited to bring together Audigent’s supply-side network as a natural extension to our existing demand-side capabilities. Audigent’s ability to combine inventory with targeted audiences using first-party, third-party and contextual signals provides the best of all worlds, allowing marketers to deliver campaigns centered on consumer choices, preferences, and behaviors.    The addition of Audigent further strengthens our strategy to be the premier independent provider of marketing data and identity, ultimately creating more relevant experiences for consumers.   To learn more about Experian and Audigent, visit https://www.experian.com/marketing/ and https://audigent.com/.  

Modernizing the conversation around credit and financial literacy is a key commitment for Experian, especially for young adults. That’s why we partner with organizations like the Singleton Foundation to produce “Your World on Money,” to meet young people where they are, with engaging, easy-to-understand video shorts about credit, budgeting, and saving and more.   We’re thrilled this commitment and creativity has earned both Gold and Bronze Anthem Awards, which recognize excellence in social good, celebrate the impactful work of organizations and initiatives that are driving positive change. Financial literacy is often not taught in schools, and the language around credit and personal finance can be intimidating. By normalizing these conversations, we hope to inspire confidence and action, helping young adults make informed financial decisions as they navigate life’s milestones. Our United for Financial Health partnership with the Singleton Foundation continues with our new series, the Finance Couch, where college students join our experts on a coach in the middle of a Los Angeles campus to answer their money questions. And our Anthem Award-winning series, HeartBroke, helps couples whose relationships are tested with financial issues to determine if they can work through it or end up HeartBroke(n).

Great Place to Work and Fortune have named Experian as one of the 25 World’s Best Workplaces™ 2024. This recognition highlights more than an award—it shows a commitment to our strong People First culture. Experian Chief People Officer Jacky Simmonds shares insights on how our people across the globe cultivate this culture, staying ahead of the curve through a unique blend of inclusivity, empathy, and a shared purpose. What does it mean to you, and to Experian, to be named among Fortune’s World’s Best Places to Work? At Experian, we have long aspired to be one of the best companies in the world to work for, and over the past few years, we have made this a priority. Our journey has been marked by a commitment to putting our people first and fostering the collaborative and inclusive culture that sets us apart. This recognition reflects the common values that we share across our many countries and cultures and the dedication of our colleagues across our business.  We spend so much of our time at work, so I think it’s important that every interaction – from the interview process to joining and every daily interaction – is a positive one where people are welcoming, supportive and generally just really nice people to work with. Reaching this milestone gives all of us at Experian some recognition, but also it is inspiring as we continue to strive to attract top talent who share our values, share our purpose and make every day an enjoyable one. How does Experian create an environment where employees feel empowered to innovate and contribute ideas that drive real impact?  To fulfill our mission of bringing Financial Power to All™, we need as many voices, experiences and backgrounds as possible, so we can represent our clients’ differing needs. This culture of inclusion drives our innovations. We have employee-led initiatives, such as internal Hackathons that bring together these diverse perspectives to develop products and services like Experian Boost, Experian Go, Experian Smart Money Digital Checking Account, Experian Support Hub, and Transforme-se so we can serve the communities in which we live and work. How has Experian adapted to changing employee expectations since the pandemic, and what steps has the company taken to support employee well-being and work-life balance?  We know that our people really value the ability to have flexible work model, so they can work to fulfill their role in a way that works for them. For some this is fully remote, for others it is hybrid so a balance of remote and in office, and for others in office, where their role requires it fully. We know from the feedback that we get that our people appreciate that we trust them and they have flexibility to deal with varying commitments that we all have outside of work. We also know that since the pandemic there has been an increased focused on wellbeing. Sponsored by our Chief Financial Officer, we embarked upon an initiative to invest in how we support people who may need additional support. We are very proud of our Mental Health First Aiders programme, which has trained around 400 colleagues across the world representing 23 countries and 28 languages and helping their teammates access resources. These volunteers receive consistent, ongoing and updated training. What specific initiatives or programmes at Experian do you believe set the company apart in terms of supporting professional growth and career development?  We have invested in a number of things that we believe really make the difference. The first is developing great leaders at every level. Today’s leaders have many more challenges, many different age groups, a balance of remote and in person working, together with teams based in many different locations. Great leaders build great teams, so we think it’s important to invest in their development. That’s we built a leadership development portal – The Leadership Exchange – that has a wide range of resources to support them, including development programmes tailored to their needs. We also want to ensure that everyone at every level can develop their skills and progress their careers. So we launched our annual Global Careers Week, Experian University, and built a world-class digital curriculum so everyone can access the form of development they need based on their role or aspirations. There really is something for everyone. This way, we help our teams stay ahead of trends and ensure our business is equipped with the skills needed for the future. Looking forward, what are key goals or priorities for further enhancing Experian’s culture and employee experience?  We’re truly proud of this amazing recognition, but we always strive to get better and acknowledge there’s always more to be done. We see an opportunity to make things easier in the way we leverage advanced technologies like AI to further enhance employee experience. For example, more personalised learning pathways, improved tools for productivity and collaboration. We make sure we don’t lose the human touch, but we also want to make the most of these innovations so we stay relevant with our largely tech populations. Being named one of the world’s best workplaces reflects Experian’s unwavering commitment to be recognized for having a great culture where people can do their best work with people they enjoy working with. Learn more about what makes Experian a World’s Best Workplace in the People section of our Annual Report and the Experian Power of YOU Report 2024: Driving social impact and diversity, equity and inclusion, available in English, Portuguese and Spanish. 

While the credit reporting industry is designed to help lenders and creditors minimize risk and assess consumers’ ability and willingness to repay outstanding debt, let’s be clear: the consumer is our main priority. Every lending decision and action is made with the consumers’ best interest in mind. Because consumers rely on credit and other loan products to purchase homes and cars, pay for college, afford goods and services, and even bridge the gap during emergencies, the credit reporting industry has been at the forefront of broadening access to fair and affordable financial resources.   Risk-based pricing has made it possible for more consumers to access credit, particularly those with limited-to-no credit history or subprime credit profiles. Previously, lenders may have opted not to extend credit to consumers considered higher risk; but more and more, lenders are empowered to tailor borrowing terms based on a consumer’s credit history. In addition, because lenders don’t have to absorb unforeseen risk, lower borrowing costs can be maintained for all consumers. Experian has long advocated for expanded data sources, such as rent and utilities payments, to be incorporated onto consumer credit reports and considered in lending decisions. In 2019, we launched a product  that empowers consumers to add positive payment history for utilities, telecoms and video streaming services—and eventually residential rent—directly into their Experian credit report. Our efforts coincide with legislation, such as S.2417 – the Credit Access and Inclusion Act, introduced by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) in 2021, which encourages the reporting of consumer payment history, including rent, utilities, and telecom services, to the nationwide credit reporting agencies. This is key to broadening access to fair and affordable credit for underserved consumers.  The industry needs to continue to explore other avenues that can help consumers improve their financial health, such as the role that buy now, pay later information can play in increasing financial inclusion. Empowering consumers to take control Beyond legislation or the use of expanded data, many non-profit and community based organizations are championing initiatives that drive greater financial inclusion. Organizations such as Inclusiv, Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, HomeFree-USA, National Urban League and the Society for Financial Education & Personal Development, among others, are helping individuals and households from underserved communities navigate the mainstream financial system and take control of their financial lives. Experian and other financial institutions are partnering with non-profit organizations with deep roots in communities, allowing them to connect with community leaders and individuals on a more personal level. Every individual enters the credit ecosystem at a different stage so it’s important that banks and financial institutions listen to the specific challenges they’re experiencing. For example, individuals may be searching for credit monitoring and alerts, budgeting tools or ways to put more money back into their wallets, such as finding cost-efficient options for auto insurance. Providing individuals and households with the financial knowledge and access to tools better positions them to become financially independent. The credit reporting industry continues to provide more resources and transparency to help improve consumers’ financial health. All individuals deserve the opportunity to establish and build their credit so they are able to elevate and maintain their financial status.

Today at Money 20/20 in Las Vegas, Experian unveiled Experian Assistant, a groundbreaking toolset that transforms analytics and modeling for financial institutions. By leveraging Generative AI (GenAI), this revolutionary solution slashes model development turning months-long processes into days—or even hours. Positioned as a game-changer, Experian Assistant offers businesses the equivalent of a seasoned expert, guiding them through complex use cases with ease and redefining how financial organizations approach data-driven insights. Revolutionizing Modeling with Generative AI Experian Assistant marks a significant leap forward in how businesses handle the modeling lifecycle. Integrated into the Experian Ascend Technology Platform™, Experian Assistant is designed to streamline data analytics processes, enhance accuracy, and promote efficiency. This debut underscores Experian’s commitment to responsible AI innovation, ensuring that organizations benefit from advanced analytics without compromising on privacy or ethical standards. “Many financial institutions are looking to invest in new generative AI use cases, often focused on banker specific support,” said Craig Focardi, Principal Analyst at Celent. “Experian Assistant focuses on developer support to accelerate the development lifecycle by having a digital model building consultant available to users.” Empowering Data Scientists and Analysts With its powerful natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, Experian Assistant is reshaping how data scientists and analysts approach complex tasks. Traditionally, navigating large datasets and building models required extensive technical expertise. But now, Experian Assistant allows users to query data, write code, and build models in plain language—democratizing access to sophisticated analytics. The tool not only boosts productivity but also fosters collaboration and accessibility. This innovation will drive financial inclusion by broadening access to data-driven insights and responsible use of data across organizations. Developed in Collaboration with Leading Financial Institutions A standout feature of Experian Assistant is its development in close partnership with the world’s largest financial institutions. This collaboration ensures that the tool is finely tuned to real-world challenges, delivering deep insights into Experian’s data assets. By optimizing analytics processes, businesses can achieve proven cost savings, enhanced data visibility, and faster product deployment. Continental Finance Company, for example, reduced data-building time by a remarkable 75% after adopting Experian Assistant. This kind of impact highlights the tool’s ability to accelerate model development while maintaining strict data privacy standards—a vital consideration for financial institutions. Advanced Compliance and Transparency In today’s highly regulated environment, businesses must not only meet compliance standards but also provide transparency into their processes. Experian Assistant is designed with these needs in mind, offering advanced features that support regulatory reporting, identity management, risk assessments, and transaction monitoring. A Competitive Edge through GenAI With more than a decade of AI expertise, Experian is leading the charge in responsible AI development. At Money 20/20, Experian Assistant stood out as a testament to this leadership. The tool is positioned to offer financial institutions a competitive edge, improving risk assessment, enhancing customer experiences, and promoting financial inclusion. As the financial services industry continues to evolve, businesses that embrace GenAI solutions like Experian Assistant will be better positioned to succeed. This groundbreaking tool is not just an enhancement—it’s a fundamental shift in how analytics and modeling are conducted, offering the speed, accuracy, and transparency that today’s market demands.

People rely on credit cards, personal loans, mortgages and auto loans, among other financial products to buy homes, fund college educations, weather temporary income disruptions and finance billions of daily transactions for goods and services. Credit is the cornerstone of the pursuit of our financial ambitions. That’s why the credit reporting industry is deeply committed to broadening access to fair and affordable financial resources for all consumers, particularly for individuals and households from underserved communities. The commitment is underscored by the continual effort to evolve the credit reporting system and incorporate new data sets to provide lenders a more comprehensive view of consumers’ ability and capacity to repay outstanding debt. Although progress has been made to extend credit to more prospective borrowers across the risk spectrum, if we want to continue to broaden the scope, we need to encourage the consistent reporting of additional predictive data sources to help lenders assess consumers’ creditworthiness. A proven track record but there’s more work to do Over the past century, the credit reporting industry transitioned from an opaque system founded on relationships to one rooted in data. Lenders lean on past payment history on similar loans (i.e., auto loans, mortgages, credit cards, etc.) as a reliable predictor of a borrower’s future loan payment performance—it’s a way for them to mitigate risk and say “yes” to more borrowers.   And it works. The comprehensive reporting of past loan performance, coupled with increasingly sophisticated statistical prediction models, as well as the adoption of risk-based pricing, accelerated the extension of credit to more consumers. Yet, according to research from Experian and Oliver Wyman, millions of Americans lack access to mainstream credit because they are credit invisible, unscorable or have a subprime credit score. It’s particularly challenging for younger individuals, newly arrived immigrants and historically underserved communities, such as racial and ethnic minorities. At times it can be a catch-22; in order to get credit, you have to have credit. More predictive data is key At Experian, we’ve long understood that expanding the universe of creditworthy borrowers requires more data. In addition to some of the more conventional tradelines, such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards, we have to explore expanded data sources that are predictive of a prospective borrower’s credit risk. For instance, more consumers are using buy now, pay later (BNPL) products, and nearly every consumer makes recurring monthly payments for rent, utilities, cell phones and even video streaming services, yet oftentimes, these data points are not consistently reported to the credit reporting agencies nor considered during lending decisions. Collectively, the industry and regulators, need to do more to encourage the consistent reporting and inclusion of expanded data onto consumers’ credit reports.    In fact, based on our research, we’ve found that some of the aforementioned expanded data sources can empower lenders to assess the credit risk of a significantly larger pool of consumers. These expanded data sources have been shown to be highly accurate predictors of future loan payment behavior. And, when expanded data is combined with advanced analytics, up to 96% of the population can be scored, including an estimated 65% of credit invisibles.1 Broadening access to fair and affordable credit for more consumers means leaning into combining conventional tradelines with expanded Fair Credit Report Act-regulated data sources. The more information lenders have available to them about prospective borrowers’ past payment performance the more empowered they are to minimize risk and more confidently extend credit. Pushing for more data is the best path forward.

In an era where financial transactions occur at the click of a button, the significance of accurately verifying and authenticating consumers’ identities cannot be overstated. From online purchases to mobile banking, ensuring secure and reliable digital connections and safeguarding consumers’ information are table stakes for any business operating in the digital ecosystem. Unfortunately, some advocacy groups are calling for stricter regulatory guidelines that may impede business’ ability to effectively and efficiently protect a consumer’s financial information and identity. We’re, of course, referring to the push to classify credit header data— identifying information, such as name, current and former addresses, phone number and Social Security number, found at the top of credit reports—as a consumer report under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Subjecting credit header information to the FCRA will unnecessarily limit its permitted use, and effectively make it more difficult—and potentially impossible—for banks and other businesses to use the information to authenticate and verify consumers’ identities. It’s an unintended consequence that will surely compromise the security of our digital identities.  Foundational to fraud prevention Credit header data plays a pivotal role in helping businesses detect suspicious activity and stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. With credit header information, banks and other financial institutions cross-reference loan applications against transactions from hundreds of thousands of contributors to spot anomalies and thwart fraudsters before they inflict harm. In fact, many of the industry’s most advanced fraud prevention tools and signals rely on credit header data to verify the legitimacy of any given transaction. Keep in mind, the transactions we’re referring to are transactions of consequence. For instance, opening a new bank account, applying for a loan or transferring money. This level of activity carries inherent risk, and without proper vigilance, could result in significant financial or reputational harm to consumers and businesses. But it’s not only lenders that leverage credit header data, the use cases for credit header data are broad. Government agencies and businesses in the public sector, law enforcement, and some pharmacies use the information to issue one-time passcodes for identification purposes, find missing persons, or verify consumers’ identities prior to prescriptions being filled. Credit header data is already regulated Some of the concern surrounding credit header data centers on consumer privacy, and rightfully so. Protecting consumers’ privacy should be central to the use of sensitive information; however, credit header data is already regulated by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. In fact, for more than 25 years, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act specifically provides that the permissible use of credit header data includes fraud prevention, while also mandating consumer privacy and data protection. Subjecting credit header data to additional FCRA regulation, which does not clearly allow for fraud prevention, could make it impractical or impossible for many businesses to use it for that purpose.  Not only is additional regulation unnecessary, but it potentially creates a contradictory web of regulations that increases the compliance burden and confusion for many businesses. This ultimately thwarts the purpose of GLBA by delaying fraud prevention efforts and potentially raising costs for consumers. Credit header data is far more than information included at the top of consumers’ credit reports, it is a linchpin that powers many of the most advanced fraud prevention and identify verification tools in the market. Before any further regulation is considered, we have to acknowledge the role that credit header data plays in keeping consumers’ information safe and how any changes may impact the safety and soundness of our digital economy.

Experian continues to affirm its leadership in financial technology, earning the 7th spot on the 2024 IDC FinTech Rankings. This is the third consecutive year that the company has ranked among the top 10 providers, reinforcing its position as a key player in the FinTech space. The IDC FinTech Rankings assess the top 100 financial technology providers based on revenues generated in 2023 from financial services and FinTech sectors. In addition to this notable achievement, Experian has been awarded the 2024 IDC Real Results Award for Bank Deposit Transformation. This award highlights Experian’s innovation in driving measurable and impactful changes within the financial services industry. The recognition is particularly focused on the company’s success in helping banks transform their deposit processes through advanced fraud prevention technologies. Experian’s Ascend Fraud Sandbox: A Game-Changer A key factor behind this award is Experian’s Ascend Fraud Sandbox, a groundbreaking tool that offers financial institutions a comprehensive platform for fraud detection and prevention. The Ascend Fraud Sandbox empowers organizations to analyze data, identify new fraud patterns, and quickly build, test, and deploy models. This technology enables banks to enhance their fraud detection capabilities, leading to higher approval rates for online deposit accounts and reduced fraud-related losses. The sandbox operates with over 10 billion identity and fraud events, which include applications, login activities, and transactions. It also continuously incorporates tens of millions of new events each day. This expansive dataset allows banks to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraud attempts, especially those driven by artificial intelligence (AI). Experian’s success in Bank Deposit Transformation demonstrates the company’s ability to help financial institutions improve their processes while simultaneously enhancing fraud protection. By providing advanced fraud-prevention and identity-protection technologies, Experian enables its customers to optimize their operations, reduce risks, and achieve better financial outcomes. Recognition of Experian’s Innovation This dual recognition—ranking 7th in the IDC FinTech Rankings and winning the Real Results Award—further solidifies Experian’s standing as a leader in technology. These accolades underscore its capacity to offer data, technology, and scalable solutions that allow financial institutions to make informed business decisions at the necessary speed to remain competitive in an evolving market. Now in its 21st year, the IDC FinTech Rankings evaluate technology providers based on the revenue they generate from financial institutions, including banks, insurers, and capital markets firms. With both the FinTech Rankings and the Real Results Award in hand, Experian continues to deliver innovative solutions that help financial institutions navigate the complexities of modern finance with confidence.