I thought I knew all about the information that consumer reporting agencies were collecting on me. Then I discovered The Work Number — a database that reports every paycheck I’ve received from my company, with net and gross amounts, going back to my hire date six years ago.I thought I knew all about the information that consumer reporting agencies were collecting on me.
Unfortunately, not all the information being reported is accurate — and mistakes can have serious consequences. Loker says one of his clients lost a lucrative job offer because an employment screening company confused her with a drug smuggler. By the time the error was fixed, the position was filled. Other people have been denied insurance, apartments, bank accounts and government benefits because of database errors.
“Let’s say you’re applying for an apartment,” Wu says. “There are all these companies and you don’t know which one your landlord is going to use.” One of the largest consumer data aggregators is LexisNexis, which provides various types of background screening. The report you get back could be hundreds of pages long, detailing everything from traffic tickets and concealed weapons permits to the amount of every mortgage you’ve ever had, bankruptcies, tax liens, evictions and criminal records. LexisNexis also operates the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, or C.L.U.E., which collects and reports auto and personal property claims.
“People have been kicked off or risked being kicked off of benefits or accused of an overpayment because of The Work Number,” Wu says. If you find any errors, follow the company’s dispute process. If you can’t get the problem resolved, you can file a complaint with the CFPB.
only care for the companies you sustain with.
Whoa!