MINNEAPOLIS - (Business Wire) Fair Isaac Corporation (NYSE:FIC), the leading provider of analytics and decision management technology, announced today that its scientists have discovered a way to restore authorized user credit accounts to the calculation of FICO
® 08 credit scores while materially reducing any potential impact to the score from tampering. Fair Isaac is now adding the patent-pending technology advance to its FICO
® 08 formula. The company estimates that more than 50 million U.S. consumers are legitimate authorized users on another person
’s credit card.
“The hallmarks of FICO scores have been quality and innovation, and this technology advance is a great example,” said Lisa Nelson, vice president of Global Scoring for Fair Isaac. “This breakthrough resolves an industry problem that we know has perplexed lenders and concerned regulators. We have developed technology that will reduce any impact on the FICO 08 score from intentional tampering, while allowing the scores of spouses and other genuine authorized users to benefit from their shared credit experience. This kind of innovation is why Fair Isaac’s analytic scientists are regarded as the best in the world.”
Adding the innovation to the FICO® 08 formula is expected to take Fair Isaac several weeks. The company is working closely with credit reporting agencies to bring the new FICO® 08 score to market as quickly as possible.
Helps Lenders Address Regulatory Requirement
Since its introduction in 1989, the FICO® score has helped lenders comply with an important federal regulation by automatically including authorized user accounts in the score’s assessment of risk. Under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), when lenders assess a spouse’s credit risk they are required by law to consider the credit history of accounts which both spouses are permitted to use. With the introduction of Fair Isaac’s innovation to the FICO® 08 formula, the FICO® score continues to help lenders meet this legal requirement. This information is not intended to be legal advice; lenders are encouraged to check with their own legal counsel to determine how best to meet regulatory compliance requirements.
Businesses seeking more information about the FICO® 08 score are welcome to direct inquiries to scoringsolutions@fairisaac.com.
About Fair Isaac
Fair Isaac Corporation (NYSE:FIC) transforms business by making every decision count. Fair Isaac’s Decision Management solutions combine trusted advice, world-class analytics and innovative applications to give organizations the power to automate, improve and connect decisions across their business. Clients in 80 countries work with Fair Isaac to increase customer loyalty and profitability, cut fraud losses, manage credit risk, meet regulatory and competitive demands, and rapidly build market share. Fair Isaac also helps millions of individuals manage their credit health through the www.myFICO.com website. Learn more about Fair Isaac at www.fairisaac.com.
Fair Isaac Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Information
Except for historical information contained herein, the statements contained in this press release that relate to Fair Isaac or its business are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the success of the Company’s Decision Management strategy, its ability to recruit and retain key technical and managerial personnel, the maintenance of its existing relationships and ability to create new relationships with customers and key alliance partners, its ability to continue to develop new and enhanced products and services, competition, regulatory changes applicable to the use of consumer credit and other data, the possibility that the anticipated benefits of acquisitions, including expected synergies, will not be realized and other risks described from time to time in Fair Isaac’s SEC reports, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2007, and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2008. Forward-looking statements should be considered with caution. If any of these risks or uncertainties materializes or any of these assumptions proves incorrect, Fair Isaac’s results could differ materially from Fair Isaac’s expectations in these statements. Fair Isaac disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Fair Isaac and FICO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fair Isaac Corporation, in the United States and/or in other countries. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Fair Isaac Corporation
Media:
Craig Watts, 415-492-5399
craigwatts@fairisaac.com
or
Investors:
John Emerick, 612-758-5560
johnemerick@fairisaac.com
