Work Number line

[12njoy]

I work part-time for an employer and I was recently on their website looking at payroll information.  I came across something called the "work number line" for employment verification.  Decided to click on it.  Well to my surprise it contains all my employment history going back to 1999.  I ordered my Employment Data Report from this place to see exactly what was listed and who was getting this information.  Turns out that not only do potential/existing employers look at this information, creditors also review this information.  It list wages, ssn, dates of employment among other things.  Not that I have anything to hide, but all this information in one place.  I called them and as it turns out this is a service of Equifax.

[Anonymous]

If creditors can access that information, they can pretty clearly see your income level and compare that to what you enter in on your accounts.

[Pikaboo-icu]

Hummmm

Yep here it is: https://www.theworknumber.com/

[12njoy]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

If creditors can access that information, they can pretty clearly see your income level and compare that to what you enter in on your accounts.

---

They do access it and you're right they can make the comparison to what is listed on any application.  Just thought I would share this information for those who don't know about this.

[Anonymous]

Its not exactly a secret; I've mentioned The Work Number in several threads over the past two years including this one:  Can I call this income?

Its one of many secondary consumer reporting companies used by creditors to verify information.  Creditors also use statistical models to ascertain whether the income you claim on applications is accurate.

[calyx]

My (not small) employer has/uses this on the internal and external site for employment verification.  

[12njoy]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Its not exactly a secret; I've mentioned The Work Number in several threads over the past two years including this one:  Can I call this income?

Its one of many secondary consumer reporting companies used by creditors to verify information.  Creditors also use statistical models to ascertain whether the income you claim on applications is accurate.

---

I've heard of the work number line before but didn't know that creditors used the information as well.  That part was news to me. 

[12njoy]

[Anonymous]

Considering the service is owned by Equifax, what are the chances that Equifax isn't providing selling that information to creditors?

There are a large number of consumer reporting agencies outside of the Big 3; I'm not even sure this list captures all of them since some operate in the shadows:  https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201604_cfpb_list-of-consumer-reporting-companies.pdf

[12njoy]

The report even reported whether I had health and dental insurance with a particular employer.  There's no telling who and for what purpose all this information is being used for.