Another startup getting acquired by a shady corporation. From their blog:
Since day one at ClearScore our vision has been to help everyone, no matter what their circumstances, achieve greater financial wellbeing. We have made a great start to tackling this important, global mission. We’re incredibly proud that in just three years, we’ve already helped over six million people access their credit score and report for free, forever in the UK. We have also started our global journey and now serve over 300,000 South Africans.
Earlier today we announced that we intend to be acquired by Experian. Many of you will know Experian, given that they are the world’s biggest credit information company. This acquisition still needs to be approved by the authorities which we expect to happen later this year.
At ClearScore, we are focused on you, our user, and this won’t change. You will always be able to see your credit report and score for free, forever with ClearScore. We will continue to innovate and focus on giving you the knowledge you need to make better financial decisions and make the process of choosing financial products radically quicker, simpler and easier. We will continue to operate under the brand ClearScore.
I believe that this acquisition will allow us to grow faster and develop exciting new innovations that will deliver improved financial well-being to you, our current users, in the UK and South Africa, and hopefully millions more around the world.
Charles Butterworth, Managing Director, Experian UK&I & EMEA, shares our belief that together we can achieve so much more:
"We’re delighted to be announcing this proposed acquisition. It’s Experian’s goal to deliver the best choice of services to consumers to help them plan and better manage their financial lives. Bringing ClearScore into the Experian family is an important step on that journey, allowing us to share knowledge and insight between the two organisations and bring new scale and support to ClearScore’s existing business. We’re excited to combine the experience and strength of Experian’s global organisation with those of a successful and rapidly scaling business. And together, we’ll be able to deliver a broader range of products and services that will further improve consumer choice in the UK and beyond.”
Thank you for your support for ClearScore, we are incredibly grateful for your continued use of our service - you make our hard work worthwhile.
I always saw ClearScore as worse than Experian. The amount of ads they threw at you on their website sometime made you unable to log in or navigate the website. It has got better, but I really can’t see it as a major loss. You can get your Experian credit report free at https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/creditclub
I just installed ClearScore to check my Equifax file and it’s blank which I find very odd! The reason I was doing it is because my Noddle credit score has taken a dip as I moved my mortgage and consolidated some debt so I had a few searches. I have plenty of lending on my noddle but nothing on my ClearScore! I’d have expected something to be on equifax and call credit!
I just deleted my ClearScore account. It never showed my Monzo account anyway. Noddle seems to show all my accounts, however. Their app is crap though.
I don’t really get the point of continually checking your score though - unless you’re rebuilding poor credit? And I guess identity fraud?
I have to admit that I don’t get the point of ever checking it. I’ve got this far in life without ever looking at a credit score so it feels like a big gimmick to me, something they’ve invented as a means of taking money off people.
Everyone says that banks do their own thing in this area so what’s the point in these agencies?
Identity theft is the only reason I do it. Credit score means very little or possibly nothing at all to lenders. Your complete credit file means everything to them, though.
I wish there was a different way of determining your credit worthiness than resorting to data collected by credit rating agencies. By the way, I have never given them my consent to acquire my financial, legal and personal data. They are not public bodies, therefore why they are not required to seek such consent from individuals is a mystery to me.
GDPR allows the use of personal data where its purpose is legitimate without consent of the subject.
Credit Reference agencies claim (from the Credit Reference Agency Information Notice 2017) that the legitimate interests being pursued are for:
Promoting responsible lending and helping to prevent over-indebtedness
Helping prevent and detect crime and fraud and anti-money laundering services and verify identity
Supporting tracing and collections
Complying with and supporting compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
Credit reference agencies can also legitimately under GDPR keep processing personal data and not delete it even if asked to. They usually have compelling, overriding grounds to carry on using the personal data following an objection as they only need to have one of the following grounds to continue to:
With your consent;
For the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims;
For the protection of the rights of another natural or legal person;
Tbh neither do I - this is the first time I’ve checked in a few years. I was just curious to see how my credit had been impacted by making quite a few changes in short succession and also to double check there wasn’t anything untoward!