Buzz
It's common advice to check your free annual credit reports, but you should also make it a point to request and review the salary data collected by credit bureaus about you.
Equifax Workforce Solutions, a subsidiary of Equifax, gathers employment details such as payroll data through a service called The Work Number. This service, like its parent company, has security concerns. It sells this information to creditors, landlords, and potential employers who need to verify your salary and employment history. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you're entitled to one free annual report.
You can request a report online, contact the company directly at 866-604-6570, or submit a form via mail (I opted to call). Once you receive the report, you have the option to dispute any inaccuracies by phone, mail, or online. If your employer hasn't provided data to The Work Number, you won't have a report available, as the company acts as an intermediary between your employer and potential creditors.
As Joel Winston explains for Fast Company, you can't opt out of having your data collected by the company. However, you can place an alert on your report or freeze access to it, much like how you would with a credit report. Unlike your credit report, freezing or unfreezing your Equifax Workforce Solutions report comes with no fees, according to Winston.
“Just like with a credit freeze, it’s up to the employee to remember to lift the freeze before engaging in any credit or employment-related activities, as it could block their ability to receive the credit or benefits they’re trying to obtain,” said Marisa Salcines, a representative from Equifax Workforce Solutions, to Winston.
In another piece by Winston, Equifax warned consumers about freezing their reports, stating, “A lender, property manager, or pre-employment screener may contact an employer to explain why they need to verify an employee's or former employee’s income or employment details. The individual on the other end has no control over who answers the phone, whether the right information is provided, or if their privacy is respected.”
If that doesn’t discourage you, you can freeze your The Work Number report through the website, by calling 800-996-7566, or by submitting a request through mail:
TALX CorporationATTN: Employment Data Report Dept 19-1011432 Lackland RoadSt. Louis, Missouri 63146
AccuSource and InVerify are two additional companies that verify employment data, reports The New York Times. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also maintains a list of consumer reporting companies, stating that you have the right to request and dispute the information these companies collect on you.
Why would you want to do this? Perhaps you’re applying for a new job, seeking a loan, or simply curious about what data these mysterious agencies are gathering about you.
As noted by Fast Company, this is not the same as a credit freeze or report, which you can access directly through Equifax. You're entitled to one free report annually from each of the three credit bureaus, and it’s important to review them for any errors.
