Main News Desk

Experian, APACS and credit card providers announce enhanced data sharing initiative

November 25, 2008

Experian®, the global information services company, today announced enhancements to its established data sharing processes designed to enable lenders to more closely monitor consumers’ use of credit and store cards for signs of over-indebtedness. To make this initiative possible, Experian has worked closely with credit card providers and APACS, the UK payments association.

The initiative will help improve lending decisions across the financial industry by enhancing the amount of data available to lenders via Experian’s credit account information sharing (CAIS) service. This will enable lenders to identify, at an earlier stage, those customers at risk of being financially over-committed. New information shared includes:
•    How much a customer has paid against their last statement
•    If such payments were equivalent to the minimum requested amount
•    The number and value of cash advances within the month
•    Whether there have been any changes to a customer’s credit limit

Sandra Quinn, Director of Communications at APACS, comments: “This initiative, developed by the credit industry, is an important component of the industry’s broader commitment to responsible lending. Not only will lending decisions be more tailored to the individual customer’s needs, but it will also help lenders to spot and assist, at an earlier stage, those who are showing signs of experiencing debt stress.”

Gavin Snell, General Manager – Consumer Credit Services at Experian, comments: “Lenders will now benefit from considerably more insight into their customers to enable them to make better informed credit risk and customer management decisions. The move signals further innovation to our work in promoting data sharing best practice.”

Executive quote

Gavin Snell, General Manager – Consumer Credit Services at Experian, comments: “Lenders will now benefit from considerably more insight into their customers to enable them to make better informed credit risk and customer management decisions. The move signals further innovation to our work in promoting data sharing best practice.”

About the company

About Experian
Experian is a global leader in providing information, analytical and marketing services to organisations and consumers to help manage the risk and reward of commercial and financial decisions.

Combining its unique information tools and deep understanding of individuals, markets and economies, Experian partners with organisations around the world to establish and strengthen customer relationships and provide their businesses with competitive advantage.

For consumers, Experian delivers critical information that enables them to make financial and purchasing decisions with greater control and confidence. Clients include organisations from financial services, retail and catalogue, telecommunications, utilities, media, insurance, automotive, leisure, e-commerce, manufacturing, property and government sectors.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Experian has corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and has operational headquarters in Costa Mesa, California and Nottingham, UK. The Group employs approximately 15,500 people in 38 countries worldwide, supporting clients in over 65 countries around the world. Continuing sales for the year ended 31 March 2008 were $4,059m (£2,020m / €2,858m).

For more information, visit www.experianplc.com

Contact details

Anna White or Victoria Collinson, Lewis PR
Tel - 44 (0) 20 7802 2626
Email - experian@lewispr.com

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Experian, APACS and credit card providers announce enhanced data sharing initiative

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