How does Equifax obtain this sensitive and secret information? With the willing aid of thousands of U.S. businesses, including many of the Fortune 500. Government agencies — representing 85 percent of the federal civilian population, including workers at the Department of Defense, according to Equifax — and schools also work with The Work Number. Many of them let Equifax tap directly into their data so the credit bureau can always have the latest employment information. In fact, these organizations actually pay Equifax for the privilege of giving away their employees’ personal information.
via EXCLUSIVE: Your employer may share your salary, and Equifax might sell that data – Red Tape.
Feedback at our own blog has been pretty consistent. Demitra Wilson, a spokesperson for Equifax, verified that debt collectors can request employment data from The Work Number. But its perfectly legal, does not affect the bottom line of Equifax or their clients when the only repercussion is scattered outrage, and their lobby flacks can clean up any spillage with concerned legislators looking for re-election funds.