As a father to two young adults, I know how important it is to educate each other on financial health and the tools available to us to improve access and opportunity. I believe strongly in the transformative impact of financial empowerment, and so does Experian. Our mission of Financial Power to All™ inspires us to create products and opportunities that help individuals achieve their financial goals. Consumer debt is at an all-time high, according to the New York Federal Reserve which reported that total household debt increased by $93 billion in the fourth quarter of  2024 to $18.04 trillion. Debt can be a significant barrier to financial stability and success, limiting opportunities, creating stress, and hindering individuals from reaching their full potential. Recognizing these challenges, Experian is partnering with ForgiveCo, a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), to manage the acquisition and cancellation of $5 million dollars in qualifying consumer debt for over 5,000 families in Louisiana, one of the poorest states in the United States. Having spent my childhood summers in Louisiana, I have personally seen the impact debt can have on families. Breaking down one of the barriers to financial empowerment is one of the reasons this program is so important to me.  As part of the program, we are excited to be teaming up with Louisiana State University (LSU) star athlete Flau’Jae Johnson to reach more consumers and make a bigger impact with this program, forgiving an additional $100K for every LSU women\’s basketball win during the college basketball tournament. A star athlete with NIL deals, she knows the importance of managing finances and has a passion for reaching young adults with financial empowerment messages. She has been involved in other programs with us and is a great partner. This is just one of many initiatives to help consumers and our commitment to financial empowerment extends beyond debt relief. We evolve our educational resources and products to better support the millions of members we serve, as well as underserved communities. Some of our other activities include the creation of the B.A.L.L. for Life™ initiative that connects African American and Hispanic youth with financial education, supporting scholarships for Asian Americans through the Ascend organization, providing custom resources for Out & Equal and Born This Way Foundation for the LGBTQ+ community, supporting the NextGen Innovation Lab for Disability:IN, and sponsoring credit counseling for the military community with Operation HOPE. To learn more, visit our website or hear directly from Flau’Jae below.  

Anniversary Showcases Groundbreaking Innovations for Businesses and Consumers This year marks a major milestone for Experian as its Innovation Lab in North America celebrates 15 years of driving technological transformation. Over the past decade and a half, the Lab has been at the forefront of data and AI-driven solutions, helping our clients reshape industries and expanding financial inclusivity. A Legacy of Innovation The Experian Innovation Lab has played a critical role in advancing AI-driven credit risk models, fraud detection systems and no- and low-code AI tools. A groundbreaking achievement is the development of the Ascend Analytical Sandbox™, the industry’s first Big Data architecture-based commercial product. This tool evolved into the Experian Ascend Platform™, revolutionizing data analysis with advanced visualization, seamless model development and deeper consumer insights. The Lab’s commitment to innovation is exemplified by its work to help develop Experian Assistant, a Generative AI-powered tool using natural language processing to expedite model development and address complex data challenges. By incorporating agentic AI, Experian Assistant enhances credit scoring accuracy for a broader consumer base for financial services clients—aligning with Experian’s mission to foster financial inclusion. Transformative Technological Milestones Throughout its 15-year journey, the Experian Innovation Lab has worked on numerous industry-first advancements, including: AI-Driven Marketing & Fraud Detection – Leveraging AI for personalized marketing and real-time fraud detection. Machine Learning for Identity Resolution – Enhancing security and efficiency in identity verification. Generative AI for Consumer Products – Transforming how individuals manage credit and make informed financial decisions. Shaping the Future of AI and Data Science At its core, the Innovation Lab thrives on exploration and collaboration. Engaging leadership and fostering grassroots innovation accelerates progress through prototyping and employee-driven ideas. This dynamic approach ensures Experian remains a leader in AI, machine learning and data analytics. The Lab’s success has inspired additional innovation centers in the UK and Brazil, further amplifying Experian’s global impact. AI for Good: Innovation with Purpose Beyond financial services, the Lab has harnessed AI for societal impact. The Experian COVID-19 Outlook and Response Evaluator (CORE), an interactive heat map, helped healthcare organizations identify communities most at risk. By analyzing de-identified health data, this tool helped provide insights for pandemic response. Additionally, the Lab has used AI to analyze data and generate insights to help combat human trafficking, underscoring Experian’s dedication to addressing social challenges. As the Experian Innovation Lab enters its next chapter, it remains committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and data science, ensuring its innovations continue making a meaningful impact.

As Valentine\’s Day approaches, many couples are reflecting on their relationships and the factors that contribute to their success. While love and compatibility are often at the forefront, financial transparency and communication play a crucial role in sustaining romantic relationships. According to new research from Experian, financial issues have led to the end of relationships for more than a quarter of Americans.  Financial transparency is essential for building trust and ensuring a healthy relationship. Experian\’s research highlights that 1 in 4 U.S. adults have faced ultimatums regarding financial improvements, and 34% have hidden purchases from their partners. These findings underscore the need for open and honest conversations about finances. Additional key findings include: StatementTotalGen Z (18-27)Millennial (28-43)Gen X (44-59)Boomer (60-78)Silent (79+)I discuss financial goals with my partner. 79%80%84%77%77%66%I have either been on the giving or receiving end of an ultimatum that finances had to be improved for a relationship to progress.25%43%36%18%11%4%I’ve had a relationship end due to my own or a partner’s financial issues.27%36%40%23%15%0%I typically spend $100 or less on gifts for my partner for special occasions.61%54%53%62%70%72%I typically spend $100 or more on gifts for my partner for special occasions.39%46%47%38%30%28%Saving money as a couple is somewhat or very important to me.93%94%93%91%93%90%I have hidden a purchase from my partner.34%34%36%36%32%20%It’s important that my partner talks to me prior to making any major purchasing decision.76%71%75%74%81%80%My partner and I have a set limit before we need to consult the other prior to making a purchase.54%73%65%52%40%24%My partner and I have a limit of $500 before we agree to consult each other prior to making a purchase.33%57%39%32%18%20% Whether you’re newly matched or in a long-term relationship, here are three ways to protect your financial health in relationships: Communication is key: Money is not meant to be a taboo topic in relationships. In fact, nearly 80% say they discuss financial goals with their partner. Make money part of your regular conversations with your partner. Set a budget: More than 3 in 4 (76%) say it’s important their partner talks to them prior to making any major purchasing decision and 54% of couples have a set limit before they need to consult their partner prior to making a purchase. This is $500 or more for 33% of couples and most couples (61%) spend $100 or less on partner gifts for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. Create a budget, revisit it regularly and determine a spending style that works for you and your partner. Create savings goals together: Saving money is top of mind for most and this is true in romantic relationships with 93% claiming it’s important for them to save money as a couple. Opt for date nights at home or find other low-cost ways to spend time together. Experian can also help consumers save money by cancelling unwanted subscriptions, negotiating your bills for lower rates and more. [1] For additional money-saving tips from Experian and personal finance experts, join Experian’s upcoming #CreditChat “Breaking Up with Bad Spending Habits: A Financial Detox Plan” on Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. EST on X or Threads. By prioritizing financial transparency and communication, couples can build stronger, more resilient relationships. As Valentine\’s Day approaches, take the opportunity to discuss your financial goals and set the foundation for a secure financial future together. Methodology: Experian commissioned Atomik Research to conduct an online survey of 2,004 adults throughout the United States. The margin of error is +/-2 percentage points with a confidence level of 95 percent. Fieldwork took place between January 3 and January 6, 2025. [1] Subscription Cancellation and Bill Negotiation are available with eligible paid memberships and requires connecting payment account(s) to Experian account. Results will vary. Not all bills or subscriptions are eligible for negotiation/cancellation. Savings are not guaranteed, and some may not see any savings.

Experian’s groundbreaking generative AI-powered tool, Experian Assistant, has earned the prestigious 2025 BIG Innovation Award in the Products for Financial Services category. This recognition underscores Experian’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation by helping businesses achieve success and enhancing consumer experiences. The BIG Innovation Awards, celebrated since 2011, honor organizations and solutions that redefine excellence through creativity and measurable impact. Experian Assistant was recognized for transforming how financial institutions approach data and analytics, enabling faster, smarter decision-making that enhances customer experiences and operational efficiency. Redefining Financial Services Integrated with the Experian Ascend Platform™, Experian Assistant functions as a 24/7 data expert, enabling financial institutions to optimize their credit and fraud models with ease. Using natural language processing (NLP), the virtual assistant guides users providing insights, recommendations and coding assistance. The impact is transformative: Experian Assistant cuts model-development timelines from months to just days— and even hours in some cases. By helping users analyze credit and fraud data, adjust model attributes and streamline workflows, it empowers organizations to innovate faster and make data-driven decisions with confidence. Powered by agentic AI technology, Experian Assistant reimagines how data scientists and analysts approach their work. It accelerates insights, fosters collaboration and empowers businesses to deliver exceptional customer experiences while reducing the time and resources needed to bring new initiatives to market. Driving Results Across Industries While tailored for financial services, Experian Assistant’s capabilities extend across industries. Businesses can leverage its tools for data exploration, model deployment, performance monitoring and faster time-to-market for new offerings. With Experian Assistant, users gain a powerful edge in scoring more consumers, optimizing processes and enhancing overall customer satisfaction. Recognized Excellence The 2025 BIG Innovation Awards spotlight trailblazers evaluated on creativity, impact and results by seasoned business leaders. This accolade solidifies Experian Assistant’s position as a game-changing solution in financial services and beyond.

The recent wildfires in Los Angeles are now among the most destructive recorded in California’s history. Thousands of structures have been damaged or destroyed, and many families are facing the heartbreaking loss of their homes, businesses and personal belongings. The fires have also tragically claimed lives and caused significant injuries.  In the wake of such devastation, the immediate priority for everyone is, of course, ensuring the safety and well-being of themselves and their loved ones.   As communities come together to navigate this challenging time, we are committed to being a resource to consumers. Our hope is to help those impacted by the fires preempt or prevent potential impacts to their financial health and identity where possible.   If you or someone you know has been impacted by the Los Angeles fires, here are some key points to keep in mind.   1. Safeguard Your Identity  Natural disasters can unfortunately create opportunities for identity theft. Important documents containing personal information may be lost or scattered. According to the Federal Trade Commission, instances of identity theft have nearly tripled over the last decade and scammers often exploit chaotic situations and vulnerable consumers.   Be Wary of Scammers: Sadly, following natural disasters, opportunistic fraudsters often deploy schemes tied to charity and donations, insurance, new financing, construction or clean up, and more. These perpetrators may lift and deploy tactics that were successful following natural disasters in other areas and deploy them to target those impacted by the LA wildfires. Stay vigilant against fraudsters who may try to steal your personal information or money through disaster-related schemes or offers that sound too good to be true.  Use Free Credit Monitoring and Fraud Alerts: Take advantage of these services to keep an eye on your credit activity. If you notice anything suspicious, report it immediately to your bank or financial institution.  Consider Freezing Your Credit: If your personal information has been compromised, freezing your credit with the three major credit reporting agencies can prevent new fraudulent credit applications. You can freeze your credit for free with Experian by clicking here or enrolling in its free app on your mobile device.   2. Contact Your Lenders  In times of crisis, many financial institutions are willing to work with affected consumers. If you’re worried about paying your bills on time due to the fires, reach out to your mortgage, auto loan, and credit card companies as soon as possible.  Your lenders can report accounts as deferred or in forbearance if you live in an area impacted by the fires. This means no late payments will be reported, allowing you to focus on immediate concerns. However, interest might continue to accrue on the balance, so be sure to understand the terms of any agreement.  3. Use Your Credit Report as a Financial Tool  Tracking down contact information for each of your lenders can be overwhelming. Your credit report, which you can access for free at annualcreditreport.com or via the Experian website or its free app on your mobile device, can be a helpful starting point.  While, understandably, protecting your credit history or identity may not be your immediate concern, taking a proactive approach could help prevent any or further damage to your financial health at a time when you need access to credit the most.  For more tools and resources to protect your credit standing and financial health, please visit Ask Experian.  

As we kick off a new calendar year, there’s already a lot of buzz in terms of expected advances in tech, especially for artificial intelligence. And what about fraud? Fraud isn’t just keeping pace with technology—it’s racing ahead. As the digital world expands, so too do the cunning schemes of fraudsters, who are more innovative and relentless than ever before. With businesses and consumers increasingly at risk, staying a step ahead requires insight into what’s next. Today, we released our annual Future of Fraud Forecast to highlight five threats that could bring challenges this year for businesses and consumers. They include: Crypto highs and lows: Recent events have led to cryptocurrency like Bitcoin increasing dramatically in value. Experian forecasts that criminals will be more motivated to target consumers and crypto providers, leveraging tried-and-true schemes like investment and romance scams, as well as fake websites offering cryptocurrency in an attempt to swindle money from unsuspecting people hoping to ride the wave. Companies will need to leverage robust fraud prevention measures and provide educational resources for consumers to safeguard themselves from these scams. Pig butchering scams get meaty: A fraudster’s endgame is to make off with as much money as possible, and pig butchering scams are a prime way of doing so. Criminals will “fatten up” their victims by enticing them over time to participate in an investment scheme and then disappear with the money, leaving their victims with significant financial losses. This requires the fraudster to build a relationship with the victim and establish trust so they can convince them to hand over their bacon. While this type of scam already exists, Experian forecasts that criminals will find ways to produce results faster and in more convincing ways that will dupe people more easily and allow them to elude detection for longer. Is it a social media challenge or a crime? Social media has fueled viral products and trends that are typically great recommendations or life hacks. However, last year, a form of check fraud went viral that involved people recording themselves writing bad checks, depositing them at the ATM and withdrawing cash before the check bounced. Some participants in this trend may not have been fully aware of the repercussions. In reality, consumers were committing check fraud by joining the bandwagon. Experian predicts that social media users could perpetuate additional trendy financial fraud schemes with the fraudsters being everyday people instead of savvy criminals. Unhealthy password spraying: With the amount of personally identifiable information that healthcare companies have on consumers, Experian forecasts fraudsters will deploy large-scale password spraying cyberattacks using GenAI-created bots to attack healthcare companies at scale to gain access to a company’s systems and the personally identifiable information of employees and patients. Password spraying, also known as credential stuffing or credential guessing, is when an attacker applies a list of commonly used passwords against a list of accounts to guess the right password. This used to be done by humans but, as technology has become more sophisticated, so have the fraudsters. These attacks can now be fueled by GenAI — making the attacks exponentially larger, faster and harder to detect. A new generation of bots up the ante: Bot attacks are a well-known tactic used to defraud people and companies by carrying out repetitive instructions to perform a variety of fraud schemes. A new generation of bots has emerged, known as Gen4 bots. Typically built using AI tools and trained to emulate human behavior, these bots are notoriously more difficult to detect and have the potential to bypass firewalls and security with ease. Experian predicts that as Gen4 bot attacks grow, leveraging behavioral analytics will become table stakes for companies to identify and mitigate this type of automated fraud. Being proactive is paramount in the fight against these and other future fraud threats. Businesses should work with a trusted partner to ensure that they leverage the right data, advanced analytics and technology to mitigate risk. Experian offers identity verification and fraud prevention solutions available on the Experian Ascend Platform™ to help companies anticipate, prepare for and fight fraud. Learn more about Experian’s fraud prevention offerings here.

We are thrilled that for the sixth consecutive year, Experian has earned a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRCF) 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). This recognition underscores our commitment to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. We are honored to join the ranks of 765 U.S. businesses that have been awarded the HRCF’s Equality 100 Award, celebrating our leadership in fostering an inclusive workplace. Experian’s dedication to supporting the LGBTQ+ community is reflected in several key initiatives: Name Change Process: We have a process for transgender and non-binary consumers to update their names on credit reports, ensuring their identities are accurately represented. LGBTQ+ Allyship 101 Training: This new training program is available to all Experian employees, promoting allyship and understanding within our workforce. Pride ERG Parenting Committee: Launched to support parents, grandparents and guardians of LGBTQ+ individuals, this committee provides valuable resources and community. Transgender Resource Guide: This guide supports employees who are transitioning at work, offering education and resources for colleagues and managers. Partnerships: We collaborate with organizations such as Out & Equal, GenderCool, The Trevor Project and Born This Way Foundation’s Channel Kindness to provide financial health, mental health and other resources to empower both our internal and external communities. At Experian, we are proud to be part of this movement towards greater equality and inclusion. We remain dedicated to fostering a workplace where every employee feels respected, valued and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. Learn more about how we drive social impact in English, Portuguese and Spanish.

This lawsuit relates to matters that as an industry we have been collectively discussing with the CFPB. We have operated in good faith with the CFPB throughout. Despite our constructive engagement and long track record of working alongside the CFPB to ensure consumers can easily dispute potentially inaccurate information, the CFPB chose to file a lawsuit with no communication, and no response to our outstanding communications with them.  The lawsuit is completely without merit. It is contrary to longstanding regulatory and judicial precedent and is another example of irresponsible overreach by the CFPB. Our legal position is strong, we will defend it vigorously and are confident we will prevail. We do not expect this to have any material impact on our business. We take our commitment to meeting the needs of consumers and adhering to all our regulatory obligations seriously. We take great steps to ensure we investigate every consumer dispute thoroughly and go above and beyond the requirements of the law. We take strong exception to the substance and the tone of the CFPB’s accusations.

Achieving Top Workplace recognition for 12 consecutive years is no small feat, yet Experian North America has done just that. Named a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register once again, this milestone reflects not just policies or benefits but what truly makes Experian exceptional: our people. As Hiq Lee, Chief People Officer at Experian North America, notes, this honor is a testament to the remarkable contributions of our team. Experian’s employees shape an environment where innovation, inclusivity, and purpose thrive. More Than Work What sets Experian apart is our engagement with the world and community. Through initiatives like the Experian Volunteer Leadership Network and partnerships with organizations such as the Octane Foundation for Innovation and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County Education Foundation, our impact extends beyond the workplace. In 2024, we earned additional recognitions, including being named one of the World’s Best Workplaces™ by Fortune and Great Place to Work®. We were also recognized as one of the Best Workplaces for Parents, Millennials, and in Technology. The Secret to Success Our success lies in focusing on people. Experian is a place where careers are built, ideas are encouraged, and employees feel valued. Initiatives such as, Employee Resource Groups foster belonging, Mental Health First Aiders provide support, and technology hackathons inspire creativity. Innovation at the Core Innovation continues to drive our success. By leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, we are redefining decision-making and fraud prevention. This commitment to innovation empowers businesses and consumers worldwide, aligning with our mission to promote financial inclusivity. Looking Ahead For Experian, being a Top Workplace for more than a decade isn’t a finish line—it’s a springboard. With an ongoing commitment to our employees and communities, we continue to evolve, creating better experiences for our team, clients, and the world.