This press release was originally published at: https://acb.org/accessible-credit-reports

Press Release 

Alexandria, Virginia (July 5, 2023) – The nation’s three major consumer credit reporting companies today reaffirmed their commitment to provide access to important credit information for people who are blind or have low vision. The initiative, crafted with the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and several blind consumers, will help protect the credit information of individuals who cannot read a standard print credit report. 
 
Under the plan announced today, Equifax (NYSE: EFX), Experian (EXPN.L), and TransUnion will make online credit reports and related information accessible through their jointly operated website, AnnualCreditReport.com. This is the official site to help consumers obtain free credit reports. 
 
“Access to accessible credit information through Equifax, Experian and TransUnion will allow people with visual impairments to independently monitor and review their credit reports. These are critical tools for avoiding identity theft and protecting the privacy of our financial information,” said Dan Spoone, ACB Interim Executive Director.
 
“By creating AnnualCreditReport.com, Equifax and the other two nationwide credit reporting companies gave consumers easy access to their credit information and this latest initiative is yet another example of how, as an industry, we are extending this access to consumers with visual impairments,” said Dann Adams, President, Equifax U.S. Consumer Information Solutions.
 
“Experian has a long history of providing quality credit products and services to consumers and we were excited by the opportunity to improve access for consumers with visual impairments to these important tools,” said Kerry Williams, group president, Credit Services & Decision Analytics, Experian Americas.
 
“TransUnion is very pleased to be a part of this important effort that will help empower visually impaired consumers to manage their own credit health,” said Mark Marinko, president of Consumer Services at TransUnion.
 
This initiative includes a renewed commitment to provide credit reports in braille, large print, and audio formats, and to design online credit reports and related web pages in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, issued by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The guidelines help ensure that websites are accessible to people with visual disabilities. 
 
The credit reporting agencies first worked with ACB over 15 years ago, when free credit reports were first rolled out in the United States on annualcreditreport.com and 1-877-322-8228. 
 
“We appreciate the three credit reporting agencies and their collaboration over many years and the Structured Negotiation process that brought us to today’s announcement,” said Deb Cook Lewis, ACB President.
 

About American Council of the Blind

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) is a national member-driven organization representing Americans who are blind and visually impaired. For more than 60 years, ACB has become a leader in national, state, local, and even international advocacy efforts. With 68 affiliates, ACB strives to increase independence, security, equality of opportunity, and to improve the quality of life for all people who are blind and visually impaired. For more information, visit www.acb.org.

About Equifax

Equifax (www.equifax.com) empowers businesses and consumers with information they can trust. A global leader in information solutions, employment and income verification and human resources business process outsourcing services, we leverage one of the largest sources of consumer and commercial data, along with advanced analytics and proprietary technology, to create customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.
Customers have trusted Equifax for over 100 years to deliver innovative solutions with the highest integrity and reliability. Businesses – large and small – rely on us for consumer and business credit intelligence, portfolio management, fraud detection, decisioning technology, marketing tools, HR/payroll services, and much more. We empower individual consumers to manage their personal credit information, protect their identity and maximize their financial well-being.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax Inc. employs approximately 7,000 people in 14 countries throughout North America, Latin America and Europe. Equifax is a member of Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500® Index. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX.
 

About Experian

Experian® is a global leader in providing information, analytical and marketing services to organizations 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 organizations 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 organizations from financial services, retail and catalog, telecommunications, utilities, media, insurance, automotive, leisure, e-commerce, manufacturing, property and government sectors.
Experian Group Limited is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. It has corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, and operational headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., and Nottingham, UK. Experian employs approximately 15,500 people in 36 countries worldwide, supporting clients in more than 65 countries. Annual sales are in excess of $3.8 billion.
For more information, visit the Group’s Web site on www.experiangroup.com.
 

About TransUnion

As a global leader in credit and information management, TransUnion creates advantages for millions of people around the world by gathering, analyzing and delivering information. For businesses, TransUnion helps improve efficiency, manage risk, reduce costs and increase revenue by delivering comprehensive data and advanced analytics and decisioning. For consumers, TransUnion provides the tools, resources and education to help manage their credit health and achieve their financial goals. Through these and other efforts, TransUnion is working to build stronger economies worldwide. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Chicago, TransUnion employs more than 4,000 employees in more than 30 countries on six continents. www.transunion.com
 

Contacts

American Council of the Blind

Dan Spoone, ACB Interim Executive Director
[email protected]
 

Credit Reporting Companies

Equifax

Jennifer Costello
404.885.8907

Experian

Susan Henson
714.830.5129

Transunion

Steven R. Katz
312.985.2373