[kerkeslager]

> > If you're not applying for a line of credit, I don't think credit bureaus such as Equifax or "Transperian" (which I assume is a portmanteau of TransUnion and Experian) will base anything on that data, since it's so obviously easy to manipulate.

> You would be wrong. That'd be an awful way to maintain up-to-date address data on people.

Okay, could you cite this, please? I've been very clear that I'm just speculating, but if you're so sure maybe you have some insider information I don't?

My credit reports don't have my up-to-date address, so whatever they are doing is an awful way to maintain an up-to-date address.

[ryanlol]

>Okay, could you cite this, please? I've been very clear that I'm just speculating, but if you're so sure maybe you have some insider information I don't?

I don't know of public sources to cite, but I've seen the data. If there exists good public material about how these companies source their data, I haven't seen it.

These companies will accept data from essentially anywhere they can get it, not all of that will affect your credit score but it'll certainly affect your person profile. Name(s!),addresses,ssn(s!),dob(s!) and whatnot associated with an individual "person" id.

FWIW, the credit bureaus are not just credit bureaus:

https://www.tlo.com/law-enforcement

https://www.experian.com/consumer-information/right-party-co...

https://www.equifax.com/business/firstsearch/

[kerkeslager]

> I don't know of public sources to cite, but I've seen the data. If there exists good public material about how these companies source their data, I haven't seen it.

So, it sounds like you're speculating.

> These companies will accept data from essentially anywhere they can get it, not all of that will affect your credit score but it'll certainly affect your person profile. Name(s!),addresses,ssn(s!),dob(s!) and whatnot associated with an individual "person" id.

Look, I'm sure you're right, they do collect all the data they can. However, there are two caveats:

1. Implicitly or explicitly, they're also assigning confidence values to the accuracy of that data. They know that data you're legally obligated to be truthful about is more accurate than data you aren't. So if you're lying to them on store loyalty cards where no credit is being issued, that data gets prioritized somewhere between "useful for printing out and using as toilet paper" and "actual toilet paper". Data from your actual lines of credit is worth more and they know it.

2. While the credit bureaus have incentives to take whatever info they can get, loyalty card issuers don't necessarily have incentives to give them that info. I have a discount card for a local grocery chain. They could give my data to a credit bureau, but then the other two local grocery chains would be able to buy that data. That's their competitive advantage, gone. Why would they do that? I guess there's some value in protecting your data from a local grocery chain, but it's unlikely that fake data gets back to the credit bureaus anyway.

What I'm saying is that I don't think the steps you are taking are an effective means of protecting your data.

[ryanlol]

>So, it sounds like you're speculating.

So, it sounds like you’re calling me a liar.