A handful of tech startups are using social data to determine the risk of lending to people who have a difficult time accessing credit. Two such companies are Lenddo and Kreditech, determines if you’re friends on Facebook with someone who was late paying back a loan to them. If so, that’s bad news for you. It’s even worse news if the delinquent friend is someone you frequently interact with.
In addition to data from Facebook, eBay or Amazon accounts other information gathered is the manner in which a customer fills out the online application. For example, your chances of getting a loan improve if you spend time reading information about the loan on websites. If you fill out the application typing in all-caps (or with no caps), you’re knocked down a couple pegs.
Your location is a consideration of creditworthiness based upon whether your computer is located where you said you live or work. Borrowers grant access to their PayPal, eBay and other online payment accounts, disclosing real-time sales and delivery information. The company says it can determine a business’ creditworthiness and put money into its account in just seven minutes.
Some in the financial industry are skeptical about social data and online behavior being used as a kind of credit score. There are several people who have friends on Facebook that talk to them over chat and never talk to them again or never meet them in person there social friends not people they spend time with on a regular basis. There not people they take advice from there people there trying to catch up with from college, high school and other places so why should that effect there credit score.