CBS does a commercial disguised as a story.

[cornermouse]

Surprise.

The Web Of Wires Behind Your Credit Fate

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/03/eveningnews/main3992856.shtml

A corridor in a Minneapolis office building leads to the heart of the most sophisticated credit system in the world. It's a heavily guarded web of wires where your "FICO" score is calculated. Named for the Fair Isaac Corporation which created it, the three-digit number is used by banks, credit card companies and mortgage lenders to determine whether you can get a loan and what interest rate you'll pay.

The information there includes transactions you've made, loans you have and whether you are on time.

Drawing data from the three major credit bureaus, the system processes literally billions of bits of your financial information - like how much you owe, what you earn and whether you're maxed out on your credit cards.

Don't bother to go to FICO if you're hoping to get a free peek at what information they have on you. Ain't gonna happen. In spite of what the reporter said about getting a free report, you will have to give them a credit card in order to proceed which will automatically charge $89 to your credit card unless you can figure out how to cancel it before time is up.