Uthmeier questions FICO about anticompetitive practices

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Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a civil investigative demand to Fair Isaac Corporation seeking the production of comprehensive documents and answers to questions to determine whether FICO has engaged in anticompetitive conduct in violation of the Florida Antitrust Act.

“Floridians deserve fair access to credit—not a system controlled by one company that repeatedly jacks up prices and blocks competition,” Uthmeier said. “These skyrocketing costs are passed directly to consumers, making it harder for families to buy homes, finance cars and secure essential services.

“My office will not tolerate monopoly abuse that harms Florida families.”

FICO issues about 27 million credit scores daily and its scores are used in over 90% of U.S. lending decisions. The company’s practices fundamentally shape how Floridians purchase homes and cars and access essential services including banking, insurance, telecom, and utilities.

For decades, FICO has maintained a monopoly in the business-to-business credit scoring market. Recent years have seen dramatic price increases — from under $1 per score to as high as $10 — along with allegations of predatory pricing, illegal product bundling, exclusionary contracts with the major credit bureaus and efforts to impede competitors.

Uthmeier’s demand requires FICO to produce all documents previously provided in the ongoing federal antitrust litigation, as well as:

Internal assessments of market share and competitive position versus other competitors;License agreements and contracts with the major credit bureaus, including negotiations over royalty rates, pricing tiers and any “no equivalent products” clauses;

Documents relating to communications with the credit bureaus about competitors; andAll pricing histories and changes for FICO scoring products.

The demand also includes questions on FICO’s competitors, antitrust compliance personnel and training and internal antitrust reviews.

FICO must comply by August 5.

The AG’s office says this action reinforces Uthmeier’s commitment to enforcing Florida’s antitrust laws, promoting competition and protecting consumers from corporate practices that inflate costs and limit choice in markets critical to everyday life.