Why is “credit score” suddenly something so very important?

Steven D: Why is “credit score” suddenly something so very important?
In the last year or so, ads touting the vital importance of your “credit score” sprouted all over the TV. Why is this thing so important now, but not before?

Answers and Views:

Answer by iceman
It has always been important. But the increased advertising you are seeing is just a way for these online sights like freecreditreport.com to simply make more money. One thing that you can say is that online fraud and indetity theft has gotten worse, so in that sense looking at your credit report/score can be vital.

Answer by imisidro
Because the credit score was not released before and only the lenders know your credit score.

Equifax was first to release its FICO score; service began 3/19/2001. TransUnion followed in around 2002 and Experian in 2003.

Since then, FICO score has been an important information that individuals can see for themselves and these credit companies can make more money out of selling access to these scores

Answer by Akbar B
I has always been important but in the past few years a lot more people have been filing for bankruptcies and with the new bankruptcy law everything is suddenly in the limelight.

Answer by whatevit
CREDIT SCORES have always been important. What you are seeing is a round of FREE GIVE AWAYS. Many of the ads about credit scores want you to respond so that you can be sold something. This is a way to get traffic to what is being sold, I GIVE YOU WHAT IS ALREADY YOURS FREE. And you don’t have to buy from me.

This is the nature of Selling in the Market place.