First Bankcard® Expands Free FICO® Credit Score Program, Helps More Cardholders Take Charge of Their Financial Health in the New Year

OMAHA, Neb., Jan. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers often resolve to take steps to improve their health in the new year, but First Bankcard is offering something many of them also value highly: information to help them better manage their financial health.

Starting this week, First Bankcard, a division of First National Bank of Omaha, is expanding a credit card program announced in November in partnership with FICO, giving cardholders with First Bankcard-issued credit cards free access to their FICO^® Scores, along with information on the key factors affecting their credit scores and the actions they can take to ensure good financial management habits. Credit card customers having "First National Bank of Omaha" branded credit cards were the first to receive their free FICO<b>^® Scores. The program is now being extended to customers of First Bankcard's co-branded credit card partners who have credit cards issued by First Bankcard.

Cardholders of the following First Bankcard co-branded credit card partners will now have access to their free FICO^® Scores:

• Union Bank, N.A., headquartered in San Francisco
• New York Life Insurance Company
• Scheels All Sports, a sporting goods retailer headquartered in Fargo, N.D.
• Overstock.com, an online discount retailer headquartered in Salt Lake City
• Sheetz Inc., a chain of convenience stores headquartered in Altoona, Pa.
• MidFirst Bank, headquartered in Oklahoma City
• Technology Credit Union, headquartered in San Jose, Calif.
• Swagbucks, a Web rewards and loyalty destination headquartered in Redondo Beach, Calif.

The program will be rolled out to additional First Bankcard customers' cardholders in the coming months.

"We pride ourselves on helping customers and consumers create their own possibilities, and that is why we are excited to offer FICO credit scores as a free service," said Stephen F. Eulie, president of First Bankcard. "At a time when many people want to start the year on sound financial footing, it's clear that this program can provide valuable information to help them make better financial decisions."

First Bankcard is one of the first credit card issuers in the country to make FICO^® Scores available to cardholders for free. Cardholders can access their scores through their secure online accounts, with all information updated monthly at no additional cost to cardholders. In addition to their credit score, cardholders receive valuable educational content to help them improve their credit knowledge and gain a broader understanding of how credit card issuers evaluate their account and creditworthiness.

The FICO^® Score gives lenders a snapshot of a person's credit risk based on their individual credit history. The higher the individual's score, the lower the potential credit risk. Because the score provided by First Bankcard is specific to credit card lending, it may look different from other scores cardholders may have seen from other lenders or sources. 

The FICO^® Score, which was created by Fair Isaac Corporation, is the most widely used credit score in making lending decisions in the United States. The FICO^® Score is calculated based solely on information in consumer credit reports maintained at consumer reporting agencies.

About the FICO^® Score
With over 10 billion FICO^® Scores used worldwide every year to empower lenders to make credit decisions, the FICO^® Score has become the standard measure of U.S. consumer credit risk. FICO^® Scores are used today in more than 20 countries on five continents, as well as by all of the top 50 U.S. financial institutions and both the 25 largest U.S. credit card issuers and auto lenders. FICO^® Score: The score lenders use.™

About FICO
FICO (NYSE: FICO) is a leading analytics software company, helping businesses in 80-plus countries make better decisions that drive higher levels of growth, profitability and customer satisfaction. The company's groundbreaking use of Big Data and mathematical algorithms to predict consumer behavior has transformed entire industries. FICO provides analytics software and tools used across multiple industries to manage risk, fight fraud, build more profitable customer relationships, optimize operations and meet strict government regulations. Many of our products reach industry-wide adoption — such as the FICO^® Score, the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the United States. FICO solutions leverage open-source standards and cloud computing to maximize flexibility, speed deployment and reduce costs. The company also helps millions of people manage their personal financial health. FICO: Make every decision count^™. Learn more at www.fico.com. For FICO news and media resources, visit www.fico.com/news.

About First National Bank of Omaha
First National Bank of Omaha is a subsidiary of First National of Nebraska, which is the largest privately owned banking company in the United States. First National and its affiliates have $17 billion in managed assets and nearly 5,000 employee associates. Primary banking offices are located in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas.

About First Bankcard
First Bankcard, a division of First National Bank of Omaha, is a leader in the credit card partnership arena, serving more than 400 financial institutions, co-brand and affinity partners nationwide. For 60 years, First Bankcard has offered quality products and superior service to help its customers achieve their goals. Companies and organizations interested in learning more about credit card programs can contact [email protected] or visit www.firstbankcard.com for more information.

SOURCE First Bankcard