SCHUFA recently published allegations against third-party providers like us. It is claimed that we ask consumers to pay for a service that they could obtain free of charge directly from SCHUFA. However, this is a highly simplified description and fails to mention some key aspects that are important for a fair assessment. In this article, we would like to address SCHUFA's criticism, clear up misunderstandings and explain why our service at Selbstauskunft.de is a valuable and legitimate alternative.
Linguistic attacks: What SCHUFA's choice of words reveals about its attitude
One particularly striking aspect of the SCHUFA criticism is the aggressive choice of words. Terms such as "consumer bribery", "rip-off" and "millions in damages" are not only exaggerated, but also indicate an attitude that is aimed more at polemics than factual debate. This linguistic escalation speaks volumes about the motivation behind the criticism: it seems to be less about protecting consumers and more about asserting their own economic interests.
When SCHUFA talks about "rip-offs" while it itself offers consumers expensive credit reports and subscriptions, it shows how little room there is for objective discussion in its argumentation. Such terms are intended to cast third-party providers like us in a negative light without considering the actual added value that we offer consumers. What's more, SCHUFA is using jargon here that it apparently assumes its target group speaks like this or at least responds to it. This can hardly be surpassed in terms of arrogance and disdain for its own customers.
What SCHUFA does not mention: The complicated ordering process, the deliberate attempt to push consumers into fee-based subscriptions, and the downplaying of the usefulness of the free self-disclosure
It is correct that you can request a free copy of your information stored by SCHUFA at "reasonable intervals". This means that consumers can view their data free of charge not just once a year, but several times as needed. However, what is often not mentioned is how cumbersome this process actually is on the SCHUFA website. Applying for free information requires navigating through several complicated steps in which SCHUFA deliberately tries to push consumers into paid subscriptions.
What is particularly worrying is that these subscriptions can become expensive in the long term and are difficult to get out of. These subscriptions are prominently advertised on the SCHUFA website during the application process, so that many consumers are tempted to opt for these fee-based alternatives. This shows that SCHUFA not only deliberately steers its customers into expensive subscriptions, but also hinders free competition by misleading consumers.
Another worrying aspect is that SCHUFA is deliberately downplaying the usefulness of free self-disclosure in accordance with the GDPR in order to make its own fee-based offers appear more attractive. The free information is suitable for all purposes, even if in some cases it may make sense to remove certain pages or black out sensitive data before passing it on to third parties.
The financial background: Why SCHUFA takes action against third-party providers
In its criticism, SCHUFA mentions that 50,000 self-disclosures were requested via third-party providers in June 2024 alone. This corresponds to around 36 percent of all data copies requested in June. Assuming that these consumers had opted for SCHUFA's fee-based "credit report", SCHUFA could have generated considerable revenue. The fact that more and more people are opting for third-party providers leads to a significant loss of revenue for SCHUFA. At a price of around 30 euros for a credit report, SCHUFA is losing millions every month - around 1.5 million euros in June 2024 alone.
This financial loss can be set in relation to SCHUFA's total turnover, which is in the three-digit million range. A loss of around 1.5 million euros per month could amount to around 18 million euros extrapolated over the year, which could correspond to a drop in turnover of around 6-9%. This is a significant loss, especially when you consider that it occurs in the private customer segment alone. This also explains why SCHUFA addresses the issue so aggressively on its homepage. It is not just about "protecting" consumers, but also about securing its own turnover and regaining market share.
The legend of the "once a year" free self-disclosure
Another critical element in SCHUFA's strategy is the deliberate perpetuation of the idea that free self-disclosure is only possible once a year. However, this is a myth. According to the GDPR, consumers have the right to inspect their stored data free of charge "at reasonable intervals" - and this may well be several times a year, depending on their needs.
By not actively clearing up these misunderstandings, SCHUFA is apparently trying to limit the number of requests for free information. In this way, it prevents consumers from exercising their legal right to access their data flexibly and at their own discretion. This helps to boost sales of its fee-based products and bind consumers more strongly to the expensive subscriptions.
Competition and market dynamics: the threat to SCHUFA
The success of third-party providers such as Selbstauskunft.de poses a serious threat to SCHUFA as it simplifies access to creditworthiness information and shifts control of the market. SCHUFA is forced to take aggressive action against these new competitors in order to defend its market dominance.
In a market characterized by high barriers to entry and a heavy reliance on exclusive data, Selbstauskunft.de has found a niche by simplifying the ordering process and offering customers a better user experience. This competition means that SCHUFA must question and adapt its traditional business practices in order to remain relevant.
The increased negotiating power of consumers is also contributing to this dynamic market change. The ability to choose between different providers increases the pressure on SCHUFA to improve its service and make it more competitive. This explains why SCHUFA is taking such vehement action against third-party providers - it sees its control over the market dwindling and has to adapt to changing consumer needs.
Why there must be alternatives to SCHUFA
As long as SCHUFA continues to earn money from the data it collects from consumers, there will always be alternatives in a market economy. SCHUFA profits considerably from making this data available to companies and at the same time tries to make additional profit from end consumers. This raises the question: Why doesn't SCHUFA simply offer the data to end consumers free of charge and concentrate on its corporate customer business, which was originally the basic idea behind SCHUFA? This would not only defuse criticism of the practice of third-party providers, but would also promote free competition.
In a market economy, free competition means that alternatives emerge when a company tries to maximize profits in different areas. Our service at Selbstauskunft.de is one such alternative that focuses on the needs of consumers and offers them a quick and easy way to obtain their SCHUFA self-disclosure - without complicated processes or the risk of being lured into fee-based subscriptions.
Our service: time savings, convenience and transparency
While SCHUFA deliberately makes the ordering process complicated and tries to force customers into expensive subscriptions, we at Selbstauskunft.de offer a fast, simple and transparent alternative:
1. time saving: Our service saves you valuable time. Instead of clicking through complicated steps and forms, you can request your SCHUFA self-disclosure from us online in just a few minutes.
2. convenience: We have designed the application process to be as simple and user-friendly as possible for you. No paperwork, no unnecessary steps - simple, fast and convenient.
3. transparency: With us, you know right from the start what costs you will incur and what you will receive in return. We offer no hidden fees and no misleading advertising for additional products or subscriptions.
Why our fees are justified
SCHUFA criticizes us for charging fees for our service. However, this ignores the fact that many consumers are willing to pay for convenience, speed and transparency. Our service is aimed at people who don't want to waste time and for whom quick and uncomplicated processing is important.
It is also important to emphasize that our service is completely transparent: we clearly inform our customers about the costs incurred and the service provided. Everyone is free to choose the free route via SCHUFA - our service simply offers an alternative for those who prefer a faster and more convenient solution.
Conclusion: It's all about money - and lots of it
Ultimately, it is clear that SCHUFA's harsh criticism of third-party providers such as Selbstauskunft.de has less to do with protecting consumers and more to do with the considerable financial losses the company suffers as a result. If SCHUFA is losing millions every month, this is a lot of money - and that is what has put the SCHUFA Board of Directors on alert.
The fact that SCHUFA deals with the topic so prominently on its homepage shows how serious the situation is. The loss of market share and the associated loss of revenue are putting the company's management under considerable pressure. It is a clear sign that SCHUFA is worried about its revenue and is pulling out all the stops to keep consumers loyal to its own expensive products.
This aggressive defense strategy by SCHUFA makes it clear that it is primarily concerned with protecting its own economic interests. The market dynamics have shifted due to the success of third-party providers such as Selbstauskunft.de, which means that SCHUFA can no longer fully defend its market position. Consumers today have more power and choice, and this puts pressure on traditional players like SCHUFA to improve their offerings and become more competitive.
As a consumer, however, you should not be intimidated by this. Our service at Selbstauskunft.de offers you a legal, fair and convenient alternative for obtaining your SCHUFA self-disclosure - without unnecessary hurdles or hidden costs. We believe that you have the right to view your data quickly and easily whenever you think it's necessary, and not just when it suits SCHUFA.
Visit us at Selbstauskunft.de and see for yourself the advantages we offer. Don't be put off by misleading claims - we focus on your interests, not those of SCHUFA.