Tester Profiles

  Minority White
Income $34,000 $32,000
Length of employment 8 years 5 years
Spouse's income $26,000 $23,000
Debt No debt

$255 car - 22 mos

Visa - $5000 limit

Price of house $120,000 $125,000
Downpayment $24,000 (20%) $15,000
Loan Amount $96,000 $110,000

 

RESULTS OF TESTS

INDICATING POSSIBLE DIFFERENT TREATMENT

 

Cedar Rapids

#1

Date/Times:

August 29, 1996

10:18 a.m./3:34 p.m.

Results:

Same loan officer offered to shake hands with the white tester but not with the Latino tester. Same loan officer offered to complete a Good Faith Estimate form for the white tester but not for the Latino tester.
Same loan officer offered to take the white tester but not the Latino tester to a personal banker.
Only the white tester was given brochures on personal banking services.

#2

Date/Times:

January 7, 1997

1:58 p.m./ 3:19 p.m.

Results:

The African American tester was told that there was no one to meet with and the day's rates were not available. The white tester was quoted the day's rates and then given an opportunity to meet with a loan officer. The white tester received application materials but not the African American tester.

 

#3

Date/Times:

August 30, 1996

8:50 a.m./10:40 a.m.

Results:

Same receptionist offered the white tester but not the African American tester a chair and refreshments. While the African American tester was waiting, same receptionist offered a white couple chairs and refreshments.

#4

Date/Times:

November 6, 1996

2:55 p.m./3:37 p.m.

Results:

Loan officer quoted the African American tester higher rates than the white tester. Loan officer told the white tester about their $200 off closing costs coupon. Different loan officer did not mention the coupon to the African American tester.



Council Bluffs

#5

Date/Times:

August 16, 1996

2:11 p.m./ 3:49 p.m.

Results:

Office manager quoted higher discount points and origination fees to the African American tester. Same officer manager told the African American tester that she could not handle her mortgage because she was too busy and referred the tester to the downtown office. Same office manager told the white tester that she could handle her mortgage and that she would be faster than the loan officer downtown.

#6

Date/Times:

November 14, 1996

9:11 a.m./10:35 a.m.

Results:

Office manager quoted higher discount points and origination fees to the Latino tester. Same office manger volunteered to calculate principal and interest payments for the white tester but not for the Latino tester. Same office manager referred the Latino tester but not the white tester to the downtown office.

#7

Date/Times:

January 31, 1997

9:10 a.m./10:30 a.m.

Results:

Same loan officer quoted higher origination fees to the African American tester.

#8

Date/Times:

January 31, 1997

10:55 a.m./12:43 p.m.

Results:

Same office manager provided the white tester but not the African American tester with additional annual percentage rate information.

#9

Date/Times:

August 16, 1996

11:03 a.m./1:33 p.m.

Results:

Teller referred the African American tester to the main office. Different teller referred the white tester to a personal banker in that branch who provided the tester with an application, business cards, and information on bank services.

#10

Date/Times:

August 16, 1996

12:13 p.m./12:41 p.m.

Results:

Same teller provided the white tester but not the Asian American tester a brochure on home financing. In this test the testers did not ask the same question. The Asian American tester asked for information about mortgage rates and the white tester asked for information about mortgage loans.

#11

Date/Times:

August 16, 1996

11:16 a.m./1:35 p.m./2:12 p.m.

Results:

Loan officer gave the white tester an application. Different loan officer did not give applications to the African American and Asian testers.

#12

Date/Times:

August 16, 1996

9:16 a.m./10:22 a.m.

Results:

Same receptionist referred both testers to another office but for the African American tester she arranged a meeting with a loan officer on-site.

#13

Date/Times:

August 16, 1996

9:25 a.m./9:55 a.m.

Results:

Same loan officer provided a rate sheet to the Asian American tester but not to the white tester.


Davenport

#14

Date/Times:

November 10, 1996

10:04 a.m./11:26 a.m.

Results:

Same receptionist referred the Asian American tester to another branch but arranged for the white tester to meet with a personal banker on-site. The white tester was quoted rates and given business cards and brochures describing the lender's products.

#15

Date/Times:

January 23, 1997

9:09 a.m./10:18 a.m.

Results:

Same personal banker referred both testers to different loan officers at another branch. Same personal banker told the white tester but not the African American tester that the loan officer was "excellent." Same personal banker gave rate information only to the white tester.

#16

Date/Times:

October 11, 1996

10:33 a.m./12:06 p.m.

Results:

Same receptionist told both testers that the person they needed to speak with was not in on Fridays and gave both testers telephone numbers to call. Same receptionist offered the white tester but not the African American tester a room and a telephone to make the call.

#17

Date/Times:

October 11, 1996

11:40 a.m./2:08 p.m.

 

Results:

Same account executive offered an application to the African American tester but not to the white tester.

#18

Date/Time:

November 1, 1996

11:37 a.m./12:47 p.m.

Results:

Same personal banker offered to shake hands with the white tester but not with the Latino tester. Same personal banker gave the white tester but not the Latino tester an application and her business card. Same personal banker referred both testers to another office but gave only the white tester the name and phone number of a loan officer there who could help with the mortgage application.

#19

Date/Times:

January 23, 1997

10:09 a.m./11:37 a.m.

Results:

Same loan officer quoted higher rates to the African American tester.






Des Moines

#20

Date/Times:

August 1, 1996

10:44 a.m./1:23 p.m.

Results:

Same personal banker offered refreshments to the white tester but not to the Latino tester. Same manager referred the Latino tester but not the white tester to another branch. Same manager told the Latino tester but not the white tester that he could not handle the loan.

#21

Date/Times:

February 11, 1997

10:25 a.m./11:27 a.m.

Results:

When the African American tester asked for a copy of the rate sheet, a loan officer told him that it couldn't be given out. A different loan officer offered a copy of the rate sheet to the white tester.

#22

Date/Times: August 1, 1996

9:30 a.m./10:55 a.m.

Results:

Same receptionist offered an application to the white tester but not to the Latino tester. Neither tester asked for an application.
Same loan officer told the white tester but not the Latino tester that the bank required a banking relationship before they could do a mortgage. Same loan officer gave a brochure on personal banking services to the white tester but not to the Latino tester.


Iowa City

#23

Date/Times:

February 7, 1997

8:52 a.m./9:46 a.m.

Result:

Same loan officer gave her business card and the card of another loan officer to the white tester but not to the African American tester.

#24

Date/Times:

November 8, 1996

11:09 a.m./12:16 p.m.

 

Results:

Same loan officer calculated the closing costs and payment for the African American tester but not for the white tester.

#25

Date/Times:

December 4, 1996

9:59 a.m./11:10 a.m.

Results:

Same loan officer offered an application and a business card to the white tester but not to the Asian American tester.
Same loan officer offered to run numbers and figure payments for the white tester but not for the Asian American tester.


Sioux City

#26

Date/Times:

November 22, 1996

9:10 a.m./11:21 a.m.

Results:

Loan officer gave a rate sheet, business card, and two brochures describing banking services and smart mortgage to the African American tester. Different loan officer gave a folder containing application materials and instructions, as well as brochures and a rate sheet to the white tester. Coffee was offered only to the African American tester.

#27

Date/Times:

November 22, 1996

10:55 a.m./12:26 p.m.

Results:

Same loan officer quoted higher rates to the white tester than to the African American tester.

 

#28

Date/Times:

December 12, 1996

9:44 a.m./10:49 a.m.

Results:

Same personal banker referred both testers to another branch. Same personal banker gave written directions and a phone number to the white tester but not to the Asian American tester.

#29

Date/Times:

February 21, 1997

11:00 a.m./12:57 p.m.

Results:

Teller referred the African American tester to a personal banker who gave him her business card and offered to call the other branch for him. Different teller did not refer the white tester to a personal banker. Both testers were referred to another branch.

#30

Date/Times:

September 27, 1996

9:21 a.m./11:10 a.m.

Results:

Same loan officer offered to complete a Good Faith Estimate form, which includes closing costs and payments, for the white tester but not for the Latino tester. Same loan officer offered her evening work hours to the white tester but not to the Latino tester.


Waterloo/Cedar Falls

#31

Date/Times:

October 24, 1996

10:50 a.m./11:57 a.m.

Results:

Same loan officer quoted a higher rate to the Latino tester.

#32

Date/Times:

October 25, 1996

11:57 a.m./1:26 p.m.

Results:

Counselor quoted higher rates to the African American tester. The testers met with different counselors.

#33

Date/Times:

October 31, 1996

10:02 a.m./11:23 a.m.

Results:

Banking officer referred both testers to a loan officer at another branch. Same banking officer asked the white tester but not the Asian American tester a series of questions about the tester's needs and financial situation. Same banking officer told the white tester but not the Asian American tester about the lender's other banking services and that she hoped she would see him again to set up an account. Same banking officer gave the white tester but not the Asian American tester two brochures describing the lender's banking services.



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