Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak said Apple gave him a credit limit 10 times higher than they gave his wife after they both applied for an Apple Card, which is a credit card the tech giant recently released with the help of Goldman Sachs, according to a report by CNN.
Another tech entrepreneur, David Heinemeier Hansson, shared a similar story, saying he was offered a limit 20 times more than his wife, even though they share assets and her credit score is better.
Now, the New York Department of Financial Services is investigating the allegations and looking into whether the service is discriminatory.
"Some say the blame is on Goldman Sachs, but the way Apple is attached, they should share responsibility," Wozniak said.
Hansson said that when he reached out to Apple to try and fix the issue, the company told him credit limits were determined by an algorithm.
Apple launched the Apple Card in August. It made a big splash as a new kind of credit card that would reportedly be available to people who might otherwise struggle to get cards, including those with below-average credit scores.
Apple directed comments to Goldman Sachs, who said that: "As with any other individual credit card, your application is evaluated independently. We look at an individual's income and an individual's creditworthiness, which includes factors like personal credit scores, how much debt you have and how that debt has been managed. Based on these factors, it is possible for two family members to receive significantly different credit decisions."
Hansson said he paid to look at his wife’s credit score because the disparity in limit offers was so striking. Her score was higher than his, he found.
Linda Lacewell, superintendent of the Department of Financial Services, said the allegations need to be thoroughly investigated. "Financial services companies are responsible for ensuring the algorithms they use do not unintentionally discriminate against protected groups," she said.
