The project aims at assessing the economic relevance of credit scoring. The central topics are the usefulness of credit scores for the prediction of credit risks as well the effects of credit scoring on future credit defaults, the risk and profitability of banks and the overall credit supply.  The project is based on the most important theoretical and empirical academic studies. The analysis of the credit scoring methodology and an international comparison (including Australia, France, Germany and the United States) extend and deepen the investigations.  Our project is part of a larger study which also includes an assessment of credit scoring from a legal perspective.