What to check on your credit report
Identification Information
Make sure all of the information listed about you, such as your name, address, Social Security number, etc. is accurate and up-to-date.
Credit Inquiries:
Make sure all of the listed inquiries were authorized. Denials can result in the refusal to extend further credit. If there are unauthorized inquiries, write to the credit bureau and to the company that made the inquiry informing them that you did not authorize the inquiry and to remove it from your credit file. Potential creditors can regard too many inquiries within a short period of time (30-60 days) as a negative.
Accounts and Credit History:
This section of the report shows your accounts with creditors and your payment history with them. It is important to read this entire section and make sure the information is complete and has been reported correctly. All open accounts remain on your file with payment history for an indefinite time. You can close accounts you no longer use by making a request in writing to the credit grantor. Please note that closed accounts will continue to appear on your credit report for up to 7 years from the date of the last activity. Any errors you find in the report should be reported to the credit bureau so they can be investigated and corrected.
The following will not be found on your credit report:
- Checking or savings account information
- Medical histories
- Purchases paid for by cash or check
- Your race, gender or religion
- Credit scores
