My Annual Credit Report – What Information Is On It?

Does my annual credit report contain all my personal information?

This question bothers many. Here is the answer:

Your free consumer credit report (or any paid credit report for that matter) contains a list of all your credit activities, including your credit accounts, outstanding loans, credit card balances, and bill paying history, as well as some personal information.

Most of the information on your credit report comes from the businesses you have outstanding loans or accounts with, including banks, mortgage companies, and credit card companies. Lenders usually report your credit information, good or bad – to credit bureaus.

In the wrong hands, this information may be used to steal your identity or commit other forms of credit fraud.

All this information is grouped into seven categories:

Personal Information
Used to identify you, and contains your personal information such as your name and nicknames, social security number, telephone numbers, address (current and previous), employers (current and previous) and more.

Consumer Statements
Personal statements that you have asked to be placed on your credit report to clarify a credit dispute/error or to explain a late payment that occurred during a period of time.

Summary Information
A summary of the different accounts and loans you have and their current status.

Account History Information
Detailed information about your accounts and your history of bill paying to lenders such as:

• Banks
• Mortgage companies
• Finance companies
• Retail stores

The information is this category is very important because it has a
strong impact your overall credit score and credit worthiness.

Public Records
Public information on any bankruptcies, tax liens, judgments against you etc. that may affect your credit status.

Inquiries Information
List of potential lenders, creditors or employers that have asked to get a copy of your credit report and score within the last two years.

Creditor Information
Contact information of all creditors, lenders or entities that you are either financially associated with or have received a copy of your credit report. You may need this information in case that you need to dispute any wrong or inaccurate information in your report.

Click here for a sample three in one credit report, and a more detailed explanation of each category.

Your credit report should only contain information that has financial relevancy. Information such as criminal convictions or information about your race, age and marital status should not be included in the report.