If you've never seen one before, you may be curious about what you'll find in a free credit
history report online. The three major credit bureaus which issue the reports, use somewhat
different formats, but the five types of information that they contain are the same. And when
presented in a free credit history report online, they give a overview of how you handle your
finances.
Personal information
In this section of your free credit history report online is listed your name, address, telephone
number, Social Security number, date of birth and your employer. It may also include your
driver's license number, your spouse's name and the addresses of previous residences or
employers. When checking this section make sure the ID numbers are accurate and that your
name is listed as you normally write it.
Credit accounts
This part of your free credit history report online has some of the most important information
regarding your creditworthiness. It has a record of all the credit accounts reported to the
bureau for the previous seven years. It shows the creditor's name, when the account was
opened, the terms involved and your payment history. When a creditor looks at your credit
report he pays special attention to how well you paid your bills. About equal in importance is
how much you owe and how close your are to your credit limits.
Public records
In addition to information provided by creditors, credit bureaus also rely on credit related items
in the public record. Listed in your free credit history report online are any tax liens, judgments
or bankruptcies. Since bankruptcies can remain in your credit report for 10 years, they're a
serious negative and should always be seen as a last resort when you're in financial problems.
Requests for your credit report
Businesses with legitimate purposes are allowed to get a copy of your report. Shown in this
section of your free credit history report online are any requests for your report made in the
last year, or last two years if the request was from an employer. Creditors considering your
application don't like to see several recent report requests. They see these requests as either
you're denied the accounts because of poor credit or you got the accounts and now you're
overextended.
Personal statement(optional)
If there's an item in your free credit history report online that you feel is in error, you have
the right to have it corrected. But if it doesn't get changed to your satisfaction, you can have
a 100-word statement added to your credit report explaining your position.
To get your free credit history report online and free 30 days of credit monitoring,
please go to
free instant credit reports.
