WHAT`S IN YOUR CREDIT REPORT?
Each credit bureau uses a different format for the information it collects, but all three bureaus have basically the same information. You'll first find identifying information, such as your name, your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), and your address. Your employment information will also appear here.
Next, you'll find a listing of all the credit accounts you've ever had. This will show if the account is closed or current; when the account was opened (and closed, if it's been closed); your credit limit or loan amount; the account balance; and your payment history. This is where lenders will see if you've been paying your accounts on time.
Then comes a section on inquiries. An inquiry takes place when someone asks for a copy of your credit report. Inquiries may come from lenders, from landlords, or from employers. The report lists both voluntary inquiries, which are ones that come when you give lenders permission to check your report when you apply for credit; and involuntary inquiries, which come when lenders order your report on their own--for example, if they send you a pre-approval credit offer in the mail.
Finally, your credit report will have a section that includes information of public record, usually based on papers filed in a court of law. This can include information on collection agencies seeking funds from you, bankruptcies, foreclosures, overdue alimony ()r child support payments, lawsuits, liens, wage attachments, and judgments. It may also include arrest records.