A private firm that collects information about how people handle credit, and then sells that information to other private firms. Regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Also called a credit bureau.
A Credit Reporting Agency compiles data on consumers' credit payment history. Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian are the three major Credit Reporting Agencies in the United States.
Agencies who monitor activity on credit accounts such as credit cards and other loans. The three major CRAs are Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. These agencies release credit reports to appropriate parties such as a financial institution where someone is applying for a loan. This information helps determine your creditworthiness.
A firm that collects, sorts and sells information about an individual’s credit history.
An agency that compiles data about an individual's credit payment history.
Organization that collects information for credit reports and in turn sells the reports to people with a legitimate business need as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Examples of legitimate business needs are applications for employment, insurance, or to rent an apartment. Companies that loan money and issue credit regularly report payment behaviors to credit reporting agencies.
An agency that collects and distributes credit and personal information to creditors. A credit report includes payment history on loans and other credit accounts (such as credit cards), account balances, and length and place of employment. Any default information on education loans appears on a credit report for as long as seven years.
Also known as a credit bureau. An agency that checks credit information and keeps files on people who apply for and use credit.
An agency that is a clearinghouse for information on the credit payment history of individuals or firms. Back to Glossary Index
Is a company that’s responsible for accumulating and selling the credit history of the borrowers to the creditors/employers. Creditors or employers can decide whether to grant a loan or hire the person by reviewing the information provided by this agency.
Any agency which tracks financial obligations of individuals or a company and used by banks, merchants, suppliers, etc. for the purpose of evaluating credit risk.
a business that keeps records of people's credit histories, and that reports credit history information to prospective creditors (including landlords).
One of several agencies that collect information about a consumer's or business's credit habits and history, and assigns a credit score.
An organization that prepares reports that are used by lenders to determine a potential borrower's credit history. The agency obtains data for these reports from a credit repository as well as from other sources.
A company which gathers, files and sells information to creditors and/or employers, to facilitate their decisions to extend credit or to hire.
An organization that gathers, records, updates, and stores financial and public records information about the payment records of individuals who are being considered for credit.
Company that collects information from several credit repositories, merges all the information and reports it in one form - merged credit report.
Commonly known as credit bureaus, credit reporting agencies are companies that receive, maintain, and provide information about consumers' credit history. Three national agencies -- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion -- dominate credit reporting. There are many smaller agencies, but almost all of them get information from one or more of the three major agencies. See credit reporting agencies for more information.
Commonly known as credit bureaus, credit reporting agencies are companies that receive, maintain, and provide information about consumers' credit history. There are three national agencies -- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion -- mainly responsible.
A company that keeps credit information on consumers and distributes it to creditors in the form of credit reports.
There are three major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. They keep track of your credit records, and issue credit reports to those who have a legitimate reason for needing to know your credit history.
Credit bureaus are CRAs. They gather files and sell information to creditors, landlords and/or employers to help them make decisions on whether to give you credit or hire you.
A company that gathers information about consumers and sells it to creditors/employers/insurers.
A company that collects and sells information about how people handle credit. It issues credit reports that list how individuals manage their debts and make payments, how much untapped credit they have available and whether they have applied for any loans. The reports are made available to individuals and to creditors who profess to have a legitimate need for the information. The three major national credit bureaus are Equifax, Experian (formerly TRW) and Trans Union.
An agency that prepares credit history reports. These reports are used by lenders to determine a potential borrower's financial worthiness. The agency obtains data for these reports from a credit repository as well as from other sources.
