How to Check Someone's Credit Report

A credit reports can tell you a lot about people. It tells you if they are responsible with their bills, if they pay them on time, and even where they have lived during their lifetime. That's why many companies are starting to use people's credit report in hiring decisions, loan decisions and even when granting them auto or home insurance. It today's world, knowing how to check someone's credit report can tell you much about their character in a matter of minutes.

Things You'll Need

• Internet connection
• Personal information
• Social security number

Instructions

1. Get permission from the person. It's illegal to check someone's credit report without getting his or her permission. If you do, you could suffer legal ramifications. If the person doesn't want you to check his or her credit report, ask to get an official and recent copy that you can look at.

2. Subscribe to a service that gives you access to credit reports for a monthly or annual fee. This is especially useful for landlords because they are always checking credit report before they let people move in. With a subscription service, you can simply log on to your online account or make a phone call to get someone's credit score and history.

3. Use other services that check credit reports. If you just need to check your credit report or a family member's report, there are many services online that will give you access to all three major credit bureaus.

4. Have the social security number and other information handy. Before you can request someone's credit report, you need to have his or her personal information. Make sure the names are spelled correctly and everything else is accurate, or else you won't find the actual report. For instance, a recently married woman may forget to provide her maiden name instead of her married name.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're checking someone's credit report for purposes of renting or loaning money, ask about the negative things that show up on the report. Many times, the person is working on getting those items paid off. Other times, the person might not even be aware of the negative items. Someone could have a perfectly good explanation for the negative items on the credit report.

• Check your own credit report every 6 months or so. It's important to make sure it's always accurate for when you need to have a good score for a loan or other purposes. Contact the credit bureau if there is inaccurate information on your report.

• If you had to register at one of those "free" websites that offer credit reports, read the fine print. The first month is usually free, and then the service begins charging your credit card after that. Make sure you know the ramifications and cancel in a timely manner so your card doesn't get charged.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• True Credit Reprot
• Free Credit Report