Credit Report

A Credit Report, sometimes called a Credit history, is an historical record of your borrowing and includes information on unpaid debts and late payments.

Every time you apply for a loan or credit from a bank, credit card company, etc this information is used to update your credit report.

You should obtain credit reports on yourself to monitor unusual activity – such as loans taken out by people who have stolen your identity.  In the U.S. the national credit bureaus - Equifax, Experian and Trans Union - will provide you with a free report every year on request. More comprehensive reports can be obtained for a fee.