Your Credit Bureau

Identifying information

This section of your Equifax credit report includes personal information, such as your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. The identifying information contained in your Equifax credit report is not used to calculate credit scores.

Credit account information

This information is reported to Equifax by your lenders and creditors and includes the types of accounts (for example, a credit card, mortgage, student loan, or vehicle loan), the date those accounts were opened, your credit limit or loan amount, account balances, and your payment history. It may not contain all your credit accounts for several reasons, such as closed accounts that have dropped off your report after a certain period of time, or accounts not reported to Equifax by lenders.

Inquiry information

There are two types of inquiries: “soft” and “hard.”

“Soft” inquiries may result from your checking your own credit reports, companies extending you pre-approved offers of credit or insurance, or your current lenders and creditors conducting periodic reviews of your accounts (known as “account reviews.”) Soft inquiries do not impact credit scores. Regularly checking your credit reports can help you monitor your credit accounts and enable you to recognize inaccurate or incomplete information, or suspicious activity that may signal potential identity theft.

“Hard” inquiries occur when companies or individuals, such as a credit card company or loan servicer, review your Equifax credit report because you have applied for credit or a service – for example, a new loan, a credit card, or a mobile phone contract. Hard inquiries remain on your Equifax credit report for up to two years and may negatively impact credit scores, although the impact may lessen with time.

Bankruptcies

Your Equifax credit report contains information about bankruptcy public records and related details such as the filing date and chapter (type of bankruptcy).

Collections accounts
This includes past-due accounts that have been turned over to a collection agency. These can include your credit accounts as well as accounts with doctors, hospitals, banks, retail stores, cable companies or mobile phone providers.

You may also want to check your Equifax credit report if you’re planning a big purchase, such as a car or a home. Doing so can help you understand what lenders and creditors may see when you apply for credit.