The Credit Bureau Score

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The following credit score information was published and provided by Experian.com on August 21, 2003.

What's in a credit bureau score?

The information that impacts a credit score varies depending on the score being used. Credit scores are only affected by elements in your credit report, such as:

• Number and severity of late payments


• Type, number and age of accounts


• Total debt


• Recent inquiries

If the business card/corporate card or gas card does not appear on your credit report, it will not affect your score.

What's not in a credit bureau score?

Credit bureau-based scores, like those generated by Experian, cannot use demographics prohibited under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, such as race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, receipt of public assistance, or exercise of rights under the Consumer Credit Protection Act. Scores used by individual lenders may use such elements as income, occupation and type of residence in determining their own custom credit score.

Credit scores consider a wide range of information on your credit report. Specifically, they do not consider: Your race, color, religion, national origin, sex and marital status. U.S. law prohibits credit scoring from considering these facts, as well as any receipt of public assistance, or the exercise of any consumer right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act.

Your age.

Your salary, occupation, title, employer, date employed or employment history. However, lenders may consider this information in making their approval decisions.

Where you live.

Any interest rate being charged on a particular credit card or other account.

Any items reported as child/family support obligations or rental agreements.

Certain types of inquiries (requests for your credit report). The score does not count "consumer disclosure" inquiries requests you have made for your credit report in order to check it. It also does not count "promotional inquiries" requests made by lenders in order to make you a "pre-approved" credit offer — or "account review inquiries" requests made by lenders to review your account with them. Finally, inquiries for employment purposes are not counted. (Experian.com, 8/21/03)