Why is Information Different on All Three Credit Reports?

Did you just review your credit report and notice that they are all a bit different. One may have a credit card that you’ve had in good standing for several years, where the other may not list the account at all. That’s a problem, as a good credit history affects your credit score in a positive way. Unfortunately, this is not at all uncommon.

In order for an item to be reported on your credit report, it must first be reported by the lender or creditor to each of the three credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). If your creditor/ lender might not report data to all three agencies, the information will end up on some but not all of your reports.

Credit reporting agencies handle thousands of credit reports a day, and millions pieces of information about individual credit activity must be processed, so it’s no surprise that they are not perfect. With all of the transactions and paperwork to process, human error is inevitable.

For this reason, it is important to regularly review your credit report. Misinformation and missing information is very common, and will affect your credit score – for good or for bad. Make sure to take a look at each of the three credit reports on a regular basis so you can have changes made where it works in your benefit. After all, if you one credit reporting agency does not include the six month stint you went on without paying your credit card on time, it would not be wise to remind them about that.

Boost your credit score quickly and learn what is a good credit score.