Each year, many women are denied credit because they cannot show how they have used it. A good credit history is the way most companies predict your future success using credit. It gives a creditor evidence that you are a good credit risk. The ECOA also forbids discrimination on the basis of your race, color, age, national origin, religion, because you receive public assistance payments, or because you exercised rights under the federal consumer credit protection laws. To Help Credit bureaus gather and sell credit information about consumers and are a principal source of information about your credit history.
Creditors usually rely on credit bureau reports before issuing a line of credit.
So it makes sense to ask your local credit bureaus for your report. The bureaus will report whatever they have on file, which might include what kinds of credit accounts you have, how punctually you pay your bills, and whether you have ever filed for bankruptcy or were sued. The report may include other credit references that you can use in new credit applications to give a more complete picture of your financial situation. Some credit references may not appear in your file simply because the creditor may not report the information to the credit bureaus. Credit bureaus obtain most of their information from those creditors who send them monthly reports.