Did you know that you have three credit reports, and these credit reports are not necessarily the same? Your credit reports can contain different
information because lenders and creditors may report your accounts to one or two of the three national credit bureaus who report data independently. By checking all three of your credit reports, you can make sure you are maintaining a healthy credit profile. And a healthy, active credit profile can be
the key to obtaining low loan rates. This is because lenders use credit reports to see how consumers have utilized their credit in the past.

If you have been responsible with your accounts and have been able to pay your debts on time, then chances are you are doing well with your credit.
However, sometimes credit reports contain inaccurate data that can hurt your credit score. Also, checking your credit report can key you in to potential instances of fraud and identity theft.

Here are the various parts of your credit report, and what you will find in each section:
1. Consumer information: This section of your credit report includes your name, birth date, address and employer.
2. Consumer statement: This is a short message you have asked to be placed on your credit report; this could be a fraud alert or an explanation for a
    late payments that occurred during a period of time.
3. Accounts histories: Detailed information about real estate, installment, revolving credit or collection accounts; each record included the date the
    account was opened, high balance, terms and your 7-year payment history. This is a very important section of your credit report.
4. Public records: This section of your credit report may include records of bankruptcy, tax liens or judgment filings.
5. Inquiries: Each credit report contains a list of companies who have accessed your credit history for the purpose of an application in the last
    two years.
6. Creditor contacts: The final section of your credit report contains mailing addresses and phone numbers of your creditors. This is handy if you need
    to contact a creditor.

Want to learn more about credit reports? You can read more in the TrueCredit Learning Center.