• Your credit report is a summary of your credit history with reports from lenders and personal information.
• A credit history describes how many credit cards you have open, any loans and if bills are paid on time, which lenders can access to check creditworthiness.
• Your score and report are important factors when applying for a loan, opening a credit card, buying a car, renting an apartment, etc.
• People with poorer scores may pay more on loans. A student with a “very good” score might pay $3,933 in interest on a student loan, whereas a student with a “fair” score might pay $8,640 interest for the same loan.
• When trying to detect identity theft and fraud, first check your credit report.
• Checking for errors in personal info and financial reporting is crucial. A recent study shows that 34% of consumers found a mistake on their report.
• Roughly one-third of Americans checked their reports this past year, which dropped from 39% a year ago.
• Data breach exposure is common with 47% of cardholders being notified of a breach just over the past year.
• The largest form of debt comes from credit cards with more than 90% of U.S. adults listing at least one in their reports.
• There are three major types of credit: revolving, installment and service. Each plays a role in your score.

Infographic created by Stein Saks, experts in legally defending against credit reporting errors