Q17a: Is a potential employer permitted to see your credit report without your consent?

Demographic and experience categories Yes No Do not know Refused
All respondents 18.9 ( 1.1) 60.7 ( 1.4) 20.4 ( 1.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)
AGE GROUP        
18 to 24 10.2 ( 2.9) 72.7 ( 4.5) 17.1 ( 3.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
25 to 34 11.0 ( 2.2) 69.8 ( 3.3) 19.2 ( 2.8) 0.0 ( 0.0)
35 to 44 17.3 ( 2.5) 63.9 ( 3.3) 18.7 ( 2.8) 0.0 ( 0.0)
45 to 54 20.7 ( 2.7) 60.9 ( 3.2) 18.4 ( 2.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
55 to 64 25.6 ( 3.3) 55.8 ( 3.7) 18.5 ( 2.8) 0.0 ( 0.0)
65 and older 25.5 ( 2.9) 46.9 ( 3.3) 27.4 ( 2.8) 0.2 ( 0.2)
INCOME        
Less than $25000 17.7 ( 1.8) 57.7 ( 2.3) 24.5 ( 1.9) 0.1 ( 0.1)
$25000 to $49999 16.2 ( 2.2) 64.6 ( 3.0) 19.3 ( 2.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
$50000 to $74999 18.9 ( 2.6) 63.7 ( 3.3) 17.4 ( 2.7) 0.0 ( 0.0)
$75000+ 22.3 ( 2.8) 60.7 ( 3.3) 17.1 ( 2.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
EDUCATION        
Less than high school 13.7 ( 2.6) 51.6 ( 3.7) 34.4 ( 3.5) 0.3 ( 0.3)
High school 18.6 ( 2.0) 61.4 ( 2.5) 20.0 ( 2.0) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Some post-secondary education 16.7 ( 2.0) 66.5 ( 2.6) 16.8 ( 2.0) 0.0 ( 0.0)
BA or more 23.0 ( 2.2) 57.7 ( 2.7) 19.3 ( 2.3) 0.0 ( 0.0)
ETHNICITY        
White 20.2 ( 1.5) 59.6 ( 1.8) 20.2 ( 1.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Black 16.6 ( 2.1) 66.6 ( 2.8) 16.6 ( 2.2) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Hispanic 13.2 ( 2.0) 59.9 ( 3.0) 26.9 ( 2.7) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Other 22.0 ( 5.1) 64.3 ( 6.1) 13.7 ( 4.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
SEX        
Male 19.5 ( 1.8) 63.2 ( 2.2) 17.3 ( 1.8) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Female 18.0 ( 1.4) 58.7 ( 1.8) 23.2 ( 1.5) 0.1 ( 0.1)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS        
Actively employed (FT or PT) 18.4 ( 1.5) 64.1 ( 1.9) 17.4 ( 1.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Student 9.4 ( 4.4) 77.6 ( 6.3) 13.1 ( 4.8) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 20.6 ( 1.9) 52.5 ( 2.3) 26.7 ( 2.0) 0.1 ( 0.1)
Other 20.7 ( 5.1) 57.8 ( 6.3) 21.5 ( 5.1) 0.0 ( 0.0)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE        
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 22.0 ( 2.5) 64.8 ( 2.8) 13.0 ( 1.8) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Resident of another state 18.4 ( 1.2) 60.1 ( 1.6) 21.4 ( 1.3) 0.0 ( 0.0)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE        
Obtained a credit report 20.7 ( 1.5) 62.0 ( 1.9) 17.3 ( 1.5) 0.1 ( 0.1)
Did not obtain a credit report 16.4 ( 1.6) 59.0 ( 2.2) 24.6 ( 1.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Obtained credit score 19.8 ( 1.9) 65.5 ( 2.4) 14.6 ( 1.8) 0.1 ( 0.1)
Did not obtain credit score 18.4 ( 1.4) 58.4 ( 1.7) 23.2 ( 1.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Disputed information on credit report 28.0 ( 3.0) 56.4 ( 3.3) 15.6 ( 2.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Did not dispute credit report information 16.9 ( 1.2) 61.7 ( 1.6) 21.4 ( 1.3) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Had an auto or mortgage loan 20.3 ( 1.3) 59.8 ( 1.6) 19.9 ( 1.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 14.2 ( 2.0) 63.8 ( 2.7) 22.0 ( 2.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Was a victim of identity theft 18.1 ( 3.2) 67.9 ( 4.0) 14.0 ( 2.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Was not a victim of identity theft 19.0 ( 1.2) 59.9 ( 1.5) 21.0 ( 1.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 22.8 ( 4.2) 59.5 ( 5.1) 17.7 ( 4.1) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 18.5 ( 1.2) 60.8 ( 1.5) 20.6 ( 1.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)

Percent estimates totaling 100% within each demographic and experience category, with standard errors in parentheses
 
GAO-05-411SP Credit Reporting Literacy Survey Data
Full Report: GAO-05-223