Q17b: Is someone who has a need for your credit history in connection with a product or service that you have requested permitted to see your credit report without your consent?

Demographic and experience categories Yes No Do not know Refused
All respondents 55.3 ( 1.5) 30.0 ( 1.4) 14.6 ( 1.0) 0.1 ( 0.1)
AGE GROUP        
18 to 24 52.9 ( 5.2) 38.4 ( 5.2) 8.7 ( 2.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
25 to 34 52.1 ( 3.6) 32.5 ( 3.4) 15.4 ( 2.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
35 to 44 55.9 ( 3.4) 32.0 ( 3.2) 12.1 ( 2.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
45 to 54 61.7 ( 3.2) 28.5 ( 3.0) 9.8 ( 1.7) 0.0 ( 0.0)
55 to 64 61.7 ( 3.6) 22.7 ( 3.2) 15.5 ( 2.7) 0.0 ( 0.0)
65 and older 53.5 ( 3.2) 23.6 ( 2.7) 22.2 ( 2.6) 0.7 ( 0.7)
INCOME        
Less than $25000 54.8 ( 2.3) 24.6 ( 2.0) 20.6 ( 1.8) 0.0 ( 0.0)
$25000 to $49999 53.7 ( 3.1) 32.1 ( 3.0) 13.7 ( 2.1) 0.4 ( 0.4)
$50000 to $74999 60.3 ( 3.5) 31.9 ( 3.4) 7.9 ( 1.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
$75000+ 58.2 ( 3.4) 30.6 ( 3.1) 11.1 ( 2.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)
EDUCATION        
Less than high school 48.8 ( 3.7) 21.9 ( 3.1) 29.3 ( 3.3) 0.0 ( 0.0)
High school 55.9 ( 2.5) 26.6 ( 2.3) 17.2 ( 1.8) 0.3 ( 0.3)
Some post-secondary education 55.8 ( 2.9) 34.7 ( 2.8) 9.5 ( 1.5) 0.0 ( 0.0)
BA or more 56.5 ( 2.7) 31.7 ( 2.6) 11.7 ( 1.8) 0.1 ( 0.1)
ETHNICITY        
White 55.6 ( 1.9) 30.9 ( 1.8) 13.4 ( 1.2) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Black 55.3 ( 3.0) 30.9 ( 2.8) 13.6 ( 2.0) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Hispanic 55.4 ( 3.1) 24.5 ( 2.7) 20.0 ( 2.4) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Other 49.8 ( 6.4) 31.8 ( 5.9) 18.5 ( 5.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)
SEX        
Male 57.3 ( 2.3) 32.3 ( 2.2) 10.1 ( 1.4) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Female 53.3 ( 1.8) 28.0 ( 1.6) 18.7 ( 1.4) 0.1 ( 0.1)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS        
Actively employed (FT or PT) 57.2 ( 1.9) 31.7 ( 1.8) 11.0 ( 1.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Student 57.2 ( 8.6) 39.2 ( 8.6) 3.6 ( 2.1) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 51.6 ( 2.3) 25.8 ( 2.1) 22.1 ( 1.9) 0.4 ( 0.3)
Other 53.8 ( 6.4) 27.3 ( 6.2) 19.0 ( 4.3) 0.0 ( 0.0)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE        
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 55.4 ( 3.1) 32.5 ( 3.0) 12.1 ( 1.7) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Resident of another state 55.2 ( 1.6) 29.7 ( 1.5) 14.9 ( 1.1) 0.2 ( 0.1)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE        
Obtained a credit report 57.6 ( 1.9) 31.0 ( 1.8) 11.2 ( 1.2) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Did not obtain a credit report 52.0 ( 2.2) 28.7 ( 2.1) 19.2 ( 1.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Obtained credit score 54.8 ( 2.5) 34.8 ( 2.4) 10.4 ( 1.6) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Did not obtain credit score 55.5 ( 1.8) 27.7 ( 1.7) 16.6 ( 1.2) 0.2 ( 0.2)
         
Disputed information on credit report 60.3 ( 3.3) 29.5 ( 3.0) 10.0 ( 2.0) 0.2 ( 0.2)
Did not dispute credit report information 54.2 ( 1.6) 30.1 ( 1.5) 15.6 ( 1.1) 0.1 ( 0.1)
         
Had an auto or mortgage loan 56.8 ( 1.7) 29.6 ( 1.5) 13.4 ( 1.1) 0.2 ( 0.1)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 50.0 ( 3.0) 31.5 ( 3.0) 18.5 ( 2.0) 0.0 ( 0.0)
         
Was a victim of identity theft 55.7 ( 4.4) 33.4 ( 4.2) 10.6 ( 2.7) 0.3 ( 0.3)
Was not a victim of identity theft 55.2 ( 1.5) 29.7 ( 1.4) 15.0 ( 1.0) 0.1 ( 0.1)
         
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 62.2 ( 5.2) 29.2 ( 5.1) 8.6 ( 2.8) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 54.6 ( 1.5) 30.1 ( 1.4) 15.1 ( 1.0) 0.1 ( 0.1)

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