Q23/Q24: Considering responses to both Q23 and Q24, what was the primary reason for ordering your credit report?

Demographic and experience categories Due to an adverse action Suspected fraud or identity theft Were looking for a job Were making a large purchase Check for completeness and accuracy Another reason
All respondents 8.2 ( 1.1) 4.4 ( 0.7) 0.6 ( 0.2) 47.7 ( 1.9) 30.0 ( 1.8) 9.1 ( 1.1)
AGE GROUP            
18 to 24 25.9 (10.6) 1.3 ( 1.3) 1.7 ( 1.7) 34.4 ( 9.8) 31.8 (10.9) 4.9 ( 2.9)
25 to 34 6.4 ( 1.7) 3.9 ( 1.3) 0.8 ( 0.6) 48.4 ( 4.4) 30.5 ( 4.1) 9.9 ( 2.6)
35 to 44 6.7 ( 2.1) 3.7 ( 1.4) 0.5 ( 0.4) 51.7 ( 4.0) 28.9 ( 3.6) 8.4 ( 2.1)
45 to 54 9.5 ( 2.3) 3.3 ( 1.6) 0.3 ( 0.3) 54.6 ( 4.0) 23.6 ( 3.3) 8.7 ( 2.3)
55 to 64 11.1 ( 3.1) 7.3 ( 2.5) 0.0 ( 0.0) 46.0 ( 4.8) 29.3 ( 4.4) 6.3 ( 2.0)
65 and older 5.5 ( 2.0) 8.0 ( 3.0) 1.4 ( 1.3) 31.9 ( 5.1) 37.4 ( 5.0) 15.8 ( 4.0)
INCOME            
Less than $25000 10.1 ( 2.0) 3.7 ( 1.3) 0.5 ( 0.5) 41.5 ( 3.6) 31.7 ( 3.4) 12.4 ( 2.3)
$25000 to $49999 13.8 ( 3.0) 2.0 ( 1.0) 1.3 ( 0.8) 47.4 ( 4.1) 25.8 ( 3.9) 9.7 ( 2.3)
$50000 to $74999 7.5 ( 2.1) 7.4 ( 2.0) 0.8 ( 0.5) 43.8 ( 4.1) 30.7 ( 3.7) 9.9 ( 2.5)
$75000+ 3.6 ( 1.6) 5.5 ( 1.6) 0.0 ( 0.0) 53.0 ( 3.8) 31.7 ( 3.5) 6.2 ( 1.8)
EDUCATION            
Less than high school 12.9 ( 4.5) 2.9 ( 2.0) 1.4 ( 1.4) 55.5 ( 7.4) 17.2 ( 5.1) 10.1 ( 5.5)
High school 10.7 ( 2.3) 4.4 ( 1.4) 0.9 ( 0.6) 45.2 ( 3.6) 29.1 ( 3.3) 9.7 ( 2.1)
Some post-secondary education 9.4 ( 2.3) 5.2 ( 1.4) 0.7 ( 0.5) 47.2 ( 3.5) 28.1 ( 3.1) 9.4 ( 1.8)
BA or more 4.8 ( 1.3) 4.0 ( 1.2) 0.2 ( 0.2) 48.9 ( 3.3) 33.8 ( 3.1) 8.3 ( 1.8)
ETHNICITY            
White 6.2 ( 1.3) 4.2 ( 0.9) 0.2 ( 0.2) 48.6 ( 2.4) 31.9 ( 2.3) 8.9 ( 1.3)
Black 14.7 ( 2.7) 4.7 ( 1.6) 1.5 ( 0.9) 33.2 ( 3.6) 36.6 ( 3.7) 9.3 ( 2.2)
Hispanic 12.0 ( 2.9) 5.0 ( 1.9) 2.5 ( 1.5) 60.5 ( 4.6) 13.9 ( 3.2) 6.1 ( 2.2)
Other 13.7 ( 6.6) 5.9 ( 4.1) 0.0 ( 0.0) 47.0 ( 8.6) 15.5 ( 5.6) 18.0 ( 7.4)
SEX            
Male 7.9 ( 1.8) 2.7 ( 0.8) 0.2 ( 0.2) 48.3 ( 3.1) 32.4 ( 2.9) 8.6 ( 1.7)
Female 8.6 ( 1.3) 6.1 ( 1.2) 1.0 ( 0.4) 46.8 ( 2.4) 27.9 ( 2.1) 9.6 ( 1.4)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS            
Actively employed (FT or PT) 7.6 ( 1.2) 4.0 ( 0.9) 0.5 ( 0.2) 50.0 ( 2.4) 28.5 ( 2.2) 9.5 ( 1.4)
Student 2.4 ( 2.4) 0.0 ( 0.0) 0.0 ( 0.0) 33.8 (12.7) 51.8 (14.7) 12.0 ( 6.7)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 9.0 ( 2.5) 5.7 ( 1.6) 0.9 ( 0.7) 44.2 ( 3.6) 31.8 ( 3.2) 8.4 ( 2.0)
Other 16.2 ( 6.9) 7.0 ( 3.8) 0.0 ( 0.0) 40.9 ( 8.2) 30.3 ( 8.0) 5.6 ( 3.3)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE            
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 4.1 ( 1.3) 4.2 ( 1.5) 0.4 ( 0.4) 39.6 ( 3.7) 43.3 ( 3.7) 8.4 ( 2.0)
Resident of another state 8.9 ( 1.3) 4.5 ( 0.8) 0.6 ( 0.3) 49.0 ( 2.2) 27.8 ( 2.0) 9.2 ( 1.2)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE            
Obtained a credit report 8.2 ( 1.1) 4.4 ( 0.7) 0.6 ( 0.2) 47.7 ( 1.9) 30.0 ( 1.8) 9.1 ( 1.1)
Did not obtain a credit report . ( . ) . ( . ) . ( . ) . ( . ) . ( . ) . ( . )
             
Obtained credit score 5.0 ( 1.0) 5.5 ( 1.2) 0.1 ( 0.1) 50.3 ( 2.7) 31.0 ( 2.4) 8.1 ( 1.4)
Did not obtain credit score 11.8 ( 2.0) 3.3 ( 0.8) 1.1 ( 0.5) 44.7 ( 2.8) 28.9 ( 2.6) 10.2 ( 1.6)
             
Disputed information on credit report 17.3 ( 2.7) 6.1 ( 1.6) 0.4 ( 0.3) 36.2 ( 3.3) 33.2 ( 3.3) 6.8 ( 1.6)
Did not dispute credit report information 4.5 ( 1.0) 3.8 ( 0.8) 0.7 ( 0.3) 52.4 ( 2.3) 28.7 ( 2.1) 10.0 ( 1.4)
             
Had an auto or mortgage loan 6.5 ( 1.0) 4.3 ( 0.8) 0.5 ( 0.2) 51.7 ( 2.1) 29.3 ( 1.9) 7.7 ( 1.1)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 21.8 ( 5.4) 5.5 ( 1.9) 1.3 ( 1.3) 15.9 ( 3.6) 35.6 ( 5.8) 19.8 ( 4.2)
             
Was a victim of identity theft 13.0 ( 3.5) 19.3 ( 4.0) 0.6 ( 0.6) 39.1 ( 5.2) 19.0 ( 3.8) 9.0 ( 3.1)
Was not a victim of identity theft 7.6 ( 1.1) 2.4 ( 0.6) 0.6 ( 0.3) 48.8 ( 2.1) 31.5 ( 1.9) 9.1 ( 1.1)
             
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 57.6 ( 5.1) 3.2 ( 1.5) 0.0 ( 0.0) 15.2 ( 3.5) 19.8 ( 4.4) 4.3 ( 1.8)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 0.0 ( 0.0) 4.6 ( 0.8) 0.7 ( 0.3) 53.1 ( 2.1) 31.7 ( 1.9) 9.9 ( 1.2)

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