Q24: If you gave more than one reason in Q23, what was your primary reason?

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 8.9 ( 1.3) 4.8 ( 0.9) 0.6 ( 0.2) 46.3 ( 2.2) 29.0 ( 2.0) 10.4 ( 1.3)
AGE GROUP            
18 to 24 29.4 (12.4) 1.6 ( 1.6) 2.0 ( 2.1) 31.6 (10.6) 31.5 (12.5) 3.9 ( 2.8)
25 to 34 7.0 ( 2.0) 4.0 ( 1.5) 1.0 ( 0.7) 45.8 ( 4.8) 28.7 ( 4.4) 13.4 ( 3.4)
35 to 44 7.5 ( 2.5) 4.1 ( 1.7) 0.6 ( 0.5) 50.7 ( 4.5) 27.9 ( 4.0) 9.3 ( 2.5)
45 to 54 9.0 ( 2.5) 3.3 ( 1.8) 0.4 ( 0.4) 55.3 ( 4.5) 22.0 ( 3.6) 10.1 ( 2.9)
55 to 64 10.8 ( 3.3) 8.5 ( 3.0) 0.0 ( 0.0) 43.1 ( 5.2) 31.8 ( 4.9) 5.8 ( 2.1)
65 and older 7.4 ( 2.7) 9.0 ( 3.7) 0.0 ( 0.0) 28.4 ( 5.7) 35.9 ( 5.7) 19.2 ( 5.0)
INCOME            
Less than $25000 10.7 ( 2.3) 3.5 ( 1.4) 0.6 ( 0.6) 41.4 ( 4.0) 32.2 ( 3.9) 11.5 ( 2.4)
$25000 to $49999 14.6 ( 3.5) 2.1 ( 1.1) 0.9 ( 0.6) 49.0 ( 4.6) 24.2 ( 4.3) 9.3 ( 2.5)
$50000 to $74999 6.8 ( 2.4) 9.4 ( 2.6) 1.1 ( 0.6) 38.9 ( 4.7) 31.3 ( 4.2) 12.5 ( 3.3)
$75000+ 4.7 ( 2.1) 5.4 ( 1.8) 0.0 ( 0.0) 49.9 ( 4.3) 29.9 ( 3.9) 10.1 ( 2.7)
EDUCATION            
Less than high school 12.9 ( 4.7) 1.6 ( 1.6) 1.5 ( 1.5) 55.9 ( 7.8) 19.1 ( 5.6) 9.1 ( 5.8)
High school 9.7 ( 2.4) 4.7 ( 1.7) 1.2 ( 0.7) 43.1 ( 4.0) 31.1 ( 3.9) 10.1 ( 2.4)
Some post-secondary education 11.9 ( 2.9) 6.7 ( 1.8) 0.3 ( 0.3) 43.5 ( 4.0) 27.2 ( 3.6) 10.4 ( 2.2)
BA or more 5.0 ( 1.6) 3.6 ( 1.3) 0.2 ( 0.2) 49.8 ( 3.7) 30.4 ( 3.3) 10.9 ( 2.4)
ETHNICITY            
White 6.7 ( 1.6) 4.7 ( 1.1) 0.0 ( 0.0) 46.5 ( 2.8) 31.5 ( 2.6) 10.6 ( 1.7)
Black 15.1 ( 2.9) 4.5 ( 1.7) 1.8 ( 1.0) 33.4 ( 3.9) 34.0 ( 3.9) 11.2 ( 2.7)
Hispanic 11.3 ( 3.1) 5.0 ( 2.0) 2.9 ( 1.7) 60.4 ( 4.9) 13.8 ( 3.4) 6.7 ( 2.4)
Other 16.4 ( 7.8) 7.1 ( 4.9) 0.0 ( 0.0) 48.6 ( 9.4) 13.2 ( 5.5) 14.7 ( 7.9)
SEX            
Male 8.5 ( 2.1) 3.3 ( 1.0) 0.3 ( 0.3) 45.7 ( 3.4) 31.8 ( 3.2) 10.4 ( 2.1)
Female 9.3 ( 1.6) 6.3 ( 1.4) 0.9 ( 0.4) 46.5 ( 2.7) 26.5 ( 2.3) 10.5 ( 1.6)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS            
Actively employed (FT or PT) 7.8 ( 1.4) 4.3 ( 1.0) 0.7 ( 0.3) 48.9 ( 2.7) 27.3 ( 2.4) 11.0 ( 1.7)
Student 3.0 ( 3.1) 0.0 ( 0.0) 0.0 ( 0.0) 25.8 (13.1) 55.9 (16.4) 15.3 ( 8.8)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 10.0 ( 3.0) 6.3 ( 1.9) 0.4 ( 0.4) 42.4 ( 4.0) 31.6 ( 3.6) 9.3 ( 2.4)
Other 20.8 ( 8.5) 6.7 ( 4.3) 0.0 ( 0.0) 41.0 ( 9.4) 26.4 ( 8.9) 5.0 ( 3.7)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE            
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 4.3 ( 1.4) 3.8 ( 1.5) 0.5 ( 0.5) 41.0 ( 4.0) 42.3 ( 4.0) 8.0 ( 2.1)
Resident of another state 9.7 ( 1.5) 5.0 ( 1.0) 0.6 ( 0.3) 47.3 ( 2.5) 26.6 ( 2.2) 10.9 ( 1.5)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE            
Obtained a credit report 8.9 ( 1.3) 4.8 ( 0.9) 0.6 ( 0.2) 46.3 ( 2.2) 29.0 ( 2.0) 10.4 ( 1.3)
Did not obtain a credit report . ( . ) . ( . ) . ( . ) . ( . ) . ( . ) . ( . )
             
Obtained credit score 5.7 ( 1.3) 6.1 ( 1.4) 0.2 ( 0.2) 49.2 ( 3.0) 29.3 ( 2.7) 9.5 ( 1.8)
Did not obtain credit score 12.1 ( 2.2) 3.5 ( 1.0) 1.0 ( 0.4) 43.2 ( 3.1) 28.8 ( 2.9) 11.3 ( 1.9)
             
Disputed information on credit report 18.4 ( 3.1) 7.0 ( 2.0) 0.6 ( 0.4) 36.2 ( 3.7) 30.8 ( 3.6) 6.9 ( 1.9)
Did not dispute credit report information 4.8 ( 1.2) 3.9 ( 0.9) 0.6 ( 0.3) 50.6 ( 2.6) 28.3 ( 2.4) 11.9 ( 1.7)
             
Had an auto or mortgage loan 6.7 ( 1.1) 4.8 ( 1.0) 0.6 ( 0.3) 50.4 ( 2.3) 28.2 ( 2.1) 9.3 ( 1.4)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 25.2 ( 6.3) 5.1 ( 2.0) 0.0 ( 0.0) 15.9 ( 4.2) 35.2 ( 6.6) 18.6 ( 4.4)
             
Was a victim of identity theft 16.6 ( 4.5) 21.8 ( 4.9) 0.8 ( 0.8) 33.5 ( 5.7) 16.1 ( 3.8) 11.3 ( 4.0)
Was not a victim of identity theft 7.9 ( 1.3) 2.6 ( 0.7) 0.5 ( 0.2) 48.0 ( 2.3) 30.7 ( 2.2) 10.3 ( 1.4)
             
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 53.2 ( 5.5) 3.4 ( 1.7) 0.0 ( 0.0) 16.6 ( 3.8) 21.6 ( 4.7) 5.2 ( 2.1)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 0.0 ( 0.0) 5.1 ( 1.0) 0.7 ( 0.3) 52.2 ( 2.4) 30.5 ( 2.2) 11.5 ( 1.5)

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