Q27: Do you think you need to check you credit report from time to time for errors?

Demographic and experience categories Yes No Do not know
All respondents 86.5 ( 1.0) 9.6 ( 0.9) 4.0 ( 0.6)
AGE GROUP      
18 to 24 87.8 ( 3.7) 5.9 ( 2.7) 6.3 ( 2.7)
25 to 34 90.9 ( 2.0) 6.9 ( 1.8) 2.2 ( 1.0)
35 to 44 89.1 ( 2.2) 8.5 ( 2.0) 2.4 ( 0.9)
45 to 54 87.6 ( 2.2) 9.4 ( 2.0) 2.9 ( 1.0)
55 to 64 92.2 ( 1.8) 5.6 ( 1.6) 2.1 ( 1.0)
65 and older 71.1 ( 3.0) 20.4 ( 2.7) 8.4 ( 1.7)
INCOME      
Less than $25000 81.8 ( 1.7) 10.7 ( 1.3) 7.5 ( 1.2)
$25000 to $49999 86.2 ( 2.2) 10.9 ( 2.1) 2.9 ( 0.9)
$50000 to $74999 92.3 ( 2.0) 7.0 ( 2.0) 0.8 ( 0.6)
$75000+ 90.4 ( 2.1) 8.3 ( 1.9) 1.4 ( 0.9)
EDUCATION      
Less than high school 74.1 ( 3.1) 13.3 ( 2.4) 12.5 ( 2.3)
High school 86.0 ( 1.9) 8.9 ( 1.5) 5.0 ( 1.3)
Some post-secondary education 88.5 ( 1.8) 8.3 ( 1.6) 3.1 ( 0.9)
BA or more 89.2 ( 1.8) 10.0 ( 1.8) 0.8 ( 0.4)
ETHNICITY      
White 86.4 ( 1.3) 10.4 ( 1.2) 3.3 ( 0.7)
Black 93.2 ( 1.5) 4.8 ( 1.3) 2.0 ( 0.7)
Hispanic 81.2 ( 2.3) 8.9 ( 1.6) 9.9 ( 1.8)
Other 86.0 ( 4.2) 12.0 ( 4.0) 2.0 ( 1.4)
SEX      
Male 86.0 ( 1.7) 10.9 ( 1.5) 3.1 ( 0.9)
Female 87.0 ( 1.2) 8.4 ( 1.0) 4.6 ( 0.7)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS      
Actively employed (FT or PT) 90.5 ( 1.2) 7.3 ( 1.1) 2.1 ( 0.5)
Student 95.0 ( 2.9) 5.0 ( 2.9) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 77.3 ( 2.0) 15.2 ( 1.7) 7.5 ( 1.2)
Other 88.2 ( 5.3) 4.8 ( 2.0) 7.0 ( 5.1)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE      
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 90.6 ( 1.7) 6.2 ( 1.3) 3.1 ( 1.0)
Resident of another state 85.9 ( 1.1) 10.0 ( 1.0) 4.1 ( 0.6)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE      
Obtained a credit report 90.7 ( 1.1) 7.5 ( 1.0) 1.8 ( 0.5)
Did not obtain a credit report 80.7 ( 1.8) 12.4 ( 1.5) 7.0 ( 1.1)
       
Obtained credit score 90.9 ( 1.5) 8.3 ( 1.5) 0.8 ( 0.5)
Did not obtain credit score 84.3 ( 1.3) 10.1 ( 1.1) 5.5 ( 0.8)
       
Disputed information on credit report 94.9 ( 1.6) 3.3 ( 1.2) 1.8 ( 1.1)
Did not dispute credit report information 84.6 ( 1.2) 10.9 ( 1.0) 4.4 ( 0.6)
       
Had an auto or mortgage loan 87.7 ( 1.1) 9.5 ( 1.0) 2.8 ( 0.5)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 82.4 ( 2.1) 9.7 ( 1.5) 8.0 ( 1.6)
       
Was a victim of identity theft 89.5 ( 3.2) 10.5 ( 3.2) 0.0 ( 0.0)
Was not a victim of identity theft 86.2 ( 1.1) 9.4 ( 0.9) 4.4 ( 0.6)
       
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 93.0 ( 2.2) 6.0 ( 2.1) 1.0 ( 0.7)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 85.9 ( 1.1) 9.9 ( 0.9) 4.2 ( 0.6)

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