Q30: When investigating disputed information, CRAs are required to do which of the following:

Demographic and experience categories Note the info as under investigation Notify other credit reporting agencies about the investigation Do nothing Do not know
All respondents 34.3 ( 1.4) 10.2 ( 0.8) 5.9 ( 0.7) 49.6 ( 1.5)
AGE GROUP        
18 to 24 28.2 ( 4.6) 10.6 ( 2.6) 1.0 ( 0.7) 60.2 ( 4.9)
25 to 34 32.6 ( 3.3) 9.1 ( 1.9) 7.0 ( 2.0) 51.2 ( 3.6)
35 to 44 37.9 ( 3.3) 8.7 ( 1.8) 9.2 ( 2.0) 44.2 ( 3.4)
45 to 54 40.8 ( 3.2) 10.6 ( 2.0) 4.2 ( 1.3) 44.4 ( 3.2)
55 to 64 41.2 ( 3.7) 12.4 ( 2.4) 3.8 ( 1.5) 42.6 ( 3.6)
65 and older 26.8 ( 3.0) 9.8 ( 1.9) 6.0 ( 1.6) 57.4 ( 3.3)
INCOME        
Less than $25000 26.4 ( 2.0) 11.9 ( 1.5) 3.9 ( 0.8) 57.8 ( 2.3)
$25000 to $49999 33.8 ( 2.9) 12.0 ( 1.9) 5.6 ( 1.5) 48.7 ( 3.1)
$50000 to $74999 38.8 ( 3.5) 7.1 ( 1.7) 7.1 ( 1.9) 47.0 ( 3.6)
$75000+ 43.3 ( 3.4) 9.0 ( 1.9) 7.0 ( 1.8) 40.6 ( 3.4)
EDUCATION        
Less than high school 15.1 ( 2.7) 11.2 ( 2.4) 4.8 ( 1.5) 68.8 ( 3.4)
High school 28.4 ( 2.3) 12.1 ( 1.6) 5.1 ( 1.3) 54.3 ( 2.5)
Some post-secondary education 36.4 ( 2.7) 9.9 ( 1.5) 6.8 ( 1.4) 47.0 ( 2.9)
BA or more 44.6 ( 2.7) 8.3 ( 1.5) 6.1 ( 1.3) 41.1 ( 2.7)
ETHNICITY        
White 37.3 ( 1.8) 8.5 ( 1.0) 6.5 ( 1.0) 47.6 ( 1.9)
Black 38.3 ( 3.0) 13.2 ( 2.1) 5.3 ( 1.3) 43.2 ( 3.0)
Hispanic 17.2 ( 2.3) 12.6 ( 2.1) 4.2 ( 1.2) 66.0 ( 3.0)
Other 30.1 ( 5.7) 19.3 ( 5.3) 2.9 ( 2.1) 47.8 ( 6.4)
SEX        
Male 32.6 ( 2.2) 9.4 ( 1.2) 8.0 ( 1.3) 50.0 ( 2.4)
Female 36.1 ( 1.7) 11.0 ( 1.1) 3.9 ( 0.7) 49.0 ( 1.8)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS        
Actively employed (FT or PT) 37.5 ( 1.9) 9.6 ( 1.1) 6.2 ( 1.0) 46.7 ( 2.0)
Student 37.1 ( 8.0) 14.6 ( 5.2) 3.4 ( 2.4) 44.9 ( 8.7)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 28.7 ( 2.1) 10.7 ( 1.4) 5.9 ( 1.2) 54.7 ( 2.3)
Other 27.1 ( 5.5) 11.7 ( 3.7) 3.6 ( 2.2) 57.6 ( 6.2)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE        
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 38.7 ( 3.0) 11.4 ( 1.9) 5.1 ( 1.4) 44.8 ( 3.1)
Resident of another state 33.6 ( 1.5) 10.0 ( 0.9) 6.0 ( 0.8) 50.3 ( 1.6)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE        
Obtained a credit report 41.8 ( 1.9) 9.5 ( 1.1) 7.3 ( 1.0) 41.4 ( 1.9)
Did not obtain a credit report 24.0 ( 2.0) 11.2 ( 1.3) 3.9 ( 0.9) 60.9 ( 2.2)
         
Obtained credit score 45.5 ( 2.5) 8.3 ( 1.4) 8.7 ( 1.6) 37.6 ( 2.5)
Did not obtain credit score 28.8 ( 1.6) 11.2 ( 1.0) 4.5 ( 0.7) 55.5 ( 1.8)
         
Disputed information on credit report 46.5 ( 3.3) 10.3 ( 2.0) 8.6 ( 2.0) 34.6 ( 3.3)
Did not dispute credit report information 31.6 ( 1.5) 10.2 ( 0.9) 5.3 ( 0.8) 52.9 ( 1.6)
         
Had an auto or mortgage loan 37.2 ( 1.6) 9.2 ( 0.9) 6.9 ( 0.9) 46.7 ( 1.7)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 24.6 ( 2.5) 13.4 ( 1.8) 2.6 ( 0.8) 59.4 ( 2.9)
         
Was a victim of identity theft 40.8 ( 4.3) 14.1 ( 3.0) 13.4 ( 3.1) 31.7 ( 4.0)
Was not a victim of identity theft 33.6 ( 1.5) 9.8 ( 0.9) 5.1 ( 0.7) 51.6 ( 1.5)
         
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 36.9 ( 5.0) 13.7 ( 3.4) 4.9 ( 2.3) 44.5 ( 5.2)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 34.1 ( 1.4) 9.9 ( 0.8) 6.0 ( 0.8) 50.1 ( 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