Q5: Which of the following best describes a CRA?

Demographic and experience categories Company that lends you money Org that helps you get out of debt Org that gathers info about your credit history Government agency that regulates banks Do not know
All respondents 2.6 ( 0.4) 3.9 ( 0.5) 82.0 ( 1.0) 1.7 ( 0.3) 9.8 ( 0.8)
AGE GROUP          
18 to 24 4.3 ( 1.7) 6.6 ( 2.3) 72.1 ( 4.4) 3.0 ( 1.6) 14.0 ( 3.4)
25 to 34 2.1 ( 0.8) 4.6 ( 1.4) 85.1 ( 2.2) 1.4 ( 0.6) 6.7 ( 1.5)
35 to 44 0.7 ( 0.4) 4.8 ( 1.4) 87.2 ( 2.0) 1.3 ( 0.6) 5.9 ( 1.4)
45 to 54 3.3 ( 1.2) 2.8 ( 0.9) 87.3 ( 2.1) 0.0 ( 0.0) 6.6 ( 1.5)
55 to 64 2.7 ( 1.2) 1.0 ( 0.5) 87.5 ( 2.2) 1.3 ( 0.8) 7.5 ( 1.7)
65 and older 3.5 ( 1.1) 2.6 ( 1.0) 74.3 ( 2.7) 3.6 ( 1.2) 16.0 ( 2.1)
INCOME          
Less than $25000 4.3 ( 0.9) 5.8 ( 1.1) 66.5 ( 2.2) 2.8 ( 0.8) 20.6 ( 1.9)
$25000 to $49999 2.4 ( 0.8) 5.2 ( 1.3) 83.5 ( 2.1) 2.2 ( 0.9) 6.6 ( 1.3)
$50000 to $74999 3.2 ( 1.2) 2.3 ( 1.3) 91.5 ( 1.9) 1.1 ( 0.6) 1.9 ( 0.8)
$75000+ 0.5 ( 0.5) 1.1 ( 0.5) 94.8 ( 1.4) 0.0 ( 0.0) 3.6 ( 1.3)
EDUCATION          
Less than high school 7.7 ( 1.9) 8.7 ( 2.1) 43.7 ( 3.7) 2.5 ( 1.1) 37.4 ( 3.6)
High school 3.2 ( 0.8) 7.8 ( 1.4) 74.2 ( 2.2) 3.4 ( 0.8) 11.4 ( 1.6)
Some post-secondary education 2.0 ( 0.8) 1.2 ( 0.7) 88.5 ( 1.7) 1.1 ( 0.6) 7.1 ( 1.3)
BA or more 0.8 ( 0.5) 0.8 ( 0.4) 96.7 ( 0.9) 0.2 ( 0.2) 1.4 ( 0.5)
ETHNICITY          
White 1.6 ( 0.4) 2.8 ( 0.6) 88.1 ( 1.2) 1.1 ( 0.4) 6.3 ( 0.9)
Black 4.7 ( 1.4) 6.5 ( 1.6) 71.8 ( 2.8) 2.2 ( 0.9) 14.7 ( 2.2)
Hispanic 5.4 ( 1.4) 6.2 ( 1.5) 59.6 ( 3.1) 3.8 ( 1.3) 25.0 ( 2.7)
Other 2.2 ( 1.7) 5.6 ( 2.9) 85.8 ( 4.1) 2.2 ( 1.6) 4.1 ( 2.1)
SEX          
Male 2.8 ( 0.7) 4.0 ( 0.9) 82.6 ( 1.7) 1.5 ( 0.5) 9.0 ( 1.3)
Female 2.4 ( 0.5) 3.8 ( 0.6) 81.6 ( 1.3) 1.9 ( 0.5) 10.4 ( 0.9)
EMPLOYMENT STATUS          
Actively employed (FT or PT) 2.3 ( 0.5) 3.9 ( 0.8) 86.5 ( 1.3) 1.1 ( 0.3) 6.3 ( 0.9)
Student 7.7 ( 4.5) 2.7 ( 1.9) 81.0 ( 5.8) 1.6 ( 1.6) 7.0 ( 3.2)
Not employed (homemaker, retired, unemployed) 2.5 ( 0.7) 4.4 ( 0.9) 74.5 ( 1.9) 2.7 ( 0.7) 15.9 ( 1.5)
Other 3.0 ( 1.5) 2.0 ( 1.2) 74.7 ( 6.0) 2.7 ( 2.6) 17.6 ( 5.6)
GEOGRAPHIC RESIDENCE          
Resident of a free report state (CO, GA, ME, MD, MA, NJ, VT) 2.4 ( 1.1) 5.9 ( 1.7) 82.5 ( 2.5) 0.8 ( 0.5) 8.5 ( 1.6)
Resident of another state 2.6 ( 0.4) 3.6 ( 0.6) 81.9 ( 1.1) 1.8 ( 0.4) 10.0 ( 0.9)
FINANCIAL AND CREDIT REPORT EXPERIENCE          
Obtained a credit report 1.8 ( 0.5) 2.3 ( 0.6) 91.6 ( 1.0) 1.0 ( 0.4) 3.3 ( 0.6)
Did not obtain a credit report 3.7 ( 0.7) 6.1 ( 1.0) 68.8 ( 2.0) 2.7 ( 0.6) 18.7 ( 1.6)
           
Obtained credit score 0.9 ( 0.5) 2.1 ( 0.7) 93.1 ( 1.2) 1.0 ( 0.4) 2.9 ( 0.7)
Did not obtain credit score 3.4 ( 0.6) 4.8 ( 0.7) 76.6 ( 1.4) 2.0 ( 0.5) 13.2 ( 1.1)
           
Disputed information on credit report 1.5 ( 0.9) 1.9 ( 0.8) 92.5 ( 1.6) 1.0 ( 0.7) 3.1 ( 0.9)
Did not dispute credit report information 2.8 ( 0.5) 4.3 ( 0.6) 79.7 ( 1.2) 1.8 ( 0.4) 11.3 ( 0.9)
           
Had an auto or mortgage loan 1.8 ( 0.4) 2.8 ( 0.6) 88.4 ( 1.0) 1.1 ( 0.3) 5.9 ( 0.7)
Did not have an auto or mortgage loan 5.3 ( 1.2) 7.5 ( 1.4) 60.6 ( 2.8) 3.7 ( 1.1) 22.9 ( 2.4)
           
Was a victim of identity theft 1.7 ( 1.2) 4.0 ( 1.6) 86.7 ( 2.8) 0.0 ( 0.0) 7.7 ( 2.1)
Was not a victim of identity theft 2.7 ( 0.4) 3.9 ( 0.6) 81.5 ( 1.1) 1.9 ( 0.4) 10.1 ( 0.8)
           
Obtained credit report due to an adverse action 1.4 ( 0.8) 2.6 ( 1.9) 91.0 ( 2.8) 1.6 ( 1.6) 3.4 ( 1.3)
Did not obtain credit report due to an adverse action 2.7 ( 0.4) 4.0 ( 0.6) 81.2 ( 1.1) 1.7 ( 0.3) 10.4 ( 0.8)

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