Credit report
A record of your accounts and payment history kept by a credit bureau.
Credit score
A number that estimates credit risk, calculated from report data. Different models give different scores.
Credit bureau
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, the three main consumer reporting agencies.
Utilization
Balance divided by credit limit, shown as a percentage.
Dispute
A request to correct an item you believe is inaccurate or unverifiable.
FCRA
Fair Credit Reporting Act, the federal law on credit reporting accuracy and your rights.
FDCPA
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, rules for debt collectors.
CROA
Credit Repair Organizations Act, the federal law that governs credit repair services.
Tradeline
An account on a credit report.
Authorized user
A person added to someone else's credit card account.
Secured card
A card backed by a deposit you make, used to build credit.
EIN
Employer Identification Number, a business's federal tax ID.
D-U-N-S number
A business identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet.
Trade credit
Credit extended by a vendor, such as net-30 terms.