How do I find out who has looked at my credit report?
- GDS
Dear GDS,
Your Experian credit report lists everyone who has requested a copy of your report during the last two years. There are two types of inquiries, shown in your credit report as "Requests viewed only by you," and "Requests viewed by others."
The "Requests viewed only by you" section lists inquiries that only you see. They are often called "soft inquiries" because lenders do not receive them when they obtain a copy of your credit report. Consequently, these inquiries do not have any effect on lending decisions or credit scores. These inquiries typically include pre-screened offers for credit, account reviews by your existing lenders, request related to employment or insurance purposes, and requesting your own credit report.
The section "Requests viewed by others" lists creditors who have checked your credit report as a result your application or request for credit, goods or services. They are often referred to as "hard inquiries" because they are shared with lenders and can have an impact on lending decisions and credit scores.
The impact of inquiries on credit scores is minimal, however. An application will never be declined solely because of inquiries. There will always be something more significant in your credit history that caused the inquiries to impact the decision.
Thanks for asking.
The "Ask Experian" team
