OUCH! Has this happened to anyone?

[queenfluff]

Just a technical question: How can we tell who might have gone and looked at our credit report? Do all companies have access to this sort of thing? Sorry, I am a newbie at this credit report thing. This is the first time I have even looked at mine for the filing.

I know that past landlord have looked at mine when they were renting to me and always said it was great. Not anymore obviously.

But I am now wondering based on the posts here whether or not a hiring employer that I am in interviews with could look at and not hire me based on how much money I owe etc.

I am refering to before BK for myself because I had three interviews with a place before I did BK that I was perfect for the job and they not only didn't offer me the job but starting looking for new people to interview and still haven't hired anyone. No rejection letter, explaination or nothing.

After the friend's doctor story I am wondering if that is what happened to me, they did a credit report check and saw how much I owed (even though I wasn't in default on my cards) and changed their minds.

[justbroke]

Just a technical question: How can we tell who might have gone and looked at our credit report? Do all companies have access to this sort of thing?

Generally speaking, if you get a credit report through the actual CRA, like Equifax, Transunion, Experian, there's a section of the "report" that addresses "inquiries". There are two tyeps of inquiries (hard and soft). Sometimes, the soft inquiries are referred to as "promotional" inquiries. Anyone with a "permissible purpose" can access your credit report. If you have a credit relationship with some entity (person or company), then they can access your credit.

But I am now wondering based on the posts here whether or not a hiring employer that I am in interviews with could look at and not hire me based on how much money I owe etc.

Many employers use the consumer credit report to a.) validate your social security number, b.) validate prior addresses, and c.) to look at "public" records like convictions. They usually aren't interested in the financial aspect of the consumer credit report!

After the friend's doctor story I am wondering if that is what happened to me, they did a credit report check and saw how much I owed (even though I wasn't in default on my cards) and changed their minds.

The friend's doctor is not that smart. A Bankruptcy tells nothing about a person's character. Only tells you that the person had to utilize the courts in order to get protection from creditors. This could be from things such as divorce, death, disability, medical bills, and other no-fault type reasons (bad economy, lost of job, etc). A smart employer would read the report, then question the person about how they got there.

I never did like the whole FICO either (and scoring in general). For years, my FICO score was 600-619 because my balances were 90% or more of my credit limits. (I noticed they purposefully kept me below the magic "620" score!!!) The system rewards people who know how to game the system. (I learned this later and enjoyed 780+ scores). How am I to know that having 4 installment accounts is bad. My scores had never been -- until Bankruptcy -- low because of missed payments or collections. It had always been due to a perceived DTI ratio that wasn't properly shown in the reports.

[francis]

The bill and reply to the thread.

Being new here.I m not sure how to post quotes.I guess in time I ll learn all of this.The bill is not only for the bankrupt.It is for anyone with any kind of derrogatory credit......If the bill would pass.If you where denied a job.Then you would have legal repercusions against the employer.I dont know either if it will pass.But i m a crusader for anything that helps the regular folk.Things happen in life that sometimes you just dont have much control of.