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| The Different Types Of Inquiries |
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Most inquiries stay on your credit report for two years and then automatically
cycle off, but it is important to note that there are two different kinds of
inquiries-those that are "above the line" and those that are "below the line."
"Above the line" refers to those inquiries that will appear to creditors when
you apply for credit. These include inquiries that were made for other credit
cards or loans for which you have applied. "Below the line" describes inquiries
that do not appear to creditors. These include inquiries made by prospective
employers, pre-selected credit offers from credit marketing companies, and your
own inquiries (when you request your own report).
As an example, if you fill out a pre-screened application and send it back,
you have given the creditor seeking your business permission to run a credit
report on you. This inquiry will then appear to future creditors on your
report-whether or not you were approved. If you do not send applications
back, no such reports will be run and, so, no such inquiries will be on your
report. Pre-screened offers are just that-screening for marketing purposes
only, not for credit approval.
For more on inquiries and your credit, you may wish to read our article,
"How Should I Handle My Credit to Prepare for the Future?" located at
http://www.creditmatters.com/channels/future.asp.
Copyright © 2000, CreditMatters.com
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