Credit

Experian, Equifax, Trans Union.

At American Leasing, we run all three credit reports on every applicant that is a sole proprietor, partnership, or principal who will guarantee their corporation.
The consumer credit reports also have computer generated profiles, primarily software from Faire-Isaac’s, that "score" the applicant in many different fashions (each profile can be ordered, or groups of profiles) on probability of bankruptcy, paying bills within 30 days, ranking of debt to available credit, and statistical information from 100 to 1,000 as to credit worthiness.

Some credit companies automatically approve a score of 650, and if below, automatically are turned down, even at 649. This is known in the trade as credit scoring.

American Leasing looks at this, but relies on the person, the experience, the history, and what is known in the trade, as the "story" behind the credit. We also evaluate financial statements, tax returns, projections, and look at the business and the people behind the business to help make our decisions.

Experian
http://www.experian.com/

Formerly known as TRW Credit, the name was changed. Statistically three out of ten credit reports have a "serious" error, according to Consumer Bureau reports.Here you can obtain copies of your report for a fee, start the road to contest a report (if you are turned down, you get a "free" copy for you to correct), learn more about how the system works, how you can protect yourself, and obtain reports for real estate, renters, or other purposes.

In my opinion, Experian receives all the automated computer reports in the United States and has more credit card and retail credit information about consumers than any other credit bureau.

Equifax
http://www.equifax.com/

Equifax also will give you a credit report for a fee. This is perhaps the largest credit bureau grouping in the world. They specialize in mortgage reports, employee background checks, and grew by combining efforts with all the small credit agencies in the United States, and sharing information with them.

In my opinion, they have more information than Experian or Trans Union about people who live in small towns or have local credit from a jewelry store, or a small credit grantor, particularly, if information is derogatory.

Trans Union
http://www.transunion.com/

This company, as does Experian and Equifax, also provides business reports. Many businesses use them for trade reference checks.

In my opinion, Trans Union is a combination of both Experian and Equifax and does a very thorough job.

Business Reports: For information on a company, not just public relations, prospectus, but all types of information about "public held companies".

Encyberpedia
http://www.encyberpedia.com/

The three credit agencies above run business credit reports, but the largest in the world is Dun & Bradstreet.
http://www.dnb.com/

You can get a copy of your Dun & Bradstreet report here for a fee. There is a subscription fee for business users, depending basically on how many you order a year (and they make you pay in advance). As a member, you can also obtain books on regions with their credit reports listing network and credit rating by company code; AA! is the top. The letters stand for net worth and go down to a single E, and the numbers are 1, pays within 30 days, 2 almost all paid within 30 days, 3 is pays within 30-to-60 days, and 4 is pays 60 days and longer.

We pay between $25 to $75 a report, depending on region and some other information.

I also recommend that you go to our Recommendation page and look for Financial. There are many other credit and business information sources available, primarily on very large, publicly traded companies and financial trends and analysis of these companies, plus industries as a group.

Business Credit USA
businesscreditusa.com (will give you a mini D & B free on any customer or your own business)