How to check your credit in the United States (a guide for the Latino community)

Why Many Latinos in the U.S. Don't Know Their Credit Score

Let's talk about something that happens more than you think. You arrive in the United States, you start working, you pay your bills on time... but no one explains that there is a number that defines a large part of your financial life here: your credit score (or Credit Score), the indicator that credit companies use to make credit decisions about you.

According to the CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), millions of Americans are Credit Invisible, that is, they have no credit history. And a significant proportion of them are Hispanic. Credit reporting agencies simply don't have credit information recorded about them. It's not that they aren't responsible with money; it's that the system never opened the door for them to start building that track record.

If you're in that situation, or if you've simply never checked your credit, this guide is for you.

What is the credit score and why does it matter so much

Tu credit score (or Credit Score) is a number between 300 and 850 that reflects how reliable you are at paying back borrowed money. It's the result of a credit rating model that analyzes your financial behavior. The higher, the better.

These credit scores affect whether you're approved for a personal loan, a credit card, a rental agreement, or even a cell phone plan. According to data from the Federal Reserve and Urban Institute, the average credit score of Hispanics in the United States is approximately 701, but millions of Latinos still don't have scores because they've never had financial products reported to credit reporting agencies.

Your score is calculated based on five main factors: payment history (35%), the credit utilization rate (30%), age of your accounts (15%), types of credit you handle (10%) and recent credit requests (10%). Avoiding late payments and keeping your card balances low are the two things that most impact your number.

3 Free Ways to Check Your Credit

1. AnnualCreditReport.com (the official option)

This is the only site authorized by federal law (Fair Credit Reporting Act) to give you your full credit report for free. The three bureaus TransUnion, Experian and Equifax have permanently extended access to a free weekly report on this site, a policy that has been in effect since 2023.

Important: this site gives you the credit report (detailed history), but it doesn't include your numerical score. Still, it's the ideal starting point to see what accounts are reported in your name, if there are errors, or if someone has opened accounts without your authorization.

2. Free apps like Credit Karma or Credit Sesame

These apps show you your score and updates in real time. They're free because they make money recommending financial products to you, but your score information is real and reliable.

Credit Karma Use the model VantageScore 3.0 and it shows you your scores of two bureaus: TransUnion and Equifax. This model is different from FICO Score that most lenders use. The useful thing about these apps is that they include credit monitoring alerts: They let you know if there are changes to your credit report, such as a new account or a payment reported as late.

3. Directly with your bank or credit card

Many banks and card issuers now include your free credit score in their app or monthly statement. Chase, Bank of America, Capital One and Discover, among others, offer this service to their customers.

How to check your credit if you have an ITIN (not SSN)

This is a question that almost no article answers well, and it's critical for our community. If you have an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) instead of a social security number (SSN), YES you can have a credit history.

Credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian, Equifax) don't require SSN to create a file. To check your credit with an ITIN, you can call each office directly or request it by mail. AnnualCreditReport.com may not work with ITIN in the online system, but there is an option to request it over the phone (1-877-322-8228) or by mail sending the form to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

Soft pull vs. hard pull: the difference you should know

• Soft query (Soft Pull): when you check your credit yourself. It does NOT affect your score. You can do it daily without consequences.
• Tough query (Hard Pull): when a lender reviews your credit because you're making a formal credit request. According to FICO, a single consultation lasts typically lowers the score Less than 5 points, and its active impact disappears after 12 months — although the record remains visible in your report for 2 years.
• Prequalification: many lenders allow you to see if you qualify using a soft inquiry. Look for companies that use Soft Pull for prequalification, such as Kiwi, to explore without risks.

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Beware of scams: no one should charge you to check your credit

Checking your credit is FREE. If someone asks you for money to give you your score or report, it's very likely that it's a scam or an unnecessary service.

Protect your credit information: Never share your SSN or ITIN over the phone with someone who called you without your request. Consider activating a Fraud alert with any of the three bureaus — it's free and, by law, that office must notify the other two. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and report it by calling 1-877-382-4357 (FTC line) or on ReporteFraude.FTC.gov in Spanish.

What to do after checking your credit

Checking your credit is the first step, not the only one. If you find negative information that you don't recognize, you have the right to dispute those errors directly with the appropriate reporting agency. By law (Fair Credit Reporting Act), they have 30 days to investigate and respond.

If your score is lower than you expected, don't be discouraged. Avoiding late payments is the most important, followed by reducing your credit utilization rate (try to use less than 30% of your available card limit).

Credit Monitoring: Your Shield to Protect Your Financial Health

Checking your credit once is fine, but real protection comes from credit monitoring constant. Apps like Credit Karma offer free monitoring with automatic alerts. For those seeking more comprehensive protection - for example, if they were already victims of identity theft - services such as IdentityForce or Aura they offer more robust plans.

FAQs

Where can I check my credit?

In three main locations: Annualcreditreport.com (official site, full report without numerical score), apps like Credit Karma (score + alerts, free), or with your own bank or card issuer. All three are free and reliable.

Does checking my credit lower my score?

No. When you check your own credit, it's a Soft Pull and it has no impact on your score. You can check it as often as you like.

How often should I check my credit?

Ideally, review your credit score at least once a month (free apps make it easy) and your full report at least once a year with each of the three bureaus.

What do I do if I don't have a credit score?

If you are Credit Invisible, the first step is to open a financial product that reports to credit reporting agencies. Options such as secured cards, programs Credit Builder, or loans that report your payments can help you get started. In 6 to 12 months of constant activity, you should already have a score generated.

How do I protect my credit from identity theft?

Activate a Fraud alert free with any of the three bureaus (TransUnion, Experian or Equifax) by law, that agency must notify the other two. You can also activate credit monitoring with apps like Credit Karma.

Your Next Step

With Kiwi, you can apply for a personal loan of up to $3,000 online. The final amount depends on your profile at the time of the evaluation.

Terms and conditions apply. Subject to eligibility.

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