Creditors

• As expected, creditors can check your credit reports. This includes lenders and credit card companies, including companies that may be interested in extending credit to you. The credit reporting agencies who may have consumer reports about you include TransUnion, Equifax, Innovis and Experian. By law, you are allowed to opt in or opt out of firm offers of credit or insurance via a website at OptOutPrescreen.com.
  
  

Insurers

• Insurance companies will take a look at your credit and auto insurers will often base their rates on your credit scores. An "insurance score" involves certain parts of your consumer report, but not all of it, according to Consumer Reports.
  
  

Potential Employers

• If you are in the running for a new job, potential employers can obtain copies of your credit reports with your written consent. Companies look with favor at those job candidates who have a good credit report and may hold bad credit against you. Review your credit reports before employers do to avoid surprises and to dispute mistakes.
  
  

Landlords

• As long as a landlord follows the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, they're allowed to use consumer reports to evaluate whether to consider your rental application. If your rental application is rejected based on what was found in your credit report, the landlord is required to provide you with an adverse action report, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
  
  

Cell Phone Carriers

• You shop for cell phone plans, but cell phone companies will shop you too. Specifically, they'll obtain copies of your credit reports to see if you're a responsible consumer and likely to pay your bill each month. Expect to pay higher monthly rates or be required to put down a deposit if you have credit problems.
  
  

Considerations

• You can head off potential credit problems by keeping a firm eye on your consumer reports. Federal law requires that the three largest credit reporting agencies---TransUnion, Experian and Equifax---supply one free copy of your credit report to you annually upon your request. Review your reports and ask that incorrect information about you be removed.