Credit reports and scores: Australia.

A take-home sheet for people at the session. Other countries: United States · United Kingdom · Canada.

Moraph for Good · Fluent

Credit reports and scores: Australia

Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/fluent/credit-reports-and-scores

This sheet goes with the Credit reports and scores session. It is general information, not advice about your own situation.

Get your report

Use the free, official route below, not a search result.
You shouldn’t need a card number to see your own report.
Bureaus can hold different information, so check each one.

Read it line by line

Check your name, date of birth and addresses.
Look for accounts you don’t recognize, wrong balances and late payments that weren’t late.
Look for old debts that should have dropped off, and debts listed twice.

Dispute errors in writing

Contact the credit bureau and the company that reported the error.
Say what is wrong and why; send copies, never originals.
Keep a copy of everything, with dates, and follow up.

Scores and rebuilding

A score is calculated from your report; different bureaus give different numbers.
Paying on time and keeping balances well below limits generally help.
Nobody can legally remove accurate information for a fee.

In Australia

Free reports. A credit reporting body must give you your consumer credit report free once every 3 months. You can also get a free copy if you’ve been refused credit in the past 90 days, or if your information has been corrected. Credit reporting bodies may hold different information, so you may need to ask each one.
Correcting your report. Ask the credit provider about the information first, or ask any credit reporting body to correct it. If the one you ask can’t help, it must consult the others to complete your request. The OAIC says there is no charge for a correction request.
How long information stays. Defaults, court judgments and credit enquiries stay on your report for 5 years.
If you’re a victim of fraud. You can ask a credit reporting body to place a ban on your credit report so it can’t be used in a credit check. A ban lasts 21 days and can be extended, and you can ask one credit reporting body to pass your request to the others.
Financial hardship. A financial hardship arrangement, such as deferring a payment, does not affect your credit score, though it can appear on your credit report.
Where to complain. Credit providers and credit reporting bodies must belong to a recognised external dispute resolution scheme, such as AFCA. If you’re not satisfied with the outcome, or would rather complain to the regulator, you can complain in writing to the OAIC.

Official places to check:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/credit-reporting/access-your-credit-report
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/credit-reporting/correct-your-credit-report
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/credit-reporting/what-stays-on-a-credit-report
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/credit-reporting/fraud-and-your-credit-report
Moneysmart (ASIC): moneysmart.gov.au/managing-debt/credit-scores-and-credit-reports
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/credit-reporting/make-a-credit-reporting-complaint

General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 19 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/fluent/credit-reports-and-scores