Types of Credit Reports - File vs. Report

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, "The term file" when used in connection with information on any consumer, means all of the information on that consumer recorded and retained by a consumer reporting agency regardless how the information is stored.

The word "report" relates to what a lender or other party user of your information receives.

-Tri-merge/Merged In-file Report - is a credit report that combines all three bureaus reports into one report, with tradelines arranged so that the same accounts can be viewed next to each other and differences noted.

- Residential Mortgage Credit Report (RMCR) - a generic name for a merged credit report.

- Consumer Disclosure Report - what consumer receives when they request their own credit report will show everything as "soft" inquiries.