Consumer
Do you know what's in your credit report? Find out in 4 steps
Date
October 29, 2026
Category
Your credit report is a record of how you've used credit. It shows things like loans, credit cards, some buy now, pay later accounts, and whether you've made your repayments on time. Lenders look at it when you apply for credit, so it's worth knowing what's in it before they do.
Plenty of people have never checked theirs. The good news is you can get a free copy every three months.
What's in a credit report?
Your report is split into sections. On an Equifax report, these include:
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Personal information: your name, address and other details that identify you
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Accounts and repayment history: the credit accounts you hold and whether repayments were made on time
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Financial hardship information: whether you've had a hardship arrangement on an account
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Overdue accounts: any defaults listed by credit providers
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Credit enquiries: applications for credit you've made
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Insolvency and court judgments: for example, bankruptcy or court judgments about debts
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Business relationships: for example, if you're a company director
On My Credit File, the free report doesn't include your credit score. Your score is a number calculated from the information in your report. The report itself is where the detail is.
How to get your free report from My Credit File
Equifax is one of Australia's main credit reporting bodies, and My Credit File is its website for individuals.
Step 1: Sign up
Go to mycreditfile.com.au and choose the free credit report option. You'll need to create an account and verify your identity with two forms of ID.
If you'd rather not do it online, you can order by phone on 138 332, or by post to GPO Box 964, North Sydney NSW 2059.
Free reports can take up to 10 days to arrive, so give yourself a bit of time.
Step 2: Skip the upgrade
Once you're in, you'll see prompts to upgrade for your credit score, alerts and other extras. These are optional. You don't need a paid plan to see your report.
Step 3: Download your report
Your free report is only kept online for 30 days, then it's deleted. Download the PDF straight away and keep it somewhere safe, because it contains your personal information.
Step 4: Check it
Go through each section and look for:
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personal details that are wrong or out of date
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accounts you don't recognise
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credit enquiries you didn't make
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overdue accounts or defaults you weren't aware of
Found something wrong?
Contact Equifax, or the credit provider that listed the information, and ask them to correct it. Corrections don't cost anything, and you don't need to pay anyone to fix a genuine error for you.
If you see an account or enquiry you don't recognise, it could be a sign someone has used your identity. Contact the credit reporting body straight away. IDCARE, a free national identity support service, can also help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will checking my report affect my credit score?
When else can I get a free report?
Don't forget Experian
Each credit reporting body keeps its own file on you, and the information can differ. Experian also offers a free credit report. illion's consumer credit data now sits with Experian, so if you've checked with illion before, Experian is now the place to go.
Want to know more?
Moneysmart, the government's free money guidance website, explains credit reports and scores in plain English.
Sources
Equifax, My Credit File. mycreditfile.com.au. Accessed October 2026.
Equifax, Can I get a free copy of my credit report? [EQUIFAX PAGE URL]. Accessed October 2026.
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, Access your credit report. oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/credit-reporting/access-your-credit-report. Accessed October 2026.
Moneysmart (ASIC), Credit scores and credit reports. moneysmart.gov.au/managing-debt/credit-scores-and-credit-reports. Accessed October 2026.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Experian’s proposed acquisition of illion not opposed. accc.gov.au. Accessed October 2026.
IDCARE, Credit reports: Australia. idcare.org/fact-sheets/credit-reports-australia. Accessed October 2026.
This is general information only and doesn't take your personal circumstances into account. Finance One isn't affiliated with Equifax or Experian.
*24-48 hour approvals are subject to satisfactory documentation being provided to assess the application. **Normal lending criteria, terms & conditions and fees & charges apply. ^Early repayment fees may apply. Please refer to your loan terms and conditions or contact us to confirm if an early payout fee applies to your loan.
