Credit Bureaus

Your first step is to find out exactly where your stand, and exactly what information prospective creditors will have available to them. You must contact all three of the major credit reporting bureaus. Their business is to collect information on as many people as possible, so, unless you are very young, or have totally avoided credit, you are probably already in their databases. Also, you may or may not be in one or more negative-information-only databases. Additionally, there are other database/marketing companies that probably hold information on you which may affect your credit standing.

The Major Credit Bureaus

Equifax

Experian (Formerly TRW)

Trans Union

Innovis

SageStream - Appears to be owned by the same parent company as LifeLock

Guide To Credit Reports

Alternative Credit Bureaus

eCredable

Rental Kharma - Offers a system for reporting normal apartment rental payments as a trade line to Trans Union. Note that this requires the landlord to be willing to confirm that payments are being made on time.

Advanced Resolution Services is a subsidiary of Visa, Inc, and appears to be used for supplimentary information in addition to pulling a report from one of the major bureaus. Strangely, they do not appear to have their own web site.