Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion® are the three major credit bureaus. Sometimes called credit reporting agencies or consumer reporting companies, they compile credit reports. These companies differ from credit-scoring companies, such as FICO® and VantageScore®.

It could be a little confusing to think you might need credit in order to build credit. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have options. When done responsibly, you might be able to build credit by: 

• Using a secured credit card
• Taking out a credit-builder loan
• Becoming an authorized user

Having no credit doesn’t mean your credit score is zero. There’s a difference between having no credit and having bad credit.

When it comes to boosting your credit scores, there aren’t any quick fixes. But if you’re using credit responsibly, you’re on the right track to having good credit. 

If you want an idea of where you stand, you can use a tool like CreditWise from Capital One. It’s free for everyone, whether you’re a Capital One customer or not. And using it to check your credit won’t hurt your scores. So it could be helpful for tracking your progress.

You can also get free copies of your credit reports by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.

Building credit takes time. While you're working on it, you might find trustworthy credit counselors who can help. But beware of credit repair scams and companies that promise to boost your credit overnight.

There aren’t any shortcuts for building credit. But these proactive steps from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau could help you build good habits and your credit. 

• Pay your bills by their due date.
• Pay off your credit card balances in full each month.
• Keep your credit utilization low. That’s the percentage of available credit you’re using across your credit cards and other lines of credit. 
• Avoid too many credit applications in a short period of time. 
• Regularly monitor your credit reports and check for errors.