Business Credit Monitoring: Track Your Scores and Protect Your Profile

Your business credit is working behind the scenes constantly. Vendors check it before extending terms. Lenders check it before approving loans. Even potential business partners may review it before signing contracts.

But most business owners never check their own business credit. They have no idea what their score is, what's being reported, or whether the information is accurate.

This is dangerous. Errors happen. Fraudulent accounts get opened. And you won't know until you're denied credit or offered terrible terms.

Here's how to monitor your business credit properly.

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Why Business Credit Monitoring Matters

Catching Errors Early

Business credit reports contain errors more often than you'd expect.

Common errors:

• Payments reported late when paid on time
• Wrong credit limits listed
• Closed accounts showing open
• Accounts that aren't yours
• Incorrect company information

Cost of errors: One wrongly reported late payment can drop your score significantly and affect loan approvals for months.

Detecting Fraud

Business identity theft is growing. Fraudsters may:

• Open accounts in your business name
• Use your EIN for credit applications
• Create fake tradelines

Without monitoring: You discover fraud when denied credit or receiving collection calls for accounts you never opened.

Tracking Progress

Building business credit takes time. Monitoring shows:

• Are tradelines reporting correctly?
• Is your score improving?
• Are you on track for your goals?

Preparing for Applications

Before applying for credit:

• Know your current score
• Identify any issues to fix
• Time applications when score is highest

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What to Monitor

The Three Main Bureaus

Dun & Bradstreet (D&B)

• Paydex Score (0-100)
• DUNS Number required
• Most vendors check D&B

Experian Business

• Intelliscore Plus (1-100)
• Many lenders check Experian
• Comprehensive scoring model

Equifax Business

• Business Credit Risk Score
• Less commonly checked
• Still important for complete profile

Key Metrics to Track

What Shows on Reports

Trade experiences:

• Account name and type
• Credit limit or high credit
• Current balance
• Payment history
• How fast you pay

Company information:

• Legal name
• Address
• Phone number
• Years in business
• Industry classification

Public records:

• Tax liens
• Judgments
• UCC filings
• Bankruptcies

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Monitoring Options

Free Monitoring

Nav.com

• Free D&B and Experian business scores
• Basic report information
• Credit alerts
• Educational resources

Pros: No cost, easy access Cons: Limited detail, upsells for full reports

Dun & Bradstreet Free Monitoring

• Free DUNS Number
• Basic D&B profile access
• Can claim and update your profile

Pros: Direct from D&B, can edit information Cons: Limited to D&B, basic features only

Paid Monitoring Services

Dun & Bradstreet CreditMonitor

• Full D&B report access
• Real-time alerts
• Detailed Paydex history
• Competitor monitoring

Cost: $149-$399/year

Experian Business Credit Advantage

• Full Experian reports
• Score monitoring
• Alerts for changes
• Identity protection

Cost: $189-$249/year

Nav.com Premium

• Full reports from D&B and Experian
• Personalized recommendations
• Lender matching
• Enhanced monitoring

Cost: $29.99/month

Credit.net (Experian)

• Business credit reports
• Monitoring and alerts
• Industry benchmarking

Cost: Varies by needs

Which to Choose

For most small businesses: Start with free Nav.com monitoring. Upgrade to paid when:

• Actively building credit and want to track closely
• Preparing for major credit applications
• Concerned about business identity theft
• Need full report details regularly

For established businesses: Paid monitoring worth the cost for:

• Ongoing credit management
• Fraud protection
• Application preparation
• Competitive intelligence

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How to Check Each Bureau

Dun & Bradstreet

Get your DUNS Number:

1. Go to dnb.com
2. Search for your business
3. Request DUNS if not found
4. Free, takes 2-3 weeks (or pay to expedite)

Access your report:

• Free basic access after claiming profile
• Full report requires payment or D&B subscription

Update information:

• Log into D&B account
• Edit company details
• Respond to verification requests

Experian Business

Check your score:

• Use Nav.com for free basic score
• Or Experian Business directly for full report

Access full report:

• Purchase single report ($39.95)
• Or subscribe to ongoing monitoring

Dispute errors:

• Through Experian's business dispute process
• Online or by mail

Equifax Business

Access report:

• Less consumer-friendly than D&B or Experian
• May need to request through mail
• Third-party services often include Equifax

Update information:

• Contact Equifax Business directly
• Submit correction requests in writing

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Setting Up Monitoring Alerts

What to Monitor

Score changes:

• Notify when score increases or decreases
• Catch sudden drops immediately

New inquiries:

• Someone is checking your credit
• Unexpected inquiries may signal fraud

New tradelines:

• New accounts opened
• Should match accounts you actually opened

Payment reports:

• How payments are being reported
• Catch late reports on payments made on time

Public records:

• Liens, judgments, bankruptcies
• Immediate attention required

Alert Frequency

Daily monitoring: Best for active fraud protection

Weekly digest: Good for ongoing awareness

Monthly review: Minimum recommended frequency

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Reading Your Business Credit Report

Understanding Trade Lines

Example trade line entry:

Vendor: ABC Supply Company
Account Type: Open Account (Net 30)
Date Opened: January 2024
High Credit: $5,000
Current Balance: $500
Payment Habits: Prompt-Slow 30

Payment habits translation:

• Prompt: Paid within terms
• Slow 30: Paid 30 days past terms
• Slow 60: Paid 60 days past terms
• Slow 90: Paid 90 days past terms

Score Breakdown

D&B Paydex:

• 80-100: Prompt or early payment
• 70-79: Slightly slow (1-15 days late)
• 50-69: Slow (16-30 days late)
• Below 50: Seriously delinquent

Experian Intelliscore:

• 76-100: Low risk
• 51-75: Low-medium risk
• 26-50: Medium risk
• 11-25: Medium-high risk
• 1-10: High risk

Identifying Issues

Red flags to look for:

• Accounts you don't recognize
• Incorrect payment history
• Outdated company information
• Unexpected public records
• Wrong credit limits

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Disputing Errors

D&B Disputes

Process:

1. Identify error on D&B report
2. Gather documentation (invoices, payment receipts)
3. Submit dispute through D&B portal or in writing
4. D&B investigates with reporting vendor
5. Correction made if verified

Timeline: 30-60 days typically

Experian Business Disputes

Process:

1. Document the error
2. Submit dispute online or by mail
3. Experian investigates
4. Results communicated in writing

Timeline: 30-45 days typically

Tips for Successful Disputes

Be specific:

• Identify exact error
• Provide account details
• Explain what's wrong and what's correct

Provide evidence:

• Canceled checks
• Payment confirmations
• Invoices with dates
• Bank statements

Follow up:

• Track dispute status
• Escalate if not resolved
• Document all communications

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Protecting Your Business Credit

Fraud Prevention

Steps to protect:

• Monitor regularly (at minimum monthly)
• Review all alert notifications
• Keep business information private
• Shred financial documents
• Use strong passwords for accounts

If fraud occurs:

• Place fraud alert on business credit
• Contact all three bureaus
• File police report
• Document everything
• Consider identity theft protection service

Maintain Accurate Information

Regularly verify:

• Business name correct
• Current address listed
• Phone number accurate
• Industry classification right
• Employee count current

Why accuracy matters: Lenders verify information. Mismatches raise red flags and can delay or deny applications.

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Monitoring Schedule

Weekly

• Check email alerts for score changes
• Review any new inquiries
• Note any unusual activity

Monthly

• Log into monitoring dashboard
• Review score trends
• Check tradeline reporting accuracy
• Note payment history updates

Quarterly

• Pull full reports from all bureaus
• Review for errors
• Update company information if changed
• Assess credit building progress

Before Major Applications

• Check all scores
• Review full reports
• Dispute any errors (allow 60+ days before application)
• Verify all information accurate

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Your Monitoring Action Plan

This Week

• Check if you have a DUNS Number
• Sign up for free Nav.com account
• Review current business credit scores

This Month

• Claim and verify D&B profile
• Review full report for errors
• Set up basic alerts

Ongoing

• Check alerts weekly
• Full report review monthly
• Comprehensive review quarterly
• Dispute errors promptly

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Next Steps

Monitoring your business credit isn't optional—it's essential. Errors and fraud can cost you opportunities and money. Progress tracking keeps you motivated and informed.

Start with free monitoring today. Know your scores. Review your reports. Set up alerts.

Your business credit is too important to ignore.

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Need help managing your business credit? Freedom Consulting provides comprehensive credit monitoring and optimization services. Book a free consultation to protect and build your profile.

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Related: Business Credit Complete Guide | Experian Business Credit

Disclaimer: Monitoring options and pricing change. Verify current terms with providers. Business credit building results vary.

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Continue Learning

This article is part of our Business Credit: The Complete 2025 Guide to Building Corporate Credit guide series.

Related articles in this series:

• How to Build Business Credit in 90 Days: Step-by-Step Strategy
• Net-30 Vendor Accounts: The Complete List That Reports to Credit Bureaus (2025)
• D-U-N-S Number: How to Get Your Free D&B Number in 24 Hours