SCHUFA has developed a new score based on twelve criteria. One of these is called the number of inquiries and transactions for current accounts and credit cards in the past twelve months. You can find out how this criterion will affect your creditworthiness in future here.

• Subject of the criterion: Number of inquiries and transactions for current accounts and credit cards in the past twelve months
• Points in the score: 0 to 117 points
• Minimum number of points awarded: From three inquiries or transactions (multiple inquiries and transactions within 28 days are only counted once)
• Allocation of maximum points: No inquiries or transactions

When people apply for a new credit card or a new current account with a bank, the bank may request information about their creditworthiness from SCHUFA. These creditworthiness inquiries and the possible conclusion of a contract are included in the scoring.

For example: If many new credit cards or current accounts are applied for and taken out in the past twelve months, statistically speaking, payment defaults occur more frequently. This worsens the score.

Important to know: Multiple requests and transactions within 28 days are only counted once. This means that comparing current account or credit card conditions and subsequently opening a new current account with a credit card does not have a negative effect more than once.

There are four possible values for the criterion of the number of inquiries and transactions for current accounts and credit cards in the past twelve months. Anyone with fewer than three inquiries or transactions for current accounts and credit cards receives points for the score: 117 points for none, 82 points for one and 44 points for two inquiries and/or transactions in the past twelve months. If three or more inquiries and/or transactions are reported, consumers receive zero points.

Current accounts that a person uses but is not the holder of are not relevant to the score. Call money accounts, clearing accounts for securities accounts, basic accounts and seizure protection accounts also play no role in the score.

Credit cards only include cards with a credit limit. When using them, people receive a kind of credit line from their bank each month in advance. This works like a loan. As a rule, they receive a credit card statement at the end of the month, which they pay. This amount is usually settled monthly via a reference account - which is often the current account.

Credit cards do not include so-called debit cards, where every purchase or cash withdrawal is immediately debited from the account, or prepaid cards, which are topped up with credit.

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