Before approving you for a credit card, issuers look at your credit score, as developed by at least one of the three major rating companies. The process is similar when you apply to open a checking account, only the reporting agency in question is ChexSystems. This company helps banks and credit unions identify potentially risky customers by issuing reports that contain an individual’s past transgressions, like failing to pay a fee that’s owed to a bank or credit union on an account.