You’ve probably heard someone say, “Don’t check your score; it’ll go down.” That’s not true. If this myth has been keeping you from even looking at your credit profile, here’s what actually happens and what you should do instead.
Your Score Check Is Not the Same as a Loan Application
There are two types of credit checks. A soft enquiry happens when you check your own score through an app or website. It has zero effect on your score. You could check it every single day for a year and nothing would change.
A hard enquiry happens when a bank or lender pulls your report after you formally apply for a loan or credit card. This can reduce your score by 5 to 10 points, and it stays on your report for up to two years.
The confusion between these two is what scares first-time users away from monitoring their credit. Now you know the difference.
Why Avoiding Your Score Actually Hurts You
When you don’t check your score, you’re making decisions blind. You don’t know:
- Whether you have a credit history at all
- If past actions (like a missed phone bill) have already affected your file
- Which products you’re likely to get approved for
Checking regularly through the Airtel app (a soft enquiry, always free) helps you understand where you stand before you apply for anything. This means fewer rejected applications and fewer unnecessary hard enquiries on your report.
Think of it this way. Someone who checks first and applies once is better off than someone who never checks and applies to four products hoping one works out.
The Real Risk: Applying to Too Many Products at Once
Here’s where hard enquiries actually become a problem. Say you apply for a credit card, get rejected, then immediately apply to three more lenders. Each application creates a separate hard enquiry. Four applications could cost you 20 to 30 points, and every lender after the first one sees the previous rejections on your file.
For someone with no credit history, this pattern can be damaging before you’ve even started building a score. Keep hard enquiries to two or three per year at most.
The smarter approach:
- Check your score first (free, soft enquiry)
- Use eligibility tools that tell you your approval odds without a hard pull
- Apply to one product where your chances are highest
Start With One Product That’s Built for First-Timers
If you have no credit history, your best first move is a product designed for people in your exact situation. The Airtel Bajaj Finserv Insta EMI Card is built for first-time borrowers. Approval rates are higher because it’s designed for users who are just starting out.
One application means one hard enquiry. Once approved, your EMI payments start building your credit history immediately. Within 30 to 45 days of your first reported EMI, CIBIL begins generating your score.
That single step does more for your credit future than avoiding credit altogether ever could. Not applying means no history gets built, and no history means no score.
Pre-Approved Offers Don’t Hurt Your Score Either
Another myth worth clearing up. When you see a pre-approved offer in your app, that’s based on a soft enquiry the lender already ran. It has zero impact on your score. You can browse, compare, and explore these offers without worrying about damage.
The hard enquiry only happens if you formally accept the offer and submit a full application. So feel free to explore what’s available. Knowing your options is not the same as applying for them.
Read the 2-Minute Tip on making your first credit application count. It covers exactly how to be strategic about that first hard enquiry.
Build a Monthly Score-Check Habit
The simplest thing you can do right now is start checking your score once a month. Here’s why this matters for someone new to credit:
- You’ll see your score appear after your first credit product reports to CIBIL
- You’ll catch errors early (wrong names, incorrect accounts)
- You’ll track progress as your on-time payments add up
Set a reminder for the first of every month. Open the Airtel app, check your score, and review your report. It takes two minutes and costs you nothing. Over time, this habit turns into confidence. You’ll know exactly when you’re ready to take your next credit step.
Cross-link: Read our Basics card on hard vs soft enquiries to understand exactly which checks affect your score and which don’t.
