Infocorp, the SBS register and your debtor rating
Infocorp is the commercial brand of Equifax Perú, the best-known private credit bureau, or central de riesgo privada. It combines data from banks, cajas, retailers and utilities. The public register kept by the Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP feeds it.
Every supervised lender classifies each debtor monthly as Normal, CPP for potential problems, Deficiente, Dudoso or Pérdida. Lenders look first at this rating across the whole system. A single Pérdida line at one entity can weigh on every other application you submit.
How long negative information can be shown
Ley 27489, which regulates private bureaus, limits how long negative information may be disseminated, with a general maximum of five years after the debt is extinguished. A paid debt should be updated promptly, while the earlier rating history may remain visible for some time.
Getting your free report
The SBS provides a free Reporte de Deudas online and at its offices, showing your rating at each institution. Private bureaus must also let you consult your own data. Compare both, because many rejections come from small forgotten debts or unrecognised products.
Correcting wrong data
If information is inaccurate, file a claim with the reporting entity, which can use its Libro de Reclamaciones, and request rectification from the bureau. Unresolved cases can be escalated to the SBS for supervised lenders or to Indecopi for consumer protection and personal-data issues.
Which lenders still consider a poor rating
Peru has one of the deepest microfinance sectors in Latin America. Municipal savings banks, rural cajas and microfinance companies send loan officers to visit businesses, estimate real sales and accept guarantees or guarantors. Some fintechs lend against property, which changes the risk equation.
Provider types side by side
| Provider type | Example | What they assess | Main caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caja municipal | Caja Arequipa | Business cash flow, payroll or pension income | Rating must usually be at least CPP or improving |
| Microfinance company | Compartamos Financiera | Group or individual micro-business credit | Group loans create joint responsibility |
| Fintech secured lender | Prestamype | Property used as collateral | Risk of losing the property if unpaid |
| Informal lender | Gota a gota, prestamista | Nothing beyond willingness to pay daily | Usurious cost and violent collection |
Who has realistic chances
Micro-entrepreneurs with a verifiable activity, retirees and formal employees with payroll income are the most likely candidates. People rated Dudoso or Pérdida usually need to settle or refinance the reported debt first, since many institutions block approvals until the rating improves.
Typical requirements
Most lenders ask for a DNI, a utility bill for address, proof of income such as sales records, payslips or pension statements, and sometimes a guarantor. Secured lenders add a property title registered with SUNARP. Settlement letters for old debts strengthen any application.
Interest rate caps and real costs
Since Ley 31143 of 2021, the Banco Central de Reserva del Perú sets maximum interest rates every six months for consumer, small business and micro business credit. Lenders must also disclose the Tasa de Costo Efectivo Anual, which includes interest, fees and insurance.
The TCEA is the figure to compare, because microcredit and consumer loans for higher-risk clients are priced well above prime rates. Check the current BCRP ceiling for your segment and refuse any contract where the stated annual rate exceeds it or is missing.
Step-by-step approach
- Download your SBS Reporte de Deudas and your Infocorp report.
- Identify which entity holds each negative rating and the amount owed.
- Negotiate a payment or refinancing plan and obtain written proof.
- Wait for the next monthly update to confirm the rating changed.
- Apply to a caja or microfinance company that knows your area.
- Compare the TCEA and the payment schedule of at least two offers.
- Keep copies of the contract, schedule and every receipt.
Red flags to avoid
- Requests to deposit an advance by Yape or Plin to unlock a loan for people in Infocorp: supervised Peruvian lenders deduct costs from the disbursement and never ask for prior transfers.
- Offers to remove you from Infocorp for a fee.
- Lenders that are neither SBS-supervised nor registered with the SBS anti-money-laundering register.
- Contracts without a stated TCEA or payment schedule.
- Gota a gota cash collected daily by motorbike couriers.
The gota a gota problem in Peru
Informal daily-collection lending spread widely in Lima and other cities, often run by networks charging extreme interest. Threats, harassment of relatives and violence have been reported. Police and the SBS warn that no situation justifies borrowing from these groups.
Frequently asked questions
The following answers address what Peruvian borrowers ask most often once they discover a poor rating. Supervision rules and BCRP ceilings change periodically, so verify the current position with the SBS or the lender before committing to any contract.
Can a caja lend to someone rated Deficiente?
It can, because no law forbids it, but each caja applies its own credit policy. A Deficiente rating that is improving, combined with stable income and a guarantor, has far better prospects than a worsening rating with no proof of income.
Will paying my debt remove me from Infocorp?
Payment updates the debt as cancelled, and your rating improves in the following monthly reports. The history of past arrears may still be visible within the legal period. Ask the creditor for a written constancia de no adeudo and keep it safely.
Are online lenders allowed to operate without SBS supervision?
Some non-bank lenders lend with their own capital and are not supervised as banks, although they must register with the SBS for anti-money-laundering purposes and follow consumer rules. Check their status and avoid any that demand payment before disbursement.
Is a loan the best answer with a poor rating?
Often a refinancing agreement with the original creditor, or a structured payment plan, improves your situation more than new borrowing. Additional credit while rated Dudoso or Pérdida can deepen the problem. Consider a repayment plan before taking any new debt.
Useful organisations and resources
- Caja Arequipa - Personal Directo loan — Municipal savings bank consumer loan.
- Compartamos Financiera - Individual credit requirements — Microfinance company requirements for individual micro-business loans.
- Prestamype - Cajas that lend to people in Infocorp — Fintech secured lender's guide; it also lends against property.
Official and legal references
- SBS - Inclusión financiera de deudores de créditos de consumo (DT 01-2022) — SBS working paper on consumer debtors' access to credit.
- SBS - Opinion on bill 5598/2020-CR on interest rates — Regulator opinion during the debate that led to interest rate caps.
- Caja Arequipa - What a credit bureau is and how it works — Plain-language explanation of credit bureaus and ratings in Peru.