German consumers are increasingly being checked for their credit history and ability to pay. German credit agency Creditreform said in Düsseldorf on Wednesday that the number of consumer credit reports rose in 2003 by 40 percent to 3.5 million. The agency traced the phenomenon to the growing trend among consumers to buy things on credit, the use of mobile phones and defaulting on rent payments. The total number of credit reports including those of companies rose last year to more than 10 percent to 12.5 million, Creditreform said.