A mercantile agency refers to a business that collects, manages and distributes information about the creditworthiness and financial history of individuals and companies. Synonyms for this term include credit reporting agency, credit bureau, business credit bureau, and credit information service. These companies play a significant role in managing the credit risk of lenders and creditors, providing crucial information on the ability of borrowers to repay their debts. Aside from being referred to as mercantile agency, these organizations may also be described as economic information providers, lending institutions, lenders, financial institutions, information aggregators or financial intermediaries. Understanding the services offered by mercantile agencies and their synonyms is essential for businesses and consumers looking to make informed financial decisions.