The creditor obviously knows of your own debt payment history with them. (fastdebtsettlements.com)
Of course, credit cards aren't the only way to pay for purchases and build a strong debt payment history. (sofi.com)
As I understand it most other countries would build a credit report based on debt payment history (utilities, taxes, bills), income and the presence of any registered instances of non-payment. (money.stackexchange.com)