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Q: I have a report 3 True credit score and one of Experian. They have totally different scores. Why would it? I'm trying to get Identity Guard, but have not had success with it.
A: Your credit score is calculated based on information in your credit report, and you have three different credit reports, one from each of three major credit bureaus. As some companies choose to report only one or two of the three offices, it is likely that each of your three credit reports contain slightly different data, which would result in different scores. Credit bureaus use different formulas to calculate their scores, which is another reason for the change. Your credit score also changes as new data is added to your credit report, so if you request reports and offices in different credit scores of times, which would explain another variant.
The variables scores provided by credit bureaus can help you gain an understanding of the health of your credit. But the vast majority of lenders rely on the FICO scoring system, created by the Fair Isaac Corporation. You have three FICO scores, one based on each of your three different credit reports.
You can buy your TransUnion and Equifax FICO scores directly from MyFICO. MyFICO also offers a service that monitors your Equifax credit report and FICO score Equifax and notifies you of any changes. Equifax offers a similar service that provides your Equifax FICO score, but monitors all three credit reports. Identity Guard monitors all three credit reports and provides all three credit scores as calculated by the scoring system CreditXpert, which is similar but not identical to the FICO scoring system. It is impossible for consumers to have access to Experian FICO scores at this time.
If you are particularly interested in your FICO score, the best option would be to get all three credit reports and your FICO score from Equifax. Assuming that the data is consistent in the three reports, it would be reasonable to think that your Experian and TransUnion FICO scores will also be fully compatible with your Equifax FICO score.
However, it is important to keep in mind that the information on your credit report is more important than any individual credit score. You can not necessarily anticipate a particular lender will choose to calculate your score, but you can ensure that the data on all three of your credit reports is positive and precise.
For more information on reports and credit scores, check out our reviews and comparison chart.