# Credit Score Differences? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594 "2010-01-12T01:53:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/1 "2010-01-12T01:53:50Z")
Why would credit scores from the three major suppliers (as reported by a mortgage company)show up different when compared to a report from American Express’s Credit Secure service? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/2 "2010-01-12T01:59:12Z")
Because not all creditors report to all reporting agencies. I have a credit card that does not appear on Equifax at all. Fewer inquiries on Equifax also. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/3 "2010-01-12T02:07:59Z")
Yes I know that there may be differences between the three bureaus. But why would none of the three match between what the mortgage company and AmEx Credit Secure service? ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/4 "2010-01-12T02:29:03Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Yes I know that there may be differences between the three bureaus. But why would none of the three match between what the mortgage company and AmEx Credit Secure service? Maybe they average the three? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/5 "2010-01-12T02:42:55Z")
Nope. They gave me the three individual bureau scores and none matched the three that AmEx reports. ---
**Author:** ![IAmNotSpartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/6 "2010-01-12T06:25:15Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Nope. They gave me the three individual bureau scores and none matched the three that AmEx reports. Reports are taken at a different time based on slightly different information? How much of a difference are we talking here? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/7 "2010-01-12T11:46:38Z")
A 37 point difference on the same week. I can and do get a refresh of my score every week since it cost me nothing more than a monthly fee. ---
**Author:** ![skylyn12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5f8ce5/32.png) [@skylyn12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skylyn12)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/8 "2010-01-12T14:25:35Z")
My guess is that one (probably the mortgage scores) are true FICO scores and the ones from AMEX are the three bureau’s internal scores. These can differ by quite a bit… ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/9 "2010-01-12T14:45:29Z")
Different scoring models, with different ranges, and different emphasis placed on different things for different lenders and their differing risks. You could get a new mortgage with a few late pays on a credit card, but you ain’t getting a new credit card with a few late pays on another credit card. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/10 "2010-01-12T15:36:25Z")
Well I actually went to the Experian site and requested (paid) for my score and it came back as being on a scale of XXX on a scale of 501-990. Neither the mortgage company or Amex are using that scale. So is nobody actually using the raw FICO scores? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/11 "2010-01-12T15:51:09Z")
Credit Bureaus do not issue a FICO score to consumers. FICO is its own entity. Also, please re-read my post: **Depending on what you are trying to get, different companies will use different models, scores, and risk analysis**. Applying for mortgages may prompt the lender to use a proprietary mortgage (Real Estate) score, a FICO score, or some other score/combo/whatever. The bureau may or may not provide the score. The big three national bureaus issue Vantage scores. Read about them here: > **[VantageScore](https://www.vantagescore.com/)** > > VantageScore has revolutionized the credit scoring marketplace by leveraging data analytics to make access to credit more equitable since 2006. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/12 "2010-01-12T16:45:16Z")
So how is a consumer supposed to know what the banks will see as thier score? Isn’t that the purpose of the Fair Credit Act? Knowing what the bank knows about your credit? Since they base loans upon the score why can’t I get the score that the bank is seeing? Trying not to rant here . . . ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/13 "2010-01-12T16:51:35Z")
Ask the bank who provided the score: What scoring model was used". That needs to happen first. If the credit bureaus didn’t provide the score, then the credit bureaus don’t have that score to provide to you. The Fair Credit Reporting Act is about you and your credit report, and your rights to disclosure and disputes, plus fines, penalties, and all that. If the score the lender/bank is not from the credit bureau and not on your report, the Fair Credit Reporting Act doesn’t much apply here, although nothing prohibits you from working directly with the bank to find out what score/model they use. Until that question is answered, you are going to go in circles. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/14 "2010-01-12T16:52:19Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > you ain’t getting a new credit card with a few late pays on another credit card. Actually, I bet you are. The ideal customer (from the CC issuer’s point of view) pays late all the time. Late payments = more fees for the issuer + interest charges for issuer (at rates way way higher than what the issuer is paying to borrow the money themselves). Heck, they probably don’t care if you never pay off the whole balance, as long as you make enough payments to cover the original charges and some small portion of the late fees+interest. It’s the people that pay in full every month that aren’t as profitable. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/credit-score-differences/524594/15 "2010-01-12T16:54:31Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > So how is a consumer supposed to know what the banks will see as thier score? . . I often wonder, when shopping for a car, what engine is under the hood. It’s up to me to ask and then research it or not care. Sometimes I even ask about the brakes. I am being a touch sarcastic to make it obvious what you need to do: A bank is a company that you choose to do business with. I have borrowed money from a number of banks, and for a mortgage more than once. The last time, I asked about whether they pull three credit reports and merge them, what score they use, whether they sell their loans, about the approval process, etc.