Got approved for Zync

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forums and was just searching credit scores and what not and came across this website which seems like an interesting forum. However I just got approved to american express zync and it's my first credit card. I'm 21 years old and I know this isnt the "top" credit card from them but is this consider a good start? will this card help me build up my credit? If I want to check my credit score for free in which I was told I could check it three times a year what website do I go too and if I check it does that bring down 1 (one) credit from your score? I was told it does.

Any information or advice would be great; I just would really like to know if it helps build my credit as to I heard many mixed answers from ones around me.

Thank You!

[joestay]

Congratz on getting the zync.  What's great about  AMEX is that if you do apply for another amex card, it'll backdate for you.  

Now, to get your free annual credit report, you go to www.annualcreditreport.com  Checking your report won't lower your score since it's a soft pull.  You will have to pay for your score though since that's not free.

[Anonymous]

What exactly do you mean if I apply for another it will backdate? I'm sorry, I don't know what that means and just starting out in life =]

Also, so in order to check my actual CREDIT SCORE, I must pay? How much does it cost? and what is a soft pull? 

Thank You

And does my score go down if I check my actual credit score?

[joestay]

soft pull won't affect your credit score.  hard pull will affect your credit score.  soft/hard pull is when someone check your credit report.  For example, when you applied for the zync card, that resulted in a hard pull of your credit report.  

Credit score cost depends on which of the three bureau you check.  

Backdate, for example, if you apply for another amex card in the year 2020, the new card will report as being open since 2010, the first year you got an amex card.  This is useful since it can help your average age of account.  this is assuming they still do it many years from now. 

[MarineVietVet]

Hello and welcome to myFICO.

You need to be very careful where you buy your credit scores. Many places will sell you a "score" but if it's not a FICO score it's worthless because almost all lenders use FICO to make decisions.

No one has been able to buy their own Experian FICO score since February of 2009. Creditors can pull Experian and also there is a CU in Pennsylvania that supplies that information to it's members only. You can only buy true FICO scores at a few places. One place is here at myFICO. I suggest you do an internet search for "myfico discount codes" to save a little money. You can also purchase your Transunion score at www.transunioncs.com. At www.equifax.com EQ will still sell you an EQ FICO score but they make it very hard to find.

Be aware that none of the 3 in 1 monitoring services available such as freecreditreport.com, freescore.com etc. sell FICO scores although the reports are accurate.

From a BK years ago to:
EX - 9/09 pulled by lender 802, EQ - 10/10-813, TU - 10/10-774

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".