Equifax just told me to stop using this site to pull my score?

[guiness56]

There are 47 versions/models and you can get 2 here.

Though TU98 is not as widely used it is still a FICO score and is used by some.

[llecs]

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@dethkultur wrote:

Yes, people need to know, because MyFICO implies there's just one score for EQ, and you can get it here. The EQ FICO that goes to creditors has never been the same when I've seen it.

I was responding to Ilecs (I messed it up obviously, as it didn't include the text), who was implying that MyFICO had some sort of authoritywith their scores to the OP. The truth is, it's as reliable as free versions.

I paid for Scorewatch for 2+ years before finding this out, constantly believing I was seeing what creditors see, partly because that is the message given in the forums here by frequent posters. I'm going to keep this up from time to time, so yes, I'll be on different threads like yourself, informing visitors about the product, like yourself. If MyFICO changes their marketing to tell the truth about the FICO score they sell, and inform all the paid posters here to do the same, I won't have a need to do so any longer.

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We post in here that lenders can choose whether or not to use a FICO score (e.g. GECRB uses their own internal score vs. FICO) and if a FICO is used, the lender can decide what version of FICO score to use. You'll find that almost all mortgage lenders will use the same EQ FICO as on here and would match up to any SW pull or alert (if compared the same day). However, you'll also find that many CC-issuers will use a CC-enhanced FICO score and certainly wouldn't necessarily match, or if a non-industry specific score is used, maybe they'll use a newer FICO version (e.g. Discover). And then car loans are a mixed bag. Many dealerships will use lenders that use an auto-enhanced FICO version which weighs your car-borrowing past, whereas many direct loans from banks and CUs will use the same type of FICO scores on here. IME, my mortgage matched my EQ on here, as did my NFCU CC app, a personal loan (TU on here), a biz loan (EQ on here), and a few others though I have limited my apps since they made disclosure a bit more handy.

In my post above, I was lamenting into OP's experience with EQ's CSRs. There was a seasoned poster in here about a year ago who posted that they called Equifax directly to cancel one of their CMSs or maybe to order a report, can't remember. Anyway, the CSR calmly tells the OP that myFICO.com does not provide FICO scores and proceeded to tell that poster that only Equifax.com provides FICO scores. Of course OP then knew the difference and posted his/her experience with that CSR here. MyFICO obviously provides FICO scores and Equifax.com pushes a FAKO score (though the same EQ FICO version on here is available from there too), and that FAKO isn't used by any lenders and is "for educational purposes only" according to their Terms. EQ's CSRs have a history of telling half-truths and no-truths when it comes to scores, their products, etc.

[dethkultur]

Hmmm so the message that comes across is...

- EQ sells misleading products on their website

- EQ CSRs routinely lie about EQ products

- MyFICO sells an EQ product, that's why we're awesome

Except that there's no guarantee that the EQ FICO is the EQ FICO a lender will receive. 

(I have a NFCU CC too, don't they rock? I love those guys. Mind blowing credit limit, and they address me with my rank and thank me for my service every time I call. I want to charge stuff just so they'll make a little juice off of everything.) The score they based it on differed from the one Scorewatch had though. Just saying.

[llecs]

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@dethkultur wrote:

Hmmm so the message that comes across is...

- EQ sells misleading products on their website

- EQ CSRs routinely lie about EQ products

- MyFICO sells an EQ product, that's why we're awesome

Except that there's no guarantee that the EQ FICO is the EQ FICO a lender will receive. 

(I have a NFCU CC too, don't they rock? I love those guys. Mind blowing credit limit, and they address me with my rank and thank me for my service every time I call. I want to charge stuff just so they'll make a little juice off of everything.) The score they based it on differed from the one Scorewatch had though. Just saying.

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Yes to your first two points to an extent. On your point 1 (and into 2) I would limit it to their FAKO being misleading since they promote it as a FICO in many instances (which it isn't) and promote it as being as being used by lenders (which is never ever used according to their Terms). Other products like their reports are good and I've used their CMSs in the past. I still pull from Equifax.com for my full reports so I can see contact info, soft pulls, a full history, etc. But their FAKO is useless and has zero relation to FICO. Lenders won't ever touch their FAKO and EQ doesn't promote it to lenders anyway. And I wouldn't go as far as to say that ALL of their CSRs lie. It's a misinformed few and/or poor management there.

On your point #3, I never used the word "awesome", but myFICO.com is the only place outside of a lender you can get 2 of your 3 FICO scores together. Coming soon, it'll once again be the only place you can pull all 3 FICO scores together without the help of a lender. And because FICO scores are used by a vast majority of lenders, it's important to track and know your FICO, or at least understand how FICO scoring works so you can beat lenders at their own game. Many of us, myself included, have promoted  other places you can get your FICO. I have a macro saved with all of the places you can get your FICO (e.g. PSECU, DCU, Unitus CCU, M&T Bank, etc.) and also promoted on the CMS Guide and certainly encourage others to go to these sites if you want a free FICO or one at a reduced cost. 

Nothing is ever guaranteed. Because lenders can choose whether or not they want to use FICO or whether or not they want to use the same versions in here, it's impossible to guarantee anything when it comes to scoring. As I mentioned already, you'll find most all mortgage lenders will pull the same EQ FICO in here and it's a toss up as to whether or not your CCs or car or other loans will pull the same. One FICO version may not be a good fit for another lender, and vice-versa. Because of that you have different versions floating around out there. Personally, I wish myFICO.com offers these other versions for sale, but I guess it's not to be.

I opened a CashRewards and Navcheck and both scores matched to myFICO That was 2 yrs ago and it's always possible they made some changes since. I haven't looked around recently for approvals and score mentions. Now I know for some they also pull TU too.