Just getting started and already so confused!

[Anonymous]

Greetings friends,

I am just getting started in pulling up my socks and diving into repairing my damaged credit and finances. After several years of illness, grad school and downright irresponsibility, I am taking over the reigns and educating myself. You all inspire me!

My first step was to get my credit scores. I did that first through MyFICO with just Equifax, which reported I had a credit score of 640. I then went to what I thought was Experian directly to get a 3-way credit report from all Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. The scores I got there were 666, 666, 667. I printed this report out and it turns out I bought this report from Experian through freecreditreport.com (a part of Experian they say) 

Ugh!! I am already confused and I haven’t even gotten started! Which credit score is true? How can there be such a discrepancy? Who/what can I trust?

Advice and thoughts so very welcome.

Many thanks, Lucy

[Anonymous]

Well, due some interweb sluething, I think I already got my answer- anything from freecreditreport.com is a FAKO. Not a true FICO (I am slowly learning here) so really, I can just disregard right?

It sounds like I can either get a true FICO from Equifax or Transunion and that is it really.

Sadness, I just lost $24 for nothing

.

[llecs]

Kudos for figuring that out. Ignore the scores from freecreditreport.com (nothing free about it). At least you got your report info.

Your EQ score from myFICO is the real deal. You can also get TU as well. Unfortunately, EX doesn't allow consumers to pull their own FICO score.

Before fixing your credit, I'd also recommend pulling your reports directly from the CRAs. You can get the reports for free once a year via annualcreditreport.com. Or pay for each individual report.

[Anonymous]

Awesome, thanks! Any particular reason for going directly to EQ and TU to get my reports? Just to get all my ducks in a row first?

[llecs]

Your CR as pulled directly from the CRAs contain more information than the CRs from myFICO, TrueCredit, freecreditreport, and others. It includes more/detailed creditor contact information, soft inquiries (so you can see who's snooping on you), accurate DOFD info with removal dates on your EX/TU reports, and full payment history going back 7 yrs (vs. 2 on myFICO).

[Anonymous]

I see! That makes total sense. Getting those right away then....

Can I ask the inverse question then: why get your report from anything else, like MyFICO? (other than finding out about this awesome forum!)

[llecs]

Because your myFICO reports contain an obvious bit of important info: your FICO score. But also the myFICO reports will actually show you exactly what is dragging down or helping your score.

[Anonymous]

doh! that was a silly question it seems....