topic Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score in Understanding FICO® Scoring

FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Itsmeagain — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:46:26 GMT

OK, here's my beef . . . . I belong to FICO "Score Watch" and have for two years. I've managed to keep up with my score and change the settings each time the score changes so I will get an alert. My current FICO score through ScoreWatch is 733 (just checked).

I also have Equifax "Gold" monitoring. Today I had an occasion to speak with a CS rep. regarding another issue and he offered me the same Gold monitoring, only with a FREE FICO score and no change in cost (9.95/mo). I specifically asked if this would allow for daily pulls and he said "YES, and that includes a new FICO score every day if you want". So, I opt in for this free upgrade and he pulls my report and score while I'm online.

Well, lo-&-behold my FICO score shows as being 739. The LARGE letters specifically say "FICO SCORE".

So, if Equifax FICO shows 739 but FICO ScoreWatch shows 733, how is one to know his true FICO score??

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

smallfry — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:13:26 GMT

Go over both reports very carefully. Something has to be different. Same day and nothing at all is different? Make sure all your accounts balances opening dates are exactly the same. EQ is EQ.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Itsmeagain — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:21:58 GMT

Thanks Smallfry . . . but maybe I wasn't clear. There was no new report from ScoreWath, just my daily monitoring service. The point being that ScoreWatch hasn't changed . . . and it SHOULD have.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

smallfry — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:42:53 GMT

You need to set the target score as your present score. It might be more helpful if you set the type of loan which would trigger an alert which is close to your present scoring band. For what you are paying for Scorewatch you might find it less frustrating to just buy a score once every quarter or every other month once you know all your accounts have reported for that month. If you have a pretty static report with no new accounts or changes in utilization your score will not change too frequently.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Itsmeagain — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:58:14 GMT

Thanks again Smallfry. Once again, I wasn't clear in my OP. I set the target score each time I get an alert. It's just befuddling that the Equifax and FICO scores are different. Like you said; "Equifax is Equifax".

Also; that's a good suggestion about buying a score now and then as opposed to the $90/yr. I'm currently paying for ScoreWatch. My reports are squeaky-clean and I've seen very little change in the last six months. I'm just waiting now for my new accounts to age past 1 yr. Of course, then they'll probably just re-bucket me and I'll be waiting for the next item that's preventing me from joining the 800 club.

I'm developing patience now. I have come a long way and am enjoying the benefits of good credit. I'm managing my accounts like a pro, (PIF before statement), and don't anticipate anything derrogotory in the foreseeable future.

Thanks for all you do.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:07:51 GMT

Have you looked through the various ScoreWatch-related threads in the product feedback subforum?

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board?board.id=myficoprod

I would bet that the score from Equifax is correct ...

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

smallfry — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:30:58 GMT

So would I. The Fico EQSW is probably a little stale.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:32:51 GMT

These discrepencies happen all the time and both sides will always claim they are correct but the fact is that they are giving you two different scores and there has to be a justification that makes sense.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

smallfry — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:36:11 GMT

Assuming there are no differences in the reports it is probable that an account reached an anniversary thereby raising the score. An EQ score is an EQ score.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

haulingthescoreup — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:14:48 GMT

OP, let us know about this FICO-score-every-time bit.

I have the standard EQ Credit Watch Gold (which I love), and when I saw the ad for the new product, I called and asked. They said it's a one-time EQ FICO and the rest is the standard daily full report pull.

Don't get me wrong, the full report thing is a great service, although it gets wonky like everything from EQ, but I was told that the FICO score won't refresh --it's just that initial one-time pull.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:38:38 GMT

I think the OP is referring to this: http://www.equifax.com/credit-score-watch/

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

haulingthescoreup — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:50:25 GMT

Guardian wrote:
I think the OP is referring to this: http://www.equifax.com/credit-score-watch/

Hmmm, dunno, that just looks like Score Watch, as ordered via Equifax.

Per OP:

I also have Equifax "Gold" monitoring. Today I had an occasion to speak with a CS rep. regarding another issue and he offered me the same Gold monitoring, only with a FREE FICO score and no change in cost (9.95/mo). I specifically asked if this would allow for daily pulls and he said "YES, and that includes a new FICO score every day if you want". So, I opt in for this free upgrade and he pulls my report and score while I'm online.

Untangle us, please, Itsmeagain!

eta: PS --Guardian, what the heck is that new avatar? Is it the giant eyeball at Mordor, or a really unusual triggerfish, or what? Very striking!

Message Edited by haulingthescoreup on 06-25-2009 03:50 PM

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

smallfry — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:09:11 GMT

Reports plus Scorewatch with the largest discounts available on the net billed monthly are 7 bucks each per month. Likely it was an offer for a one time score. People who are calling to cancel CWG have lately been offered 4 free pulls of Score Power but they aren't going to give away the farm for 10 bucks a month.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

haulingthescoreup — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:23:38 GMT

Now, that would be sweet. Potentially 30-31 nearly-free EQ FICO's/ month!

I'm still not sure why I'm still subscribing to Credit Watch Gold, buggy as it is, but I love the layout of the reports, and you can't beat a legit full report pull for 33 cents a day. I still backdoor my TU and EX reports, but only once every 4-6 weeks on average.
I don't want to attract their attention!

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:28:05 GMT

@haulingthescoreup wrote:

Hmmm, dunno, that just looks like Score Watch, as ordered via Equifax.

Per OP:

I also have Equifax "Gold" monitoring. Today I had an occasion to speak with a CS rep. regarding another issue and he offered me the same Gold monitoring, only with a FREE FICO score and no change in cost (9.95/mo). I specifically asked if this would allow for daily pulls and he said "YES, and that includes a new FICO score every day if you want". So, I opt in for this free upgrade and he pulls my report and score while I'm online.

Untangle us, please, Itsmeagain!

eta: PS --Guardian, what the heck is that new avatar? Is it the giant eyeball at Mordor, or a really unusual triggerfish, or what? Very striking!
Message Edited by haulingthescoreup on 06-25-2009 03:50 PM

I was trying to untangle and figure out and came across that and the description says something that matched what the OP had said, so I figured that's probably what its about:

Continuous score monitoring and notification when a change in your FICO® score impacts the interest rate you are likely to receive
Detailed explanations for key score changes and specific tips for understanding your score
Daily monitoring of your Equifax Credit Report with email notification of key changes (email / wireless alerts)
Two Free Score Power® reports, plus discounts on additional Score Power® reports
Detailed "Bottom Line" of what your most current score means, comparison with national averages, and a graph of how lenders view you
Access to friendly and knowledgeable Customer Care available 7 days a week

Now I added the emphasis and underline to draw attention to elements matching the OP's statement. This suggests that its not a one time deal and its actually daily pull of FICO scores to monitor for change, so it would stand to reason that on the day the OP pulls myFICO, it should match the EQ for that day, no?

Oh the avatar is an old art project I had done and came across it on my archives and it brought back memories. Its actually a man standing at the gates of hell and the flames are reflected on his eyes. The image is MUCH bigger but has been condensed for size and practicalilty

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

smallfry — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:33:23 GMT

@haulingthescoreup wrote:
Now, that would be sweet. Potentially 30-31 nearly-free EQ FICO's/ month!

I'm still not sure why I'm still subscribing to Credit Watch Gold, buggy as it is, but I love the layout of the reports, and you can't beat a legit full report pull for 33 cents a day. I still backdoor my TU and EX reports, but only once every 4-6 weeks on average.
I don't want to attract their attention!

I like the EQ style of their reports but I could not in good conscience continue to pay them for anything after my latest experience. Benjamin Button.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:12:00 GMT

Their service and availability and reliability is HORRID and I would not have anything to do with them voluntarily and as a paying customer. Their system is slow, unreliable, down half the time. Their support and customer service is slow and nonexistent and when they do reply 3 weeks later, they give you a canned reply that has NOTHING to do with your problem or what you reported prefaced with, sorry for the long delay.

They are supposed to provide unlimited reports and I have only requested 3 reports and 2 of those the system would not provide and I had to contact them to get it added to the account, which defeats the purpose of the whole online access. On 3 other occasions I was told by the system, we have already given you one in the last month (which obviously means its not unlimited like they claim). When you complain, 2-3 weeks later, they add one to the account, not when you ask for it but when they feel like it.

They do NOT provide all the alerts they are supposed to and have repeatedly told me, its a glitch we are working on it but it has been months and the problem still persists, yet they are charging people, not telling them that they are short changing them and until a TrueCredit-esque lawsuit is brought against them to refund people, they are going to keep ripping people off. Yet they constantly tote their new and improved system/website? Really? I can go on forever but they are truly awful and I can't believe that myFICO has so much association with them and promotes their services.

I have a service with them which was provided for 12 months free of charge as a result of a system breach in one of my old schools and they provided notice and this free service just in case to monitor no personal identity theft has occurred. I am so glad that this provided me the perspective I needed to totally stay away from them and save my money and avoid them like the plague. Now I have no reason to ever be tempted to use them and I totally feel for everyone who does use them only to find they have been totally robbed.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

haulingthescoreup — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:24:32 GMT

I hear both of ya, smallfry and Guardian! They deleted one of my closed accounts that had only been closed 4-5 years. I was pretty mad until I realized that my score went up (there was a late on it.)

One thing that I did finally figure out after their long outage somewhere around Christmas is that if I order/ download a new report, and I can't view it, I can get at it through the "Archive reports" button. It's really stupid to have to do this, but it does work, in case anyone else is banging their laptop on their forehead.

Alas, if I start boycotting CRA's that tick me off, that means Experian and Equifax, leaving only TU, which is the single most useless CRA of the three for those of us living in the Southeast.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:48:13 GMT

If I were to boycott CRAs that pissed me off, Experian goes first (already has), Equifax, TransUnion and finally Innovis. This means I have to go cash only Believe me the thought has seriously crossed my mind.

Re: FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

medicgrrl — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:49:55 GMT

Monitors your credit report at Equifax on a daily basis and your FICO® score on a weekly basis

When you rec'd your SW alert it was probably the score from the previous day. When EQ pulled your score later that day you probably had some sort of change, an acct updating or something from the previous day to that day, causing your score to go up a few points. It may have even been an inquiry that aged or something. Next week you will probably receive another SW showing the updated score. I have noticed that it takes a couple of days for my SW alerts to reflect the changes in my report.