topic Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites in General Credit Topics

Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 15:28:29 GMT

All,

My have an american express card and and a citiband credit card. Both offer to show my FICO score.

The Amex website reports that as of 1/16 my FICO score was 739.

Citi's website says my score, as of 1/26,is 826.

Interestingly, in the sections where they note factors that could be affecting the score each site lists four entirely different 'reasons'.

Is this BS or do you find this to be legitimate?

They bosth say FICO so I'm torn as to which to 'believe'.

I don't think anything significant happened between 1/16 and 1/26 so why the wild range?

Thank you so much for your comments and feedback.

Re: FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites Differenet

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 15:28:53 GMT

Very funny I just made a post about this as well! Well its not the same but simluar. AMX I believe uses EQ. Does Citi use the same? Also I have heard of each lender using their own internal system. Could be wrong though!

Re: FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites Differenet

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 15:46:10 GMT

I don't know enough about it.

It just says 'FICO'.

So...I though each credit bearau made up their own scoring, but FICO was consistent.

Clearly that's not the case either.

Scam much?

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 15:52:42 GMT

I believe its their own model made to simulate a FICO. Could be based on one of the older models. I have some scores from free sites that are closer to the older model scores not the new Fico 8.

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 16:10:19 GMT

That's very interesting.

So...when somebody says "waht's your FICO score?" is there one main correct number that people use?

One of my scores I see online is super, while the other is ok. It's just so odd.

Is there no consistency?

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 16:21:27 GMT

Both are Fico scores. American Express provides you a Fico 08 score for Experian. Citi gives you an Fico 08 Equifax Bankcard enhanced version. Keep in mind that there are many different models and versions of Fico scores. There is Fico 98, Fico 04, Fico NextGen, Fico 08 and now Fico 09. See link for more information. In Fico scores, within each year model, there are mortgage versions, Bankcard enhanced and auto enhanced versions. Each of those can be used by various creditors. It can be very confusing and to add to that, some creditors, like Chase, use their own internal scoring system. So no one really has one, or two, or even 3 'real' Fico scores. If you were to pay for your 3 bureau report from MyFico, you'll be given 28 different scores, all of them Fico scores and there's more that you aren't given that aren't used that widely. In time, if you visit these forums a lot, you'll learn more about who uses what version but it still can be difficult to know exactly at all times.

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/The-many-flavors-of-FICO-Editions-versions-and-variations/td-p/1197617

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 16:31:28 GMT

Thank you!

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

bada_bing — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 18:22:59 GMT

FICO 08 has a top limit of 850

FICO 08 Bankcard enhanced has a top limit of 900

The ranges aren't the same in addition to the algorithms being slightly different, so they

aren't directly comparable.

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Thomas_Thumb — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 22:57:24 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
All,

My have an american express card and and a citiband credit card. Both offer to show my FICO score.
The Amex website reports that as of 1/16 my FICO score was 739.
Citi's website says my score, as of 1/26,is 826.

Interestingly, in the sections where they note factors that could be affecting the score each site lists four entirely different 'reasons'.

Is this BS or do you find this to be legitimate?

They bosth say FICO so I'm torn as to which to 'believe'.

I don't think anything significant happened between 1/16 and 1/26 so why the wild range?

Thank you so much for your comments and feedback.

Citi is reporting a Fico 08 Bankcard (enhanced) score based on Equifax data. Citi does use this score when looking at applicants credit worthiness for CCs.

AMEX is reporting a Fico 08 Classic (standard) score based on Experian data.

Fico 08 Bankcard score range is 250 to 900

Fico 08 Classic score range is 300 to 850.

It is highly unusual for Fico 08 Bankcard and Classic scores to vary by over 80 points. If Fico 08 Classic score is in the 650 to 800 range, Fico 08 Bankcard and Classic scores from the same CRA typically track within 30 points. I suspect you may have a negative mark on your Experian report that is not listed on your Equifax report.

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

takeshi74 — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 13:52:37 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
They bosth say FICO so I'm torn as to which to 'believe'.

You always need to consider the specific scoring model and not just FICO or FAKO. FICO doesn't have just one model and there isn't just one CRA used as a data source. See also the Understandting FICO Scoring subforum and its sitckies for info on the various FICO models.

It's not a matter of belief. It's a matter of relevance. What matters is the model & CRA used by a specific creditor/product. If, for example, a creditor is making a decision using a TU FICO 8 then only a TU FICO 8 will be relevant. Any other scores generated by other scoring models and/or based on other CRA data will not be relevant. This is an extremely common topic so don't overlook other discussions as resources as well.

@Anonymous wrote:
My have an american express card and and a citiband credit card. Both offer to show my FICO score.
The Amex website reports that as of 1/16 my FICO score was 739.
Citi's website says my score, as of 1/26,is 826.

Interestingly, in the sections where they note factors that could be affecting the score each site lists four entirely different 'reasons'.

Is this BS or do you find this to be legitimate?

Consider the models and CRA's. AmEx provides an EX FICO 8. Citi provides an EQ FICO 8 Bankcard. Your report data isn't necessarily the same with each CRA so it's certainly possible for reasons/factors to differ between EX and EQ -- and TU as well. You'd need to pull your reports with each CRA to confirm. We can't answer your question by looking at scores generated by two different scoring models based on different CRA's.

@Anonymous wrote:
I don't know enough about it.
It just says 'FICO'.

Can't speak to where you'd find the info on the Citi site but the model & CRA provided by Citi hav been discussed many times. Again, don't overlook other discussions.

As for AmEx, the page with the score states:

The FICO® Score we provide is the FICO® Score 8 based on data from Experian

@Anonymous wrote:
So...I though each credit bearau made up their own scoring, but FICO was consistent.
Clearly that's not the case either.

Scam much?

No, you don't understand what you're looking at. That doesn't make it a scam.

FICO doesn't have just one model. You cannot use the score generated by one model to determine a score generated by another model. You also cannot use a score generated using the data from one CRA to determine a score generated by another CRA.

Different models evaluate report data differently and can have different scoring ranges. Data can vary from CRA to CRA. Data can even vary with a given CRA as your report updates. Your report is not static. Any scoring model will use the data in a report to generate a score. Even if the scoring model and CRA are the same but scores are generated on different dates with significant enough data changes the scores can also differ.

You cannot simply assume that any FICO should be the same as any other FICO. The scoring model, the CRA and the report data itself (really, the last two points are redundant) all matter.

@Anonymous wrote:
So...when somebody says "waht's your FICO score?" is there one main correct number that people use?

You cannot rely on just one score. Creditors do not all use the same scoring model. For most models you have a score with each of the 3 major CRA's.

FICO 8 is the most commonly used model but it is not used for by all creidtors/products.

@Anonymous wrote:
One of my scores I see online is super, while the other is ok. It's just so odd.

Don't just focus on the numbers themselves. An 826 with a FICO 8 Bankcard is not an 826 with a FICO 8. They have different scoring ranges.

@Anonymous wrote:
Is there no consistency?

A given model is certainly consistent. However, you cannot assume that there is consistency between or among models. They don't have causal relationships. They evaulate report data differently. Two different models can coincidentally produce similar or even the same numbers in certain cases but remember that coincdiental and causal are not the same thing.

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 13:35:32 GMT

Thank you both for the additional information. I appreciate it.

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 18:21:21 GMT

Anyone know which one Discover uses when they report every month?

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Thomas_Thumb — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 18:38:39 GMT

Discover reports a Fico 08 Classic score (300 to 850) based on data in your TransUnion credit report.

Re: Different FICO Scores Viewed Through CC Websites

Broke_Triathlete — Sat, 20 Feb 2016 14:34:15 GMT

As I'm sure others have said it depends on which FICO model they are using. If one is using FICO 4 and one is using FICO 8 then the scores will almost certainly be different. You want to pay more attention to your FICO 8 scores because IIRC at this point in time it's the most widely used score for credit decisions.

Also if two CC's are using the same FICO score and they are different it is more than likely because they are pulled at different times during the month. For instance, say one card pulls your score prior to your due dates on your CC's and you're at 80% utilization. They you pay your cards down to 10% before the statements cut. Because of this you're going to see your scores rise. Then CC #2 pulls the score after your statement cuts and the CC's report to the bureaus to reflect your changes.

There will definitely be a difference in the scores even though they pull the same score, from the same model, and even in the SAME month.