Kohl's credit card application vs Experian credit scores

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I recently applied for a Kohl's credit card. I was told that my application could not be processed and that I would receive further information via mail in 10 days. The letter came today, and my Experian credit file was pulled. Kohl's stated my score was 498 (ouch!) This did not seem right at all so I enrolled with Experian's CreditWorks. I was given my updated credit scores (all 3 bureaus). My Experian score (through the Experian membership) is 583. Still very low, but a lot higher than 498! How/why is there such a difference with the Kohl's denial letter vs. the Experian updated score?

Thanks to all who respond

[KLEXH25]

Experian gives you a number of other scores (such as auto, mortgage, bank card)...do any of these other scores match?

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the reply. I just checked my other Experian scores. They range from 557-637. Seriously confused by the Kohl's number. 498 is still ways off of even 557.

[Brian_Earl_Spilner]

Are you sure it qouted your FICO and not VantageScore?

[Anonymous]

Experian membership is giving FICO scores. The Kohl's letter is stating score ranges of 300-850 and that they obtained the information from Experian. Would a VantageScore vs. FICO really be a difference of 85 points?

[KLEXH25]

Ahhhh! That’s very possible. We always assume a lender uses Fico but it could be Vantage or some other scale. And to answer your question, absolutely. My Vantage scores tanked by almost 70 points because I had one card with a temporarily high utilization (65.8% for all of one day) whereas my Fico’s barely moved. Another time my Fico lost 20 points because I had 0% utilization across the board but my Vantage went up. They score and weigh things very differently.

[Anonymous]

Well, that's a bummer. I am (obviously) attempting to rebuild my credit. I was approved for a few other cards - Capital One, Target and Mission Lane. I don't know whether these lenders used VantageScore or FICO. But, due to being approved by all three, I highly doubt it was whichever was used that returned the awful 498 score. Work is to be done! And that's one cute pup!