Great posting, JM!
Just want to add this about FICO scores - pull them from here. If you go to Equifax, you have to watch your steps very carefully. I get Equifax FAKO scores from their site - they're many many points off of my Equifax FICO.
OP - don't worry. be happy. Your mortgage lender will never see your FAKO scores from any of those services. They'll just see the real FICO score. And as JM said, maybe take the time to pull at least one true FICO score (it's good to know where you really stand and why - especially if you're mortgage-bound) and keep coming back for more helpful info and guidance along with solid answers to your questions.
And, I have to say, this is one reason (and a BIG one at that) that FAKO scores are what they are. They're fake. They're intended to appear to consumers to be FICO scores and as such, they cause all sorts of problems. Consternation is one thing. The original poster here is obviously distraught. But it's worse when folks make decisions based on FAKO information that can impact them negatively - and that happens frequently as well. And don't even get me started on taking money from folks who are hoping to see their FICO scores and providing them with something else. I know the other consumer scoring services are businesses and they're in it to make a buck, but this post is a prime example of why we differentiate between FICO's and FAKO's on these boards - and why it matters to consumers.
