Credit Scores

[proudnavymom]

This has probably been asked before, but I'm not sure where to find it.  I subscribe to the credit monitoring service truecredit..com.   The credit scores that are listed there for me are different (higher) from the credit scores that are given when I go to apply for a car loan or any other kind of loan.  How can I find out my "real" credit scores that are submitted when I go to apply for a loan? I used to subscribe to the Bank of America credit monitoring service as that is where my checking account is and the credit scores displayed there were higher than truecredit, but again when I go to apply for a loan, the credit score given is lower.  Thanks.

[llecs]

Welcome to the forums!

The only place to get all 3 FICO scores together are via myFICO.com. There are a couple other places to get FICO scores, and those include Equifax.com for EQ only, transunioncs.com for TU, and PA State Employees Credit Union offers a FICO score for EX, I think (could be wrong, maybe EQ or TU).

Unless I am missing a source, any other site that offers credit scores do not offer FICO scores. These other sites (like TrueCredit or via BofA, PrivacyAssist I think is the name) offer FAKO scores or fake scores. No lenders use these scores and ignore them. Ignore the advice too. There's also no correlation to these scores. My FAKOs have gone up and FICOs down, and vice-versa.

Many lenders, my bank included, use a FICO score for loan products, including car loans, but many use an auto-enhanced score. In other words, car lenders will often use a version of the FICO score that targets your past auto-borrowing history and will weigh more on that vs. CCs. After you apply with the auto lender, you can ask for a copy of the score to see if it equals any of your FICO scores.

Check out Credit Scoring 101.