Experian FICO vs FAKO

[bichonmom]

Since it's so difficult for us to get our EX FICO scores, I was wondering if some people who have seen both (either recently or in the past) could give a comparison between them.

I'm just wondering, for example, if they tend to be pretty close, or if one tends to be higher or lower than the other. I know everyone's going to be a little different; I was just wondering if there was a trend that might make it easier to have at least some idea of my EX FICO based on knowing my EX FAKO.

Thanks!

[MarineVietVet]

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@bichonmom wrote:

Since it's so difficult for us to get our EX FICO scores, I was wondering if some people who have seen both (either recently or in the past) could give a comparison between them.

I'm just wondering, for example, if they tend to be pretty close, or if one tends to be higher or lower than the other. I know everyone's going to be a little different; I was just wondering if there was a trend that might make it easier to have at least some idea of my EX FICO based on knowing my EX FAKO.

Thanks!

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There is absolutely no correlation between the two. There is no formula to convert one to the other. Some people say their FAKO's are higher than FICO's; some say their FICO's are higher, etc. etc. The two scores simply are not comparable. Period.

You're better off not thinking about this.    Just remember that NO FAKO score (EX, TU, or EQ) is reliable.

From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".

[bichonmom]

Okay. Good to know. Thank you!

[llecs]

As an example, DW and I recently got a mortgage. As a result, we knew her EX FICO and on the same day, she pulled her creditchecktotal report. They use a FAKO called a PLUS score. Her EX PLUS score was just over 100 points higher than her EX FICO. Conversely, her TU FICO ('04) was just over 70 points higher than her TU FAKO via that same site. Her EQ FICO and EQ PLUS were fairly close within 10. Had we relied on that FAKO, we would have been in shock and in the end her mid score was higher than what was reported with a FAKO. There are a few examples in here of folks delaying a mortgage because the FAKO they pulled was bad only to discover later that their FICOs were much, much higher.

[Anonymous]

I'll add my data points to llec's. 

I was pulling FAKO scores when we did our mortgage app. That allowed us to compare all three FAKO and FICO scores for both DH and I - so six scores altogether. I also subscribe to ScoreWatch and get FICO EQ score updates that I compare with my ongoing FAKO scores.

When we compared scores, they were all over the place. DH's FAKO EX score was his highest, his FICO EX score was his lowest. Mine was converse; my FAKO EXP score was my lowest and my FICO EXP score was high.

DH's FAKO score range between the three CRA's is less than 10 points. His FICO scores cover an almost 90 point range.

When companring FICO to FAKO, some of our scores were relatively close, some were 100 points off.

When my FICO went up, my FAKO did't. When my FAKO went up, my FICO went down. No pattern. No nothin'.

"The truth is, only Fair Isaac knows how FICO scores are calculated, and their formula is kept very secret. Other credit scores can sometimes come close to the mark, but they can be off by as much as 100 points either way. This is important because lenders don't use FAKO scores; they almost always use FICO. So it does you no good to know a score that a) isn't correct, b) won't be considered by lenders."

Because FAKO's are not designed to mirror FICO - but are designed as consumer tools, they can (and do) have differing criteria. That is also why the advice given along with FAKO scores is faulty when applied to FICO scoring. Following FAKO advice can, and does, lower FICO scores.

Hope that's helpful!

[bichonmom]

Thank you for the replies! It's interesting that advice that raises your FAKO actually lowers your FICO! Gosh, this is SO confusing! I just hope my EX FICO is more that my FAKO because my EX FAKO is the lowest of all my scores, and 100 pts lower than my TU FICO (fm myfico.com).