FICO vs. Equifax FICO score

[Itsmeagain]

OK, here's my beef . . . . I belong to FICO "Score Watch" and have for two years.  I've managed to keep up with my score and change the settings each time the score changes so I will get an alert.  My current FICO score through ScoreWatch is 733 (just checked).

I also have Equifax "Gold" monitoring.  Today I had an occasion to speak with a CS rep. regarding another issue and he offered me the same Gold monitoring, only with a FREE FICO score and no change in cost (9.95/mo). I specifically asked if this would allow for daily pulls and he said "YES, and that includes a new FICO score every day if you want". So, I opt in for this free upgrade and he pulls my report and score while I'm online. 

Well, lo-&-behold my FICO score shows as being 739.  The LARGE letters specifically say "FICO SCORE".

So, if Equifax FICO shows 739 but FICO ScoreWatch shows 733, how is one to know his true FICO score??

[smallfry]

Go over both reports very carefully. Something has to be different. Same day and nothing at all is different? Make sure all your accounts balances opening dates are exactly the same. EQ is EQ.

[Itsmeagain]

Thanks Smallfry . . . but maybe I wasn't clear.  There was no new report from ScoreWath, just my daily monitoring service.  The point being that ScoreWatch hasn't changed . . . and it SHOULD have.

[smallfry]

You need to set the target score as your present score. It might be more helpful if you set the type of loan which would trigger an alert which is close to your present scoring band. For what you are paying for Scorewatch you might find it less frustrating to just buy a score once every quarter or every other month once you know all your accounts have reported for that month. If you have a pretty static report with no new accounts or changes in utilization your score will not change too frequently.

[Itsmeagain]

Thanks again Smallfry.  Once again, I wasn't clear in my OP.  I set the target score each time I get an alert.  It's just befuddling that the Equifax and FICO scores are different.  Like you said; "Equifax is Equifax".

Also; that's a good suggestion about buying a score now and then as opposed to the $90/yr. I'm currently paying for ScoreWatch.  My reports are squeaky-clean and I've seen very little change in the last six months.  I'm just waiting now for my new accounts to age past 1 yr. Of course, then they'll probably just re-bucket me and I'll be waiting for the next item that's preventing me from joining the 800 club.

I'm developing patience now.  I have come a long way and am enjoying the benefits of good credit.  I'm managing my accounts like a pro, (PIF before statement), and don't anticipate anything derrogotory in the foreseeable future.

Thanks for all you do.

[Anonymous]

Have you looked through the various ScoreWatch-related threads in the product feedback subforum? 

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/fico/board?board.id=myficoprod

I would bet that the score from Equifax is correct ...

[smallfry]

So would I. The Fico EQSW is probably a little stale. 

[Anonymous]

These discrepencies happen all the time and both sides will always claim they are correct but the fact is that they are giving you two different scores and there has to be a justification that makes sense.

[smallfry]

Assuming there are no differences in the reports it is probable that an account reached an anniversary thereby raising the score. An EQ score is an EQ score.

[haulingthescoreup]

OP, let us know about this FICO-score-every-time bit.

I have the standard EQ Credit Watch Gold (which I love), and when I saw the ad for the new product, I called and asked. They said it's a one-time EQ FICO and the rest is the standard daily full report pull.

Don't get me wrong, the full report thing is a great service, although it gets wonky like everything from EQ, but I was told that the FICO score won't refresh --it's just that initial one-time pull.