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Credit Bureau Info:

Experian: 800-493-1058 With A Report Number

Experian: 714-830-7000 (Without A Report Number) Call and Press 0. You will get connected to the switchboard operator. Tell them you just called in and entered your report number and the automated system disconnected you. Ask them if they can get a human on the line for disputes. That's the only way you'll be able to get through to a live person at Experian without a Report Number.

Equifax: 800-846-5279

TransUnion: 800-916-8800


Comparison between FAKO from Credit karma and FICO from Barclays and Citi.


Cards that give you free monthly FICO's


AMEX personal cards = EX 08 Switched to FAKO (VantageScore 3.0)
Chase Slate = EX (either 08 or Bankcard enhanced)
PSECU = EX 04

Citi branded cards = EQ 08 Bankcard enhanced
Citi AA = EQ bankcard enhanced
DCU= EQ 04
PenFed = EQ NextGen
Elements Financial (Credit Union, score available for without opening CC) = EQ 5

Barclays = TU 08
Discover it = TU 08
Walmart (store or MC) = TU 08
« Last edited by Lev26 on April 13, 2022, 02:28:07 AM »

Author Topic: credit score  (Read 809289 times)

Offline Eli

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Re: credit score
« Reply #20 on: June 08, 2008, 01:47:33 AM »
What's your credit score, Dan? The man with hundreds of credit cards and many of them closed after one year.
-Eli

Offline Chaim171

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Re: credit score
« Reply #21 on: June 11, 2008, 03:25:00 AM »
I don't know about AMEX, but Citi's identity monitor's 3 fico scores are the real deal.
Yes, I've gotten the free month at least 6 times already.
Dan, with all the due respect, I dare to disagree - Neither AmEx CreditSecure, nor CitiIdentity Monitor are providing true FICO Scores!!! The scores you're getting are known as "FACOs" as opposed to real FICO Scores (Fair Isaac & Company). In case of AmEx, it clearly states the Scores provided are "PLUS Score as developed by Experian". The giveaway sign is the Score Range: 350 - 850; FICO's range is from 300 thru 850.
I have a WaMu (formerly Providian) card that gives me my monthly score, I'm not sure how accurate it is, it fluctuates quite a bit.
As for WaMu, yes, they indeed provide true FICO Score based on Trans Union report, however, you never know with accuracy the date report was pulled!!!
Im not sure about Citi Monitor or the Amex thing, but I can personally attest to the fact that FreeCreditRepot.com does very often give inaccurate credit scores (I have never actually seen them give the correct ones- theres are usually a bit higher that your actual scores).

I have seen this with other consumer services as well including TrueCredit.com (not so true apparently).

The ONLY service that I have seen that will give you your Real score is MyFico.com. That is why I advertise it on my website.
Either way, the scores they give you will be the exact same scores as if run by a bank such as myself.
CharlesLight, I happen to agree with you 100% regarding FreeCreditReport.com - It's a total waste of time. But then again, you get what you pay for... As for True Credit though, I believe it's a good product despite the fact it also provides "FACO" Scores. The major advantage is that it allows you to update all three Reports & Scores every 24-Hours so if you do it over some time period you get a fairly accurate feel where your scores are headed.
But, if you're really need to know your FICO Scores, (when applying for mortgage for example), other than MyFICO.com only Equifax will sell you true FICO Scores.

Offline Yitzter

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Re: credit score
« Reply #22 on: June 11, 2008, 03:37:14 AM »
Dan, with all the due respect, I dare to disagree - Neither AmEx CreditSecure, nor CitiIdentity Monitor are providing true FICO Scores!!! The scores you're getting are known as "FACOs" as opposed to real FICO Scores (Fair Isaac & Company). In case of AmEx, it clearly states the Scores provided are "PLUS Score as developed by Experian". The giveaway sign is the Score Range: 350 - 850; FICO's range is from 300 thru 850.As for WaMu, yes, they indeed provide true FICO Score based on Trans Union report, however, you never know with accuracy the date report was pulled!!! CharlesLight, I happen to agree with you 100% regarding FreeCreditReport.com - It's a total waste of time. But then again, you get what you pay for... As for True Credit though, I believe it's a good product despite the fact it also provides "FACO" Scores. The major advantage is that it allows you to update all three Reports & Scores every 24-Hours so if you do it over some time period you get a fairly accurate feel where your scores are headed.
But, if you're really need to know your FICO Scores, (when applying for mortgage for example), other than MyFICO.com only Equifax will sell you true FICO Scores.

And you know all this, how?
"There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things

Offline coralsnake

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Re: credit score
« Reply #23 on: June 15, 2008, 10:05:23 PM »
I'm sure our good friend Charles can weigh in and tell us what score is required to get the best rates on a loan, but I would venture to say that 770 would qualify.
And so I can  ;)

Although it really differs from lender to lender, and there are some lenders out there that will give you some 'extra credit' for having a really high score, the general rule is that everything over 750 is all the same.

Some people are very proud of themselves for having 800 scores. But I have never seen any financial institution look at an 800 better than a 770.
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline MOSES

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Re: credit score
« Reply #24 on: January 05, 2010, 09:52:50 PM »
I have been using credit secure.
does anyone have any experience using it, and using the other ones?
Which one is the best out there, especially because they all charge around the same price!!!

Offline Chaim171

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Re: credit score
« Reply #25 on: January 06, 2010, 11:08:38 PM »
I have been using credit secure.
does anyone have any experience using it, and using the other ones?
Which one is the best out there, especially because they all charge around the same price!!!
From my personal experience, and I've tried most of the services, CreditSecure from AmEx & its' twin, Credit Check Total are Experian products. The service is very reliable and simple to understand, but, the scores you're getting are what is called "FAKOs" as opposed to "FICO". If you're looking for your true FICO Scores - the same scores the creditors see when they pull your report, you would have to go to MyFICO.com or Equifax. No matter which service you use, though, no service will give you your Experian FICO Score!!! That's because for the past nine or so months, Experian & Fair Isaac & Co. are fighting with each other.
There's another major advantage in using CreditSecure & CreditCheckTotal in that these are the only services that will allow you to pull a report every 24-hours. This is a must if you're trying to do some "Bumpage"!!!
One additional note. CreditCheckTotal is a little pricey at $29.95 per month, but, if you call and haggle a bit you  won't have a problem lowering the price to $19.95. Hope this helps.

Offline MOSES

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Re: credit score
« Reply #26 on: January 07, 2010, 07:51:43 AM »
From my personal experience, and I've tried most of the services, CreditSecure from AmEx & its' twin, Credit Check Total are Experian products. The service is very reliable and simple to understand, but, the scores you're getting are what is called "FAKOs" as opposed to "FICO". If you're looking for your true FICO Scores - the same scores the creditors see when they pull your report, you would have to go to MyFICO.com or Equifax. No matter which service you use, though, no service will give you your Experian FICO Score!!! That's because for the past nine or so months, Experian & Fair Isaac & Co. are fighting with each other.
There's another major advantage in using CreditSecure & CreditCheckTotal in that these are the only services that will allow you to pull a report every 24-hours. This is a must if you're trying to do some "Bumpage"!!!
One additional note. CreditCheckTotal is a little pricey at $29.95 per month, but, if you call and haggle a bit you  won't have a problem lowering the price to $19.95. Hope this helps.
I just signed up for city monitor and the scores are different that those of credit secure, lol. What do you mean "Bumpage"?? I also noticed (like you mentioned) that amex lets you pull the report once a day and city only lets you once every thirty days.
myfico is only 10,00 a month but it only lets you pull your report once a year?????

Offline mancunian

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Re: credit score
« Reply #27 on: January 07, 2010, 03:57:33 PM »
From my personal experience, and I've tried most of the services, CreditSecure from AmEx & its' twin, Credit Check Total are Experian products. The service is very reliable and simple to understand, but, the scores you're getting are what is called "FAKOs" as opposed to "FICO". If you're looking for your true FICO Scores - the same scores the creditors see when they pull your report, you would have to go to MyFICO.com or Equifax. No matter which service you use, though, no service will give you your Experian FICO Score!!! That's because for the past nine or so months, Experian & Fair Isaac & Co. are fighting with each other.
There's another major advantage in using CreditSecure & CreditCheckTotal in that these are the only services that will allow you to pull a report every 24-hours. This is a must if you're trying to do some "Bumpage"!!!
One additional note. CreditCheckTotal is a little pricey at $29.95 per month, but, if you call and haggle a bit you  won't have a problem lowering the price to $19.95. Hope this helps.

ive been using equifax, i think they just switched me to $100 a year, they give real fico scores, at least thats what they advertise, and yes i pull a report every day. I think i might pay more for the reports, its a different product.

Offline Smirk

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Re: credit score
« Reply #28 on: May 26, 2010, 12:57:37 PM »
if i have a credit score now of say 700 and last month it was 650, when credit card companies check do they only see that 700 and base an answer on that or past score matters? (not having any negatives on report it was just low because of "high usage of revolving credit line)

Offline kc1544

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Re: credit score
« Reply #29 on: May 26, 2010, 05:48:43 PM »
whats the deal with checking you credit score effecting your score. i have heard conflicting reports. some say that looking at your score effects it negativley. others say its not so. anyone know?

Offline Dan

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Re: credit score
« Reply #30 on: May 26, 2010, 06:13:36 PM »
whats the deal with checking you credit score effecting your score. i have heard conflicting reports. some say that looking at your score effects it negativley. others say its not so. anyone know?
Checking your own score has no effect on your score.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Smirk

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Re: credit score
« Reply #31 on: June 04, 2010, 01:56:32 PM »
Checking your own score has no effect on your score.
but all the credit inquiries you do in order to churn affect it no?

Offline aussiebochur

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Re: credit score
« Reply #32 on: June 04, 2010, 02:08:47 PM »
but all the credit inquiries you do in order to churn affect it no?
If you check your credit score it has no effect on your credit score.
When you apply for a credit card, the "inquiry" deducts 2-5 points from your credit score.

Offline Smirk

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Re: credit score
« Reply #33 on: June 04, 2010, 02:20:05 PM »
I have a lot of inquiries, and way to get them off?

Offline Avid Reader

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Re: credit score
« Reply #34 on: June 04, 2010, 03:54:14 PM »
I have a lot of inquiries, and way to get them off?

Bumpage. Basically you check your credit reports every day and after some time the inquiry falls off. This has something to do with the CR only being able to contain a limited amount of inquires so once you overload it with you own inquiries, the real ones fall off.

Offline Smirk

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Re: credit score
« Reply #35 on: June 04, 2010, 04:15:42 PM »
Interesting idea but a. Doesn't checking your own score not count as a inquiry
b. If it does it'll still be a inquiry, are you saying the cc companies actually look at each inquiry in specific as opposed to just looking at total # of them?

Offline Smirk

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Re: credit score
« Reply #36 on: June 04, 2010, 04:59:56 PM »
I read a bit and this works if you do it for 50-100 times, and not always does it work and it for sure doesn't work with experian, I have heard amex check experian, can anyone confirm this?

Offline sprint

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Re: credit score
« Reply #37 on: June 04, 2010, 05:09:37 PM »
amex generally checks experian, for both new accounts, and frequently for increases in credit as well. You can request that they not do a hard check when requesting a CL increase and they will frequently be able to help u using their soft checks + your account info - without doing a hard check.

Offline Avid Reader

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Re: credit score
« Reply #38 on: June 04, 2010, 05:45:52 PM »
Interesting idea but a. Doesn't checking your own score not count as a inquiry
b. If it does it'll still be a inquiry, are you saying the cc companies actually look at each inquiry in specific as opposed to just looking at total # of them?

Checking you own CR shows up on your CR as an inquiry in a separate section only for you to see, not for companies pulling your report. It does not lower your score. On the other hand they are bunched together with the real inquiries so when you do enough of your own, the real ones fall off. This is unofficial and so YMMV.

Offline Chaikel

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Re: credit score
« Reply #39 on: June 05, 2010, 02:00:07 PM »
FYI. In general once you have (or possibly, even have had) an account with a particular institution, they will generally only do a soft check, even when applying for new/different cards. Hence Dan probably doesn't have more than 2 checks (if that) in the past 2 years.
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