How is a FICO score different from the other scores I could get?

FICO is the Score that Counts

The FICO score is the only credit score you need to be concerned with for credit repair purposes, and virtually the only score used by lenders in making loan decisions. The credit bureaus sell FICO scores to lenders but not to consumers. Instead of selling FICO scores to consumers the bureaus sell their own scores which have very little resemblance to FICO scores; often differing by over 100 points.

The Credit Bureau Scores

Experian’s credit score is called the "plus score", while TransUnion’s is named the "TrueCredit" score. Both of these scores are sold aggressively via the bureau websites. Equifax is the exception to the no FICO rule; they sell a real FICO score on their website. Keep in mind that if you want to benchmark your credit repair progress or prepare for a loan application an Equifax FICO score only gets you one third of the information you need.

Getting Your Scores

You may get your FICO scores at MyFICO.com or through your friendly mortgage broker, who may be willing to share a copy of your report (three scores include) with you. If you purchase your FICO scores at MyFICO.com you will only be able to get two scores as Experian no longer allows any direct consumer access to its FICO scores.