On Tuesday afternoon, consumers took to Twitter to express their frustration over their credit scores on Credit Karma, the personal finance company owned by Intuit.
The issue for most wasn't that the credit scores they were finding on the Credit Karma website were low—rather they were too high.
Consumers tweeted about going to apply for a credit card or loan thinking they have good or excellent credit, only to soon find that the credit score that the card issuer or lender pulled was lower than what they saw on Credit Karma.
The specific tweet that started off the conversation can be found here. Twitter users were quick to follow up and joke about how inflated their credit scores looked on Credit Karma.
But they were on to something important when it comes to checking your credit score.
Below, CNBC Select breaks down why you can expect your credit scores to differ, depending on where you check them.
Why your Credit Karma credit score differs
There are multiple reasons why your credit score differs between what a personal finance website tells you and what your credit card company or a prospective lender find.
This is mainly because of two reasons: For one, lenders may pull your credit from different credit bureaus, whether it is Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. Your score can then differ based on what bureau your credit report is pulled from since they don't all receive the same information about your credit accounts. Secondly, different credit score models (and versions) exist across the board.
As it states on its website, Credit Karma uses the VantageScore® 3.0 model. VantageScore may look at the same factors that the other popular FICO scoring model does, such as your payment history, your amounts owed, your length of credit history, your new credit and your credit mix, but each scoring model weighs these factors differently.
For this reason, VantageScore and FICO® Scores tend to vary from one another. Your VantageScore® 3.0 on Credit Karma will likely be different from your FICO Score that lenders often use.
If you plan on applying for credit, make sure to check your FICO Score since there's a good chance lenders will use it to determine your creditworthiness. FICO Scores are used in over 90% of U.S. lending decisions.
Take note of the FICO Score version you look at as well. The FICO® Score 8 is widely-used and can help you gauge which credit cards you qualify for. But there are also industry-specific FICO Scores to use when you are planning a certain purchase. For example, FICO® Auto Scores are ideal if you want to finance a car with an auto loan, while it's good to check FICO® Scores 2, 5 and 4 if you plan tobuy a house. Check out the full list of FICO's score versions for different financial products here.
How to check your FICO Score for free
*Results may vary. Some may not see improved scores or approval odds. Not all lenders use Experian credit files, and not all lenders use scores impacted by Experian Boost.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
FAQs
On Tuesday afternoon, consumers took to Twitter to express their frustration over their credit scores on Credit Karma, the personal finance company owned by Intuit. The issue for most wasn't that the credit scores they were finding on the Credit Karma website were low—rather they were too high.
What is the Credit Karma controversy? ›
In September 2022, the FTC announced an enforcement action against Credit Karma, alleging that the company used claims that consumers were “pre-approved” for a credit card or had “90% odds” of approval to entice them to apply for offers that, in many instances, they did not qualify for.
How accurate is Credit Karma's credit score? ›
Credit Karma uses two of the three major credit bureaus and scores your creditworthiness according to the widely used (but not quite as widely used as FICO) VantageScore system. Your score should be within the same range as it is everywhere else, including with the major credit bureaus and its many competitors.
Why is my FICO Score 100 points lower than Credit Karma? ›
Your FICO Score is a credit score. But if your FICO score is different from another of your credit scores, it may be that the score you're viewing was calculated using one of the other scoring models that exist.
Why did Credit Karma score go down? ›
Here are some reasons a score can drop: Using more of your available credit. Missing a payment on one of your credit accounts. Age of credit history shortened.
Who is suing Credit Karma? ›
The FTC alleged that many people who got “pre-approved” credit offers from Credit Karma were not approved. As a result, they wasted time applying and sometimes saw their credit scores drop when their applications were denied.
Is there a risk to using Credit Karma? ›
Credit Karma goes the extra mile when it comes to the safe-keeping of our members' personal information. We use 128-bit or higher encryption to protect during the transmission of data to our site and encrypt data at rest. If we suspect any suspicious activity on your account then we'll alert you as soon as possible.
Should I trust Credit Karma or FICO? ›
Neither type of credit score is inherently better than the other, and most lenders apply proprietary modifications to whatever scores they use anyway. That means you don't need to seek out a particular Vantage score or FICO score because you won't find the exact score you're being judged with regardless.
Who gives the most accurate credit score? ›
The primary credit scoring models are FICO® and VantageScore®, and both are equally accurate. Although both are accurate, most lenders are looking at your FICO score when you apply for a loan.
What is the most damaging to a credit score? ›
5 Things That May Hurt Your Credit Scores
- Making a late payment.
- Having a high debt to credit utilization ratio.
- Applying for a lot of credit at once.
- Closing a credit card account.
- Stopping your credit-related activities for an extended period.
For a conventional mortgage in California, you typically need a minimum score of at least 600. If you qualify for certain government-backed loans, however, you may be able to buy a home with a score as low as 500.
Is a FICO score of 8 good or bad? ›
FICO 8 scores range between 300 and 850. A FICO score of at least 700 is considered a good score. There are also industry-specific versions of credit scores that businesses use. For example, the FICO Bankcard Score 8 is the most widely used score when you apply for a new credit card or a credit-limit increase.
What is the true FICO score? ›
A true FICO score ranges between 300–850 and gets calculated using only information in a consumer's credit report maintained by the three main credit bureaus— Experian™, Equifax® and TransUnion®. To receive a FICO Score, you must have a credit account at least 6 months old and activity during the past 6 months.
Why is my credit score going down if I pay everything on time? ›
It's possible that you could see your credit scores drop after fulfilling your payment obligations on a loan or credit card debt. Paying off debt might lower your credit scores if removing the debt affects certain factors like your credit mix, the length of your credit history or your credit utilization ratio.
Why is my FICO so different from Credit Karma? ›
Credit Karma uses a different scoring system than the one mortgage lenders use. There are two main scoring systems: FICO – it was created in the 1950s and is used by mortgage lenders. VantageScore – it began in 2006 and is what Credit Karma uses.
How far off is Credit Karma? ›
They may differ by 20 to 25 points, and in some cases even more. When Credit Karma users see their credit score details, they are viewing a VantageScore, not the FICO score that the majority of lenders use. A VantageScore has the same credit score range as FICO, and uses some of the same information as a FICO score.
Why was Credit Karma sued? ›
The settlement stems from a September 2022 FTC investigation into Credit Karma's alleged use of claims that people were pre-approved and had "90% odds" of approval. The claims were made in an effort to entice people to apply for offers that in many cases they did not qualify for, the FTC said.
Why is Credit Karma always wrong? ›
You have many different credit scores, so some of your credit scores might be higher than the TransUnion and Equifax scores you see on Credit Karma, while others might be lower.
Has Credit Karma ever been sued? ›
The Federal Trade Commission has started the compensation process in a $3 million settlement with Credit Karma, which the agency alleges deceived customers about being approved for credit cards.
What did Credit Karma do? ›
Created in 2007, Credit Karma is a company best known for giving free access to credit scores and credit reports. They're owned by Intuit—the same company over TurboTax, QuickBooks and (formerly) Mint. But don't let those recognizable names fool you. Credit Karma doesn't help you manage your money better.
