There are so many offers for credit scores. You see them everywhere you look: on TV, in magazines and all over the internet. Of course, all of them say they have the best way to get credit score. But which of them can you trust? Is there a catch to the ones that say they are free? Those are the easy questions. The crucial question is usually not even considered. The question is: Which credit score are you getting?

Your credit score is based on the details that are in your credit report. Every item on your report is given a number. The number is added to your score if it's a positive item like an account in good standing, or subtracted if it's a negative item like a late payment. The businesses that sell credit scores use various methods to calculate your score. Every method can assign a different number for each of the items on your report, so of course they will come up with a completely different score.

The best credit score to get is the same one that your lenders get. About 90% of lenders get FICO scores when they're evaluating applications for mortgages, loans and credit cards. By looking at your FICO score, you see the same score that your lenders will most likely see. Your FICO score is determined using a method which can only be used by FICO. Businesses that can't use the FICO method made up their own methods in order to compete with FICO. These other methods can only give you an estimated FICO score.

You need to look at the fine print in the ad to tell which credit score they are offering. FreeCreditScore.com and CreditScore.com both say their score is €€Calculated on the PLUS Score model€¦ and is not the score used by lenders€. FreeScoresOnline.com says €any credit scores provided to you€¦are not FICO scores€. I could give many more examples of these disclaimers, but you get the idea. They're not offering you your FICO score. They're not going to give the exact same score that lenders will see. Don't waste your time and money getting the wrong score.

The best way to get credit score is to order it directly from FICO at myfico.com. They provide a 10-day free trial of their Score Watch service. With the trial, you'll receive your Equifax credit report in addition to your FICO score. Just make sure you cancel before the ten days is up or you will be billed for three months of the service for $14.95 per month. One more way to get your FICO score is to simply pay a one-time charge of $19.95. You will also get your TransUnion and Equifax credit reports with this option. You can always get a free copy credit report without doing this, but to get your score you need to go through FICO or one of the other companies.

I'm not an employee of FICO and they don't give me any compensation for recommending them. It is just my opinion that this is the best way to get credit score.