Most credit card companies will let you change their card’s monthly due date. Doing so may help you spread your expenses more evenly within each month. Just remember, if you end up calling in and getting your monthly due date changed, take note of it so you don’t forget and miss a payment! Also, changing the credit card’s monthly due date may only be allowed once during a specific period of time.
Protect Yourself at the Pump
Criminals can install theft devices on top of gas station payment machines to steal your credit card information. To help reduce your risk, choose pumps closer to the gas station’s convenience store and check the machine for anything out of the ordinary before putting your card in.
What’s a foreign transaction fee?
Some credit cards charge a fee (typically between 1% and 3%) for every purchase someone makes in a foreign country or through a bank based abroad. If you’re shopping for a new credit card, you may want to consider which ones have foreign transaction fees and which ones don’t, especially if you travel abroad.
Why do I need three credit scores?
There are three national credit bureaus that collect information about you, and they obtain credit data independently. So while you might assume that your three credit reports and credit scores look exactly alike, they can actually differ significantly.
Quick answer: You have three credit scores because three separate national credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — each collect your credit information independently. Lenders don’t all report to every bureau, so your three credit reports (and the scores calculated from them) can differ by 20–100 points or more. Checking all three gives you the complete picture lenders actually see.
The Three National Credit Bureaus at a Glance
| Credit Bureau | Founded | Headquarters | Primary Score Model Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equifax | 1899 | Atlanta, GA | FICO Score 8 / VantageScore 3.0 |
| Experian | 1996 | Dublin, Ireland (US HQ: Costa Mesa, CA) | FICO Score 8 / VantageScore 3.0 |
| TransUnion | 1968 | Chicago, IL | FICO Score 8 / VantageScore 3.0 |
Each bureau is a separate, for-profit private company. They are not connected to the government, and they do not share data with each other in real time.
Why Your Three Credit Scores Are Different
Your three credit scores almost never match exactly. Here’s why:
1. Not every lender reports to all three bureaus
Some creditors report only to one or two bureaus to save on reporting fees. A credit card, auto loan, or collection account may appear on your Equifax report but be missing from your TransUnion report.
2. Bureaus update at different times
One bureau may receive your latest payment update on the 1st of the month, another on the 15th. That timing gap alone can create score differences.
3. Each bureau uses its own data
If a creditor makes an error on one report, it won’t automatically be corrected on the other two. You have to dispute it with each bureau separately.
4. Different scoring models produce different numbers
Even with identical data, FICO 8, FICO 9, and VantageScore 3.0 weight factors differently and can produce different scores from the same report.
How Lenders Actually Use Your Three Scores
Different industries pull from different bureaus — and they treat your scores differently depending on the loan type.
| Loan Type | What Lenders Typically Use |
|---|---|
| Mortgage | All three scores pulled → middle score is used (or lower of two borrowers’ middle scores) |
| Auto loan | Often uses an auto-specific FICO Score, usually from Experian or Equifax |
| Credit card | Usually pulls one bureau — varies by issuer |
| Personal loan | Typically one bureau, often FICO 8 or VantageScore |
| Apartment rental | Most commonly TransUnion or Experian |
This is why a single score isn’t enough. If you only check one, you may be blindsided at the lender’s desk.
What Happens If You Only Monitor One Credit Score?
You risk three serious blind spots:
- Missed errors. Studies by the FTC have found that roughly 1 in 5 consumers has an error on at least one credit report. If the error sits on the report you never check, it keeps hurting you.
- Undetected identity theft. Fraudulent accounts may appear on only one bureau’s report first. Monitoring all three catches fraud faster.
- Surprise denials. You might have a solid 720 on Experian — but a 640 on the bureau your mortgage lender actually pulls.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I check my three credit scores?
At minimum, once per quarter. Before any major loan application (mortgage, auto, business loan), pull all three at least 3–6 months in advance so you have time to dispute errors.
Is it free to get all three credit reports?
Yes. Under federal law, you can request a free credit report from each bureau every week at AnnualCreditReport.com. Free reports do not include your scores, but they show the underlying data.
Why did my credit score drop on only one bureau?
Typically because a new account, inquiry, or late payment was reported to that bureau but not the others, or because the reporting timing differs between bureaus.
Which of my three credit scores is the “real” one?
There is no single “real” score. The score that matters is the one the lender you’re applying to actually pulls. That’s why checking all three matters.
Can I fix errors on all three reports at once?
No. Each bureau must be disputed separately. This is one of the most time-consuming parts of credit repair — and where a licensed credit repair company can save you weeks of work.
Get Your Three Credit Scores Reviewed by Professionals
At Fast Credit Solutions (FCS, LLC) — a licensed and bonded credit repair company (LIC# 2000011-255) — we pull and analyze all three of your credit reports, identify errors and negative items across every bureau, and dispute them on your behalf.