HI, I have noticed that if I pull all three reports from one CRA, the information provided often varies from CRA to CRA. For example, Equifax tells me I have several paid accounts. However, when I look at Equifax through Transunion's True Credit web site, I see a different picture on my Equifax report, including some derogatory stuff. The difference is that Equifax tells me I have a 644, and TransUnion reports Equifax as 579 --- that's quite a difference! Question: Does this need to be pursued somehow? It's hard enough to get each CRA to report accurately, let alone make sure they are reporting each other correctly. Also, which of the three CRAs offers the best picture of the others?
3 in one reports change the report data for readability. The only TRUE wy to know who is really reporting what, is to get the OFFICIAL HARD COPY of your creit reports. Even the online copies from the CRAs own site, may have changed information from the printed report. Any scores except for TRUE FICOS from FICO are approximate. One CRA is guessing at the scores that the other CRAs data results in. The tri-merge reports are only for CONSUMER convenience; nothing more... Just because the tri-merge has the 'brand' of a CRA does not make that report any more official...
Credit reports are collections of data, all individual and unique, based on collection points and sources, data input, human error, customer accounts between furnishers and CRA's, and many other variables. I am more surprised when three CRA's report the same thing than I am when they report different account balances, limits, status, etc. Differences are part of data, and credit reports are all data. If they were all identical the industry would have only one of them.
