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Credit Advice
Topics addressed on September 26, 2012:
Declined loan because credit score cannot be calculated
Dear Experian,
I am trying to get a loan and am being denied because your company won’t list a score on me. Why?
- LRT
Dear LRT,
Credit reporting companies don’t “list” credit scores. Instead, credit scores are calculated at the moment your credit report is requested by a lender using the scoring model selected by that lender. So, the question more accurately is, why can’t a credit score be calculated? There are several possibilities.
A credit score can’t be calculated until you have a credit report, and you don’t have a credit report until you have a credit account reported in your name. To find out if you have a credit history, request a free copy at www.annualcreditreport.com. You might also be able to get a free copy because adverse action has been taken. Your lender should provide an adverse action notice with instructions to do so.
Typically, for many scoring models you need to have an open and active account reported for at least six months before a credit score can be calculated. If a VantageScore model is used, it can calculate a score with less history.
If you have ordered a copy of your credit report directly from Experian and you see that there is credit history being reported, you can attempt to purchase a credit score yourself. If a score cannot be calculated for you, a reason will be provided.
Thanks for asking.
- The "Ask Experian" team