Customer Service

Score Watch FAQs

Score Monitoring

Score Watch™ checks your score when there are key changes to your credit report or weekly if there are no changes.

You have two types of score monitoring preferences:

Score band monitoring - Equifax is provided with average interest rates received for various loans by FICO® score band. Score Watch will notify you when your score crosses into a new score band, changing the interest rate you are likely to qualify for on a certain type of loan. Mortgage is the loan type default for score band monitoring. You may change the type of loan to an auto or home equity loan.

Target score monitoring - You may set a target score and Score Watch will notify you if your score rises above, falls below, or reaches your target score.

There are 3 types of score alerts you may receive:

• FICO score band change alert
• Target Score Alerts
• Score change at the time you receive a credit alert, even if it does not meet a score alert preference you have set

Each time you receive a score alert Score Watch provides a description of why the change may have occurred and detailed information about what the new score means.

Credit Monitoring

Score Watch provides you the same credit monitoring features as Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold which includes notification of:

• Name change
• Change of address
• New credit inquiries
• New accounts
• Changes to existing accounts
• New or changes to public records
• New or changes to collection accounts

In addition to these standard alerts you have the following customizable credit alerts:

• Balance increase alert. You may set up your credit alert preferences to notify you when certain changes occur (by dollar amount or percentage) in the balances of your credit accounts. The default settings are a $200 balance change, or a 25% balance change.
• Dormant card alert. You may set up your alert preferences to notify you when a credit card is considered inactive, and you will then be notified if the card is utilized after such a period of inactivity. The default inactive card time period is 6 months.
• These alerts are triggered when balance increase or card utilization is reported to Equifax.

Score Trending

Score Watch™ tracks your score over time and lets you know where you stand relative to the FICO® score bands used to signal your score change alerts and any target score you have set. At the same time you can see the national average interest rates for the loan type you have selected by FICO score band.

What Your Score Means

Score Watch™ provides a detailed "Bottom Line" of what your most current score means - whether it came from an alert, or from a Score Power® report you accessed. This includes

• The Bottom Line - A summary of what your score means to lenders
• How Lenders See You - What the average delinquency rate is for people in specific score ranges
• Average Loan Rate Finder - A calculator that shows you the average interest rate for a variety of loans for your score band
• Credit Score Guidelines - To help you understand your credit score

Score Power Reports

At the time you enroll in Score Watch™ a Score Power® report is delivered to you. You can access this report from the Summary page or the Score Power left navigation option. You have one additional free Score Power you may use any time during your subscription, and discounts on additional Score Power reports purchased during your subscription.

How often is my score checked?

Score Watch™ checks to see if your score has changed each time there is a key change to your credit report, or weekly if there are no key changes to your credit report.

When am I alerted of a change in my credit score?

You will be notified when your score changes such that it would change the mortgage interest rate you may qualify for. This happens when your score changes from one FICO® score band to another. You may change this default alert preference to notify you for changes that would impact an auto or home equity loan instead of mortgage. In addition, you will be notified of your score each time there is a key change to your credit file. You also have the ability to set a target score and Score Watch™ will notify you if you rise above, fall below, or reach your target score.

How and why do I set a target score?

You may choose to set a target score if you are trying to reach a specific score to achieve a loan rate or credit offer. You can set a target score on your alert preferences page, or on the Score Watch™ summary page in the "Set your target score" tab. You may turn the target score on or off, or change it at any time. The new setting will be utilized within 24 hours.

How many Score Power reports do I receive with Score Watch™?

You receive one Score Power report immediately when you purchase Score Watch™, and one free Score Power for use later during the term of your Score Watch™ subscription. You then receive a discount on additional Score Power purchases made through your Score Watch™ product.

Can I monitor for changes in my score that affect the interest rate I may qualify for on more than one type of loan?

No, you are only able to monitor for changes associated with one type of loan at a time.

Will my Score Watch™ automatically renew?

Yes, Score Watch™ is a monthly subscription product with a three month minimum. You will be billed each month unless you contact us to cancel your subscription. If you cancel within the first three months, your cancellation will be effective at the end of the three months. You may also purchase 12 months of Score Watch™ service in advance, at a discounted price. If you elect this option, 30 days prior to the end of the 12 months you will be notified that you will automatically renew for another 12 months unless you notify the customer care center otherwise.

What's the difference between Score Watch™ and Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold?

Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold provides you identity theft protection with $20,000 identity theft insurance and unlimited access to your Equifax Credit Report™. Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold does not provide you with your credit score or score monitoring and tracking.

What alerts am I able to customize?

There are several alert preferences you may customize for Score Watch™ on My Alert Preferences, or on the Score Watch™ Summary page.

Score monitoring alerts

• Notification when your score changes such that it changes the interest rate you may qualify for on a certain type of loan. Mortgage is the loan type default. You may change the type of loan to an auto or home equity loan.
• You may set a target score as an alert preference and we will notify you if your score rises above, falls below, or reaches your target score

Credit monitoring alerts

• You may set up your alert preferences to notify you when certain changes occur (by dollar amount or percentage) in the balances of your credit accounts. The default settings are a $200 balance increase, or a 25% balance increase.
• You may set up your alert preferences to notify you when a credit card is considered inactive, and you will then be notified if the card is utilized after such a period of inactivity. The default inactive card time period is 6 months.
• These alerts are triggered when balance increases or card utilization is reported to Equifax.

Wireless alert delivery option

• You have an option to receive wireless alert notification in addition to email alert notification

What explanation do I receive for score changes?

When you receive a score change alert Score Watch™ provides an explanation with possible reasons for the change. In addition, whenever you access a Score Power report or have a score change alert the Score Watch™ section "What your score means" will be updated with your new score and an explanation of what the score means and how lenders view you.