Vantage Score Exposed

In this video, we’re going to tackle one of the most confusing and misunderstood topics: credit scores. Many people check their scores on apps like Credit Karma or even directly with credit bureaus like TransUnion or Equifax—only to later discover a major difference when applying for a loan.

For example, you might see a 750 credit score on Credit Karma, but when you apply for a mortgage, your lender tells you your score is 150 points lower—a shocking and frustrating experience that happens every day.

By the end of this video, you’ll know exactly where to check your real credit scores—the ones lenders actually use—so you can avoid surprises and position yourself strategically before applying for credit.

The Biggest Credit Score Misconception

There is No Single Credit Score

Many people assume there’s just one universal credit score, but in reality, there are many different versions, and only a few actually matter.

Each type of lender uses a transaction-specific credit score:
✔ Auto lenders use a specialized auto version of your credit score.
✔ Credit card companies use a credit card-specific score.
✔ Mortgage lenders use a mortgage-specific version of your credit score.

The problem? Consumers never get free access to these transaction-specific scores. Instead, they are typically given VantageScore 3.0, which is not used by most major lenders.

Why Credit Karma’s Score is So Different

When you check your score on Credit Karma, you’re seeing VantageScore 3.0—not your actual mortgage or auto lending score.

What is VantageScore 3.0?

✔ Created by the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) after a dispute over royalties with FICO.
✔ Rarely used by major lenders—mortgage and auto lenders almost always rely on FICO scores instead.
✔ Typically much higher than your real FICO score, leading to false expectations.

This is why so many people get a rude awakening when applying for a mortgage or auto loan—they relied on an inflated VantageScore and were caught off guard by their actual FICO score.

Where is VantageScore 3.0 Used?

VantageScore 3.0 is primarily used for:
✔ Free credit score services (e.g., Credit Karma, Credit Sesame, NerdWallet).
✔ Some credit card approvals (mostly by smaller credit unions).
✔ Rental applications in some states (e.g., California).

However, for major loans like mortgages and auto financing, FICO scores are the standard.

Which Credit Scores Do Banks Provide?

Different banks and credit card companies provide different scores:

• Bank of America → FICO 8 (TransUnion)

• Wells Fargo → FICO 9 (Experian)

• Discover → FICO 8 (TransUnion)

• Chase → VantageScore 3.0 (Experian)

• Capital One → VantageScore 3.0 (TransUnion)

FICO 8 and 9 are more accurate than VantageScore 3.0, but still not the mortgage or auto-specific versions lenders actually use.

Which Credit Score is Used for Mortgages?

✔ Mortgage lenders use the "Classic" FICO score, which has remained largely unchanged for 25 years.
✔ Each credit bureau has its own version: FICO 2 (Experian), FICO 4 (TransUnion), FICO 5 (Equifax).
✔ This mortgage-specific score is often much lower than your VantageScore or even your FICO 8/9 score.

Why Mortgage Scores Can Be Lower

1️⃣ Collections hurt significantly

• Paid vs. unpaid collections don’t matter—both damage your score equally.

• A small $40 collection can drop your score just as much as a $400,000 collection.

2️⃣ Requires at least 6 months of credit history

• If you recently opened new accounts, you won’t even have a mortgage score yet.

• Upcoming Changes to Mortgage Credit Scores

✔ The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is implementing FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0 for mortgage lending by late 2025.
✔ FICO 10T introduces "trended data", which tracks spending habits over 24 months.
✔ Paid collections will no longer impact FICO 10T, making it more forgiving for past credit mistakes.
✔ VantageScore 4.0 includes rental payments, utility bills, and telecom payments, helping consumers with thin credit files.

Where to Check Your REAL Credit Scores

The best place to check the actual credit scores lenders use is MyFICO.com.

✔ MyFICO One-Time Report ($60+) → Provides all FICO versions, including mortgage, auto, and credit card scores.
✔ MyFICO Monthly Subscription ($29.95 - $39.95/month) → Includes quarterly updates of all FICO scores + monthly monitoring of FICO 8.

If you’re planning a major loan (home, car, etc.), MyFICO is the only way to see the exact score your lender will use.

Final Takeaways

✔ Ignore VantageScore 3.0 → It’s rarely used by lenders and often inflates your real score.
✔ Understand which score your credit card provider gives you → Some provide FICO, others VantageScore.
✔ For mortgage approvals, only FICO "Classic" scores matter.
✔ To get your real scores, use MyFICO.com for an apples-to-apples comparison with what lenders see.

How Fake Credit Repair Gurus Trick Consumers (Step-by-Step Breakdown)

These snake oil salesmen operate using a predictable pattern. Here’s how you can spot them immediately:

1. The Fake “Victory” Screenshot

✔️ They post an image of a VantageScore from Credit Karma (or another free service).
✔️ They highlight the “improved” score with a big red or green arrow going from poor to fair or fair to good—making it seem like they performed a miracle.
✔️ They claim credit for the score increase after removing a negative item.

🚨 THE TRUTH:
✔️ That VantageScore is irrelevant—it’s NOT used for mortgages, auto loans, or credit card approvals.
✔️ A real FICO score (what lenders use) is usually much lower than a VantageScore, meaning the consumer is still in bad shape.
✔️ This is pure psychological manipulation—they make consumers feel like they’ve won when, in reality, they’re being played.

2. The "There’s No Big Difference" Lie

✔️ Some so-called “experts” will swear that there’s very little difference between VantageScore and FICO.
✔️ They might say, “Oh, the scores are close enough. Don’t worry about it.”
✔️ Or worse, they mock people who call them out by claiming “all scores fluctuate”.

🚨 THE TRUTH:
✔️ VantageScores are almost always higher than FICO scores, often by 50-150 points.
✔️ FICO is the gold standard—90% of lenders use it for major loans, while VantageScore is used almost nowhere.
✔️ These charlatans downplay the difference because if consumers knew the truth, they’d realize the “credit repair” was a sham.

3. The Pay-to-Join “Exclusive” Community

✔️ They create a private Facebook group or Telegram chat and claim it’s the “secret place” where the real knowledge is shared.
✔️ Entry fee? Anywhere from $50 to thousands of dollars.
✔️ They promise insider knowledge but mostly recycle basic dispute letters and useless hacks that don’t work long-term.

🚨 THE TRUTH:
✔️ These groups exist only to funnel more money from desperate consumers.
✔️ Once inside, members don’t learn anything they couldn’t Google for free.
✔️ The guru never shows their own FICO mortgage score, only inflated VantageScores to keep the illusion going.

4. The "Just Keep Disputing" Method

✔️ They tell people to dispute everything repeatedly—even if it’s 100% accurate.
✔️ They claim that if you keep disputing, the item will “fall off.”
✔️ They suggest filing complaints with the CFPB to pressure the credit bureaus.

🚨 THE TRUTH:
✔️ Repeated disputes raise red flags, and credit bureaus can mark them as frivolous.
✔️ Lenders keep their own records—just because something disappears from a report doesn’t mean it’s gone.
✔️ The only real way to clean a credit report is by finding actual legal violations and attacking the debt at its source—which these clowns don’t teach.

Sun Tzu’s Strategy: Outthink the Enemy

Sun Tzu said: “All warfare is based on deception.”
✔️ The fake credit repair industry thrives on deception, convincing people they’re making progress when they’re actually standing still.
✔️ Your goal? Expose the deception so the battle is over before it begins.

Another principle: “If your opponent is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.”
✔️ Instead of directly attacking these frauds (which would trigger online backlash), just expose their tactics so consumers reject them on their own.

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
✔️ By educating consumers before they fall for these scams, you weaken the entire ecosystem of fraud without having to engage directly.

The Only Way to See Your Real Score

If you want the real numbers lenders use, there is only one place:

🔹 MyFICO.com
✔️ Provides all versions of FICO scores, including the mortgage and auto versions.
✔️ Unlike VantageScore, this is what 90% of lenders actually see.
✔️ Costs money? Yes—but it’s a small price to pay for truth.

Final Thoughts

✔️ VantageScore is a marketing gimmick, not a real tool for understanding your creditworthiness.
✔️ Fake credit repair gurus prey on consumer ignorance, selling false hope while lining their pockets.
✔️ If someone posts a VantageScore with arrows showing an increase, you already know they’re a fraud.
✔️ Get educated, stay sharp, and don’t let the snake oil salesmen fool you.

Final Call to Action

If you see ANYONE posting about VantageScore as if it’s real, call them out.
If they say there’s no difference between VantageScore and FICO, they’re lying.
If they try to sell you a private coaching program based on fake scores, RUN.

You deserve real solutions, not fairy tales. Stay smart, stay sharp, and don’t fall for the nonsense.