Frequently Asked Questions
Does this service offer credit monitoring as well?
Yes. The free credit score tool will monitor and send email alerts when there has been a change to your credit profile.
Is there a fee to use it?
This tool is entirely free to use for Freedom First members through the mobile banking app or online banking portal.
Will accessing this tool "ding" my credit and potentially lower my credit score?
This free credit score tool is a "soft inquiry," which does not affect your credit score. Lenders use "hard inquiries" to make decisions about creditworthiness when you apply for loans.
How often is the credit score updated?
The credit score will be updated every 7 days and displayed in mobile and online banking. You can click "refresh score" as often as every day for an updated credit score.
What if the information provided by this tool appears to be wrong or inaccurate?
Our free credit score tool does its best to show the most relevant information from your credit report. If you think some information is wrong or inaccurate, you can obtain a free credit report once a year from
www.annualcreditreport.com and then dispute inaccuracies with each bureau individually.
Each bureau has its process for correcting inaccurate information, but every Freedom First user can "File a Dispute" with Transunion by clicking on the "Dispute" link in the "Report" tab within the credit score tool. Transunion will share this with the other bureaus if the inaccuracy is verified. If you'd like additional assistance with reporting inaccuracies to the credit bureaus, our financial counselors at the
Roanoke Financial Empowerment Center can walk you through it step-by-step over the phone or in-person.
Why do credit scores differ?
Three major credit-reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Transunion) and two scoring models (FICO or VantageScore) determine credit scores. Financial institutions use different bureaus, as well as their own scoring models. Over 200 credit report factors may be considered when calculating a score, and each model may weigh credit factors differently, so no scoring model is identical.
Will Freedom First use this tool to make loan decisions?
No. Freedom First uses its own lending criteria for making loan decisions. The free credit score widget can be an excellent tool for getting a general idea of where your credit is and what you can do to make improvements, but we cannot guarantee that it will qualify you for a loan or line of credit at Freedom First. We encourage you to
speak with one of our team members if you have questions about qualifying for a loan at Freedom First.
