Most People Don't Actually Know Their Scores
When new clients come to CleanSlate, the majority don't know their scores from all three bureaus. They might know a number from their bank app — which is usually a VantageScore, not a FICO score — or from Credit Karma, which only shows Equifax and TransUnion data. Experian is often a mystery.
This matters because when you apply for a mortgage, the lender typically pulls all three FICO scores and uses the middle one. If you've been watching a 650 on Credit Karma but your Experian FICO is 590 because of an account that shows up there but not on TransUnion, you're in for a surprise at the worst moment.
What We Set Up for Every Client
As part of your CleanSlate engagement, we help you configure monitoring across all three bureaus so you see changes as they happen. This includes alerts for disputes that were processed, items that were removed, new accounts that appear in your name (important for identity theft detection), and score changes.
During active dispute work, these alerts tell you when your dispute results have landed — usually within a day or two of the bureau processing the creditor's response. You don't have to wait for your monthly report from us. You'll know almost in real time.
Understanding What Monitoring Shows You
Credit monitoring alerts can be confusing if you don't know what you're looking at. A "hard inquiry alert" after you check your own credit isn't what it sounds like — soft inquiries don't affect your score. A "new account" alert might be a dispute investigation opening a temporary record, not actual fraud. We walk clients through how to read these alerts so they're informative rather than alarming.
We also explain the difference between FICO scores (what lenders use) and VantageScores (what most consumer apps show). The numbers can differ by 20-40 points on the same underlying credit file. Knowing which you're looking at matters when you're timing a major application.