[InDebtInDC]

Respectfully, please consider this no more than a thought exercise. I am not trying to discredit anybody, just their assertion.


The bottom line is we have no way of knowing how your credit score is calculated. If you do, please post the algorithm. I've been dying for years to see.

I would respectfully caution the OP in haphazardly taking credit just to try to improve the FICO score simply because you do not know how the credit score is actually calculated. You've already leveraged with the mortgage, and additional debt may or may not affect your score.

Secondly, most creditors do not simply consider your credit score devoid of your credit report and other factors. So trying to boost your credit score may actually worsen your credit worthiness in their eyes. We know they use the FICO and the credit report. We just don't know how. Trying to optimise an equation without knowing how that equation is calculated is not ideal.

Again, credit scoring is such a complicated equation that there is no way to know for sure what is considered and what is not.

The only way to refute my statement is to say A+B+C*D/E = FICO score, but as stated above, this equation is not available.


I've been after Fair Isaac for years to publish their credit scoring algorithms, but to date I have no legal instrument to force them to disclose their trade secrets. The thing that bothers me is that the FICO score affects everybody, but nobody knows how it's calculated. I don't think this is fair, and Congress hasn't done enough to shed light on this issue IMHO.

I've worked at a major auto insurance carrier and I currently work as an expert witness for an organization (both of which shall remain nameless for their protection). I've been commissioned to probe Fair Isaac and the insurance industry in general to get them to disclose their consumer credit rating methods. So far I've been unsuccessful because legally they are not obligated to comply under the guise of protected trade secrets. I've begged. I've pleaded. I've threatened. I've brought forth legal action. Nothing.

If I should somehow be successful in my inquiry, please be assured that it will be shared here. I have some stuff in the works that will force them to show their cards, but it will take a long time.


It's a black box that you put consumer data into and spits out a number. The inner working of the blackbox is unknown and changes constantly. It should really be a white box for all of our sakes.