Credit Sense^SM

Q: What is Credit Sense?

A: Credit Sense is a comprehensive credit score program offered by Island that helps you stay on top of your credit. You get your latest credit score and report, an understanding of key factors that impact the score, and can see the most up to date offers that can help reduce your interest costs. With this program, you always know where you stand with your credit and how we can help save you money.

Credit Sense also monitors your credit report daily and informs you by email if there are any big changes detected such as a new account being opened, change in address or employment, a delinquency has been reported or an inquiry has been made. Monitoring helps you keep an eye out for identity theft.

Q. What is a Credit Report?

A: A credit report provides you all the information you would find on your credit file, including a list of open loans, accounts, and credit inquiries. You will also be able to see details on your payment history, credit utilization, and public records that show up on your account. When you check your credit report, there will be no impact to your score.

Q. Is there a fee?

A: No. Credit Sense is entirely free and no credit card information is required to register.

Q. How often is my credit score updated?

A: Credit Sense will automatically update your score once a month. You can update it more frequently by clicking on the Credit Sense section on the home page on Mobile Banking.

Q: Does Credit Sense ever go inactive?

A: Yes, if the Mobile App hasn’t been used in 120 days, an email will be sent notifying the user that they are dormant.

Q. How does the Credit Sense differ from other credit scoring offerings?

A: Credit Sense pulls your credit profile from TransUnion, one of the three major credit reporting bureaus, and uses VantageScore 3.0, a credit scoring model developed collaboratively by the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This model seeks to make score information more uniform between the three bureaus to provide consumers a better picture of their credit health.

Q: Why do credit scores differ?

A: There are three major credit-reporting bureaus—Equifax, Experian and Transunion—and two scoring models—FICO and VantageScore—that determine credit scores. Financial institutions use different bureaus, as well as their own scoring models. Over 200 factors of a credit report may be taken into account when calculating a score and each model may weigh credit factors differently, so no scoring model is completely identical. No matter what credit bureau or credit scoring model is used, consumers do fall into specific credit ranges: Excellent 700+, Good 640-699, Fair 600-639, Unfavorable 550-599, Below Standards 0-549.

Q: Will Island Federal Credit Union use Credit Sense to make loan decisions?

A: No, we use our own lending criteria for determining loan eligibility.

Q: Will Credit Sense share my credit score with Island Federal Credit Union?

A: No, Credit Sense is a free service to help you understand your credit health, how you make improvements in your score and ways you can save money on your loans with us. 

Q: How does Credit Sense keep my financial information secure?

A: Credit Sense uses bank level encryption and security measures to keep your data safe and secure. Your personal information is never shared with or sold to a third party.

Q: If Island Federal Credit Union doesn’t use Credit Sense to make loan decisions, why do we offer it?

A: Credit Sense can help you manage your credit so when it comes time to borrow for a big-ticket purchase—like buying a home, car or paying for college—you have a clear picture of your credit health and can qualify for the lowest possible interest rate. You’ll also see offers on how you can save money on your new and existing loans with us. In addition, with all the recent security breaches, Island decided to offer a free credit monitoring service to protect our Members.

Q: What if the information provided by Credit Sense appears to be wrong or inaccurate?

A: Credit Sense makes its best effort to show you the most relevant information from your credit report. If you think that some of the information is wrong or inaccurate, we encourage you to get your free credit report from www.annualcreditreport.com, and reach out to each bureau about the inaccuracy individually. Each bureau has its own process for correcting inaccurate information, but every user can “File a Dispute” by clicking on the “Dispute” link within their Credit Sense report. The Federal Trade Commission website offers step-by-step instructions on how to contact the bureaus and correct errors.

Q: There is a section on the site that features both Island Federal Credit Union product offers and financial education articles. Why am I seeing this?

A: Based on your Credit Sense information, you may receive offers on our products that may be of interest to you. In most cases, these offers may have lower interest rates than the products you already have. The educational articles, written by financial journalist and author Jean Chatzky and the Credit Sense team, are designed to provide helpful tips on how you can manage credit and debt wisely.

Q: Will accessing Credit Sense “ping” my credit and potentially lower my credit score?

A: No. Checking Credit Sense is a “soft inquiry”, which does not affect your credit score. Lenders use “hard inquiries” to make decisions about your credit worthiness when you apply for loans.

Q: Does Credit Sense offer credit report monitoring as well?

A: Yes. Credit Sense will monitor and send email alerts when there’s been a change to your credit profile.

Q. How do I change my email address or other personal information?

A: Your email address and other personal information will get updated automatically when you update it in mobile banking. We encourage you to inform us of any contact information updates.