Credit score Definition
A credit score is a numerical index which represents an estimate of an individual's financial creditworthiness. Lenders, such as credit card companies, use credit scores to determine credit limits and interest rates.
The best-known credit score in the United States is the FICO score, calculated using mathematical formulae developed by the Fair Isaac Corporation. The three major American credit-report agencies-- Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union-- all use variations on this scoring formula under different names.