03.06.02 FICO Credit Score at MyFICO.com

Consumers Now Can Know What Loan Rate Offers to Expect Based on Their FICO Credit Score at MyFICO.com

Free Information Matches Current Auto, Home Equity and Mortgage Rates with FICO Scores to Help Consumers Reach Their Credit Potential

Fair, Isaac and Company, Inc. Press Release

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., March 6, 2002 - Fair, Isaac and Company, Incorporated (NYSE: FIC) today announced that, for the first time, US consumers can learn what residential mortgage and auto loan interest rates are being offered by lenders in their state based on their FICO credit risk score - the most widely used score in lending. This matching of FICO scores with current interest rates can empower consumers to pursue optimum credit terms from lenders, and is available free at www.myFICO.com. Fair, Isaac obtains the regional interest rate information from Informa Research Services, Inc., a preeminent financial research company.

"Credit risk is the single most important factor that lenders look at in the credit process--and the least understood by most consumers," said Sue Simon, vice president of myFICOSM at Fair, Isaac. "We've cut through the credit confusion to show consumers what interest rates they should qualify for today based on their current FICO scores, while recognizing that lenders may also take into account their income, down payment and other factors. This interest rate information is a powerful tool for any consumer who wants favorable terms on a mortgage, home equity or auto loan - who wants smarter credit rather than just more credit. Consumers also will clearly understand the value in dollars and cents of improving their credit standing over time," she added.

"By using our financial market data in this manner, myFICO.com will save visitors to their site a great deal of money by showing the loan rates available and how a borrower's credit score affects their interest rate," said Michael E. Adler, President and Managing Director of Informa Research Services, Inc. "We perform daily surveys of the products offered by more than 5,000 financial organizations nationwide. This supplied financial data is objective and updated daily to ensure accuracy. The unique combination of rate data and credit scoring is not available anywhere else."

In one visit to www.myfico.com, consumers can purchase their current FICO score, get Fair, Isaac's detailed explanation of their score and the underlying Equifax credit report, and see what loan rates correlate to their score. Fair, Isaac's FICO score explanation report includes personalized suggestions for improving the score over time, based on the individual's credit history. The Web site also contains a wealth of free educational material about credit risk scoring.

Many consumers can realize significant savings on interest rate payments by improving their FICO credit score before they approach lenders. A customized calculator on Fair, Isaac's Web site helps visitors estimate the savings they can realize through lower interest rates. As an example, consumers with a FICO score of 600 today could qualify for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage of 10.1% (national average). The calculator shows that if they had first improved their FICO score by 75 points before applying, they would potentially save more than $70,000 over the life of a $100,000 mortgage by lowering their average interest rate offer by nearly 3.0%.

The FICO score is a snapshot of a consumer's credit risk potential at that moment, and is used to make billions of credit decisions each year, including more than 75 percent of mortgage loan originations. In addition, more than 40 of the nation's 50 largest financial institutions rely on the FICO score to determine an individual's credit worthiness.


About Fair, Isaac Fair, Isaac is the preeminent provider of creative analytics that unlock value for people, businesses and industries. The Company's predictive modeling, decision analysis, intelligence management and decision engine systems power more than 14 billion decisions a year. Founded in 1956, Fair, Isaac helps thousands of companies in over 60 countries acquire customers more efficiently, increase customer value, reduce risk and credit losses, lower operating expenses and enter new markets more profitably. Most leading banks and credit card issuers rely on Fair, Isaac's analytic solutions, as do insurers, retailers, telecommunications providers and other customer-oriented companies. Through the www.myfico.com Web site, consumers use the Company's FICO® scores, the standard measure of credit risk, to manage their financial health. For more information, visit www.fairisaac.com.

Fair, Isaac, FICO and myFICO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fair, Isaac and Company, Inc., in the United States and/or in other countries. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.