Here's an article from Newsday's Patricia Kitchen on changes in FICO scores:

As of Saturday, one of the three major credit reporting bureaus -- Experian -- will no longer allow consumers direct access to their FICO credit scores, this at a time when money is tight and lenders are putting even more stock in those scores.

Experian’s move “is a huge problem” for consumers, said John Ulzheimer, president of consumer education at Credit .com, an education site. “Experian is taking us in the wrong direction. ... We don’t need less access. We need more access.”

The scores are based on data in consumers’ credit reports. Consumers are advised to compare data in their reports from the three bureaus, and if there are no major discrepancies, then it’s likely the variation between credit scores will be minimal, Ulzheimer said.

The FICO score “is by far the most popular available for lenders to evaluate credit histories,” said Gerri Detweiler, credit adviser with Credit.com. The other two major reporting bureaus, TransUnion and Equifax, will still allow consumers to purchase their FICO scores.

While consumers are entitled by law to see credit reports for free at least once a year, that is not the case with credit scores. Experian’s move was based on a disagreement over terms with Minneapolis-based Fair Isaac, which developed the FICO scoring method, said a spokeswoman.

But lenders look at many other scores besides FICO, said Peg Smith, executive vice president for California-based Experian.

The office of New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said it will look into the matter.

FICO scores from the three bureaus often vary by 10 to 20 points, said Steven A. Precht, director of housing counseling at SafeGuard Credit Counseling Services Inc. in Hauppauge. To discover and correct problems, it’s more important than ever for consumers to monitor data in their credit reports, especially Experian’s, said Carolyn McCormack, director of education at SafeGuard. To access credit reports, see annualcreditreport.com.