So often when I'm talking to someone, they'll tell me what their credit score is. My immediate reply never varies. "Which credit score are you talking about?"

That's when I get the glazed look in their eyes. No one knows there are about a gazillion (that's a highly technical term!) different credit scores out there. But there's only a single "real" one that's used by most lenders.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to consumer confusion about your credit score. Not all credit scores are created equal. And to get a good credit score -- regardless of whether you're talking about the real one or one of the made-up ones -- you've got to actively manage and manipulate your credit. Yes, that's right, I said "manipulate." This is the kind of instance where manipulation does not have a negative connotation!

In my credit score guide, I explain what a credit score is, what will damage your score and how you can resurrect it back from the dead! Taking control of your credit score has never been easier. Just follow my three simple steps:

• Know your real credit score
• What happens to my credit score if...
• How to improve your credit score