Equifax is a consumer credit reporting agency which is one of the three largest American credit agencies.
Equifax was founded in 1889 in Atlanta, Georgia as Retail Credit Company (RCC). By 1920 the company had offices throughout the United States and Canada.
The company’s original business was to make reports for insurance companies when people applied for new insurance policies, including life, auto, fire, and medical insurance. All the major companies of the time used RCC.
In 1975 the company changed its name to Equifax in the midst of a public backlash against credit reporting companies for the misuse of personal information.
100 years after the founding of the company, it phased out insurance reporting and began to focus on commercial credit reports, and later, identity verification, payroll and human resources services, credit monitoring for consumers, and credit scores, credit histories, and risk analysis to lenders.
Today Equifax is a publicly traded company, trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol EFX. Equifax is a member of the S&P 500 and is #895 in the Fortune 1,000. Equifax had $2.3 billion in revenue in 2013.
On September 7, 2017 Equifax announced a HUGE security breach affected 143 million Americans (this number is actually larger than the entire adult US population)! The hackers were able to obtain social security and driver’s license numbers. Equifax has created a website – equifaxsecurity2017.com, specifically for this data breach. All Americans are encouraged to see if they are effected and take appropriate action (freeze your credit or sign up for a monitoring service).
Headquarters for Equifax are still located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Equifax is a consumer credit reporting agency which is one of the three largest American credit agencies.
Equifax was founded in 1889 in Atlanta, Georgia as Retail Credit Company (RCC). By 1920 the company had offices throughout the United States and Canada.
The company’s original business was to make reports for insurance companies when people applied for new insurance policies, including life, auto, fire, and medical insurance. All the major companies of the time used RCC.
History
In 1975 the company changed its name to Equifax in the midst of a public backlash against credit reporting companies for the misuse of personal information.
100 years after the founding of the company, it phased out insurance reporting and began to focus on commercial credit reports, and later, identity verification, payroll and human resources services, credit monitoring for consumers, and credit scores, credit histories, and risk analysis to lenders.
Today Equifax is a publicly traded company, trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol EFX. Equifax is a member of the S&P 500 and is #895 in the Fortune 1,000. Equifax had $2.3 billion in revenue in 2013.
On September 7, 2017 Equifax announced a HUGE security breach affected 143 million Americans (this number is actually larger than the entire adult US population)! The hackers were able to obtain social security and driver’s license numbers. Equifax has created a website – equifaxsecurity2017.com, specifically for this data breach. All Americans are encouraged to see if they are effected and take appropriate action (freeze your credit or sign up for a monitoring service).
Headquarters for Equifax are still located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Yesterday was an absolutely DREADFUL day due to the fact that for approximately 5 HOURS I was trying to get to a report Equifax sent me (notification was sent to my email). To get it I was supposed to create an account to be able to view anything, I tried repeatedly and called customer support which was of no help. I would hang up after 40+ minutes on the phone and 30+ minutes, etc etc. I am 69 years old and this was causing my blood pressure to go up and had anxiety so bad I almost couldn’t breathe. Agent after agent I got did not clearly explain things therefor I got locked out and then I am not sure if I had a ripple effect or not but I then had a bad experience with Credit Karma and could not get into that either, and I had not had problems previously. I think part of the problem was largely created because I was told I had to download Google Chrome. I am NOT COMPUTER LITERATE! So in my whole confusion how to go about things since I get on the internet using Microsoft Edge (if I am not mistaken wanted me to enter a different email with them) it was a total NIGHTMARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried to explain to one lady ( a foreigner) that no offense intended but we just do not communicate the same. I told her if I were to answer in not quite the detail she was looking for an American born Caucasion would have most likely would have prompted me to “be a little more specific”. I even corrected one lady, hoping to educate her how best to achieve a successful and pleasant outcome. In the very beginning of my conversation with her I said I need two things, I am looking to see what my score was AFTER Equifax completed their investigation (about something on my report that was a record duplicated that was never cleared out) and the second thing was assistance in completely the criteria to get logged in (register) successfully. I believe your site was terribly messed up and yet one lady told me they had no IT department. This is outrageous! To be a company that literally holds your life in their hands and have NO IT DEPARTMENT, THIS IS CRAZY!!!
I agree 100%! This company is a circus of clowns! Nobody can tell you anything!!! I see the same things on my report, that they do! Very incompetent on Equifaxs Corporate side!! I’m so disgusted I cannot get any answers! I have am installment loan and the balance owed, dropped by $18 because I pay more than the minimum monthly. My credit score DROPPED 30 pts for something that should be positive! I’m calling corporate with hesitancy but nonetheless, I want to know! And yes, this IS the reason for the drop in points on my report!
This is so frustrating! Every time I ask to speak to a manager I get told to hold then hung up on!! I’ve sent emails, letters, faxes and have still gotten
NO RESOLUTION!!! EQUIFAX IS A POOR QUALITY, AVOID THEM AT ALL COST!
I have been fighting this company to get some fraudulent accounts removed off my credit report for over two years. I have sent in every document that they have requested and told that the information would be removed and then told that the documents were not good enough. This company is so full of it , I keep getting the runaround about this matter and find it to be very frustrating. I am the victim not the criminal!!!!!!!! Remove the items!!!!!!!!!!
Have you tried submitting a complaint via the CFPB, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? www .cfpb.gov
I am without a doubt more pissed off than I have been in years, my wife and I have now been waiting over six months for Equifax to remove a fraud alert from her credit report, she has jumped through every hoop that has been asked of her to include emails, faxes and by postal mail to get it removed so our underwriter can run our credit for a home loan. This hold up has cost us more than one home that we qualified for. So now we are taking the advice of our attorney and are filing a lawsuit against Equifax its corporate officers and associates for physical and financial damages to be determined .
Good idea and good luck!!! This is ridiculous we all are going through this!
As a regular person like everyone else, I would be very concerned about your personal information with Equifax.
I went to work for them through a staffing agency, one of the requirements is a drug test before you can start. I know of at least two employees in my training class who did not pass and were told by the staffing agency to show up anyway. This is a clear violations of procedure and puts the consumers personal information at risk if there not following these procedures. And if I know about these two employees it’s very well conceivable that the staffing agency let other employee’s slide through, violating there own policy. This just cannot happen.
This company did me wrong too, it’s there motto, just check the high turnover they have. I have made it a goal to let the public know because your information is in Jeopardy, as long as this continues, next thing you know your social security number and info was used illegally for someone else, So if your having problems with Equifax, remember my words up above.
I personally had a couple things with my wife (whose disabled) and son (who is homeschooled), they adjusted my hours to meet my needs and that’s cool. Literally, 2 days later, I went to pick up lunch and a woman literally through up on me and required me to go home and change, I called there attendance line and everything, I told them it was my GOAL to get right back (I ride bus), I could not, I had no other business clothes (the year before my family was homeless and I didn’t have much), I updated that info), next day I came into work and they told me at lunch (while at lunch) that they didn’t want me to come back, interesting, since this whole drug test thing was coming to light, but I just wanted everyone to have insight as to what happened to me there.
This drug test thing is extremely important when you think about the information we looked at everyday.
Equifax should be on top of this after the issues with the breach, this drug test stuff comes from directly inside Equifax where they work.
Just think everyone should know what’s going on with Equifax and the possibility of what’s at stake.
We are trying to get a mortgage and equifax keeps telling the mortgage lending company that there’s some fraud alert keeping my report from being released when in fact there isn’t. When I call equifax to confirm there’s no freeze and no fraud alert I’m assured there isn’t. They’re holding my credit score hostage
Each one of the negative comments above applies to our situation, we cannot get Equifax to release our information for verification of good credit or to correct identity information on our accounts but they charge $35.00 for each inquiry. We are now liable for $105.00 with no results. Where are the officers of this company and what are they doing to correct these complaints? Is it all about making $$$ and forget about the peoples information that generate their profits? Frustrated!
I am considering a class action suit. The first 5 people will be the Class Representatives. If you are interested in possibly being a part of this and making them pay for what they have done to you, please email me at EQActionTeam@ gmail.com. I am very serious about this because I too am a victim and I am done talking to those programmed people who create more problems to add with the problem one is trying to address. I look forward to hearing from you.
Hi, are you moving forward to class action, my wife and I have both been hacked.
Best,
AL
I have a lawyer and am ready to go! I have been unable to access my file for over a year because they say I am not a customer. Have had a report for over 40 YEARS.
Equifax has prevented me from obtaining a mortgage for the last 18 months,
I will post a letter later about my open disgust with Equifax and the way its “customer service” (doesn’t) work. But today, Kudos and a virtual rose to Jasmine, Employee JXH307 for being attentive, solving my problem, being empathetic and generally sweet. DO let me know that this will go on her work file.
This very thing in happening to me. How can I resolve ? Please help
I am writing to you in regards to the Physical Security Operation Center Specialist position. I interviewed with Robert St. Jean in March of 2017. Human Resource flew me out for an on-site interview, which was the last step for the hiring process.
I am positive I was a strong candidate but never heard back from Human Resource.
I believe to be discriminated against because I am a woman. My resume speaks for itself with all my qualifications.
I also applied to the Sr. Physical Security Operation Center Specialist and received an email that I was not qualified.
For both of the two position, I have the technical background, Lenel Power user, and the management skillset.
Thank you
Indira Murray
Phone cal after phone call after phone call and all I get is hung up on, transferred to the philippines or put on permanent hold. The worst customer service in the world!! This company needs to be eliminated from the dust up and never allowed to regrow. It is a trash site and company is a rip off artist massively. i am glad to be on a class action suit that will pay us back millions and then hopefully crash this PIECE OF S**T COMPANY . I have taken a 100 point drop because of this company and they refuse to live up to the fact they are incompetent as hell. But they top echelon people cashed out before reporting and to me thats theft and more. The U.S. government under MR TRUMP needs to do something ASAP before someone really throws them a curve ball legally they cant side step.TRAS COMPANY AND THE LEADERS NEED TO HAVE THEIR A**ES KICKED PHYISICALLY IN PUBLIC LIKE IN THE OLD DAYS. TARRED AND FETHERED THEN RUN OUT OF TOWN. A**WIPES EVERY ONE
I totally agree. Don’t get mad, get even. I am putting together a class for a class action suit. Contact me if you are interested. EQActionTeam@ gmail.com.
I would love to get in the lawsuit
I recently spoke with three of your call center representatives and each of them provided me with terrible customer service. It was as though they were trying to be as unhelpful as possible. The first guy I spoke with transferred me to fraud even though I repeatedly told him my issue wasn’t a fraud issue. The fraud guy listened to my story said he couldn’t help and then said he also wasn’t able to transfer me back to customer service. I called back spoke to a lady who literally wanted me to verify everything on my credit report ( card balances, credit limits, auto loan, and all my inquiries) before she would help me out. Then she kept putting me on mute and coming back on laughing. She made me explain everything three or four times. Then sounded super annoyed with me even though I was as polite as I could possibly be despite her laughing and treating me like an idiot. I just think you guys should be aware of the terrible customer service your employees or contractors are providing.
My wife put a freeze on my credit after the breach and we are not living together now and she says she was never given a 10 digit pin# , how can I get. Temporary lift on my credit w/o the pin#?
Like so many millions of people Equinox failed to act to protect everyone’s identify as was their responsibility, and now like other comment, the Trusted ID service comes out, yet even when they send you an activation email, it doesn’t work. When you call them, they can’t find you, and want to personally take you information. Those persons are unknown and certainly no one I’d provide information to in an unsecured manner. The other method was to call and hold forever to 8-866-410=8643 and take to a “no records department”. When they finally answer the call, they have no idea what you are talking about, plus I found they are apparently too pre-occupied with other things since they don’t respond until you ask if they are still on the line. When I asked if they were in the United States, they said no in another country. Isn’t that wonderful! When you ask them to transfer you to someone in the United States you get put on hold, then moments later disconnected. It seems to me the United State Attorney should go after Equinox, especially when if the news is accurate, the head guys of Equinox sold their stocks to avoid taking a loss before telling anyone.
My husband and I found out that we both had been impacted by the carelessness of Equifax. When I went to report it to them three people said that they couldn’t do anything for us because we only have one e-mail account. We are senior citizens, and have had just one-mail for the last few years. We are not going to open another one!.. The e-mail isn’t like your social security number, and the lack of computer programing efficiency to support the customer in this situation is alarming.
My ID was stolen in 2012/13. I sent in over 20 pages of required doXXXXentation to prove who I was, plus a copy of the police report, proof of going to the IRS and what they did, proof of going to SSA, etc in 2014. Oh, they put on a 7-year freeze alright… then Equifax sent to me a file of the WRONG NAME! Of course there is no live human to call. All I got was directed to the website. I sent in a second set of 9+ pages of doXXXXentation proving legal name, address, SSN, gov’t ID, etc. by certified mail RRR in late 2014. Absolutely no response. Today (in 2017) after finally getting a live person at the live-call-center who told me all she could do is direct me to send in more doXXXXents to PO Box 105252 in Atlanta, Georgia… I am sending in a 3rd and last set of more copies of the same federal and state ID including court orders (AGAIN) and this time with copies going to Richard F. Smith, Chairman & CEO, plus to the PO Box 105252 in Atlanta, Georgia…and I am including all of the previous correspondence. I am on Social Security and don’t have the money to keep shipping pounds of the same doXXXXents by certified mail RRR now for the 3rd time. A 10 page federal doXXXXent verifying my address! They want my DOB. Well, my date of birth has been on my federal ID for cazilion years (that I’ve now sent in 3 times, and trust me, my date of birth has not changed in 66 years and I don’t expect it to change, either!) All I want is a copy of MY correct credit file in my name! Is this too much to stinking ask? This company is a total joke! They have absolutely no idea what they are doing!
I solved this same problem with 2 phone calls talking with a supervisor after I sent
in 1 packet of 5 doXXXXents to TransUnion back in 2014, and it was the same doXXXXents I’m now sending to these morons in Georgia for the 3rd time (plus adding an additional 7 doXXXXents. 5+7=12 incase the math is too difficult for Equifax to comprehend). This is the last time I am going to waste my time and money with Equifax. If I could “vote” a negative “star” in this rating, I would. If Equifax wants to respond or update me as to this complaint, guess what? Write me a letter and send it by USPO certified, RRR!
Take action. You will then get results. Contact me at EQActionTeam@ gmail.com.
Their Response Center for the Data Breach is a joke and a waste of time. They push the Trusted ID Premier service they are offering and the website, but that is it. One big giant loop and when you’re done, you’ve accomplished NOTHING. Can’t freeze account on the website, can’t freeze the account with the Response Center, and can’t freeze the account through the automated phone service. How are they trying to help their victims? Currently waiting for Customer Service to see if maybe they can assist me and was transferred to the automated service which is not presently working/enabled. Called again and spoke to C.S. Rep, she transferred me to the Security Freeze Department . . . now on my third try because the Security Freeze Department never answered (music stopped and nothing for several minutes). I’ve wasted three days trying to freeze my Equifax account. I called Experian, they put a freeze and fraud alert on my account for free within five minutes!
why in the world would you want to freeze your credit?? that just inconveniences you due to Equifax’s incompetence and indifference. Consumers should be seeking damages large enough to bankrupt them. If you’re just asking for a credit freeze, you’re playing your part in allowing their unbridled greed to continue.
“”Our top priority is doing everything we can to support affected consumers,” Equifax (NYSE:EFX) CEO Richard Smith wrote in USA Today….”
Really, Rick?! Why didn’t you use your $70 million in stock profits to shore up security in the first place? Failing that, you should be a wee bit more proactive with current issues like the security freeze site that doesn’t work even at 4:00 in the morning. You undoubtedly have way too many of today’s not-so-brights working for you, but the s**t does still flow from the top.
Equifax should be put out of business by the FTC. They are incompetent and dangerous and have not been forthcoming about the hack. AND at least 3 executives sold stock after learning of the hack. ‘Not at all suspicious! This is a despicable company! They must be investigated and prosecuted AND customers should receive FREE monitoring for LIFE as well as compensation for any losses associated with the hack.
The ABSOLUTE WORST experience trying to reach & communicate with a real person via telephone. Equifax billed my credit card falsely and I was not able to contact an intelligent enough individual to even direct me to the correct dept. When I finally did speak to a person (5 different phone #s till someone answered) they said it is NOT their area and either hung up on me, transferred me to another NON-helpful party or just gave me another # to call.
NO ONE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. The humans I spoke with sounded simply like robots. Very sad example of Corporate America today. I plan to post all over the Web about how fast they take your money but try to resolve an issue……good luck!
Secondly, I put a FREEZE on my credit report and next thing I know I receive an email stating that I have REMOVED MY CREDIT REPORT CONTROL LOCK! They included a phone number to call if that is an error. Of course no answer to that number. GOOD LUCK to the PUBLIC with Equifax protecting us!
Tired to obtain my credit report to check that nothing is wrong since the hacking. The site refuses to send me an online report, which is precisely the problem I had two years ago. No reason really ever given. The system also says mail request to be used in that situation, but it requires doXXXXentation that I do not have as a 79 retiree who no longer owns a home,no longer has employment records, and in this particular housing, I don’t have utility bills. So I decided to simply put a security freeze on the account. System did not work, and again told to request by mail. Same problem with a fraud alert. I am not surprised the system was hacked. it is simply awful. (No problems with Transunion or Experian, and generally speaking I can handle my computer, smart phone, etc perfectly well. Age did not suddenly make me an idiot.)
I am having the same problem as Zachary wrote about. I cannot get your “customer care” team to correct my erroneous birthdate. I have faxed and mailed the required doXXXXentation several times (DL, social security card), and yet I keep being told I have to resend it. I tried to create an online account so that I could check it (without having to call your very rude customer service line ten times a day) and was told this was impossible. I was told I have to keep calling back several times a day – for up to 30 days – to see if the matter has been fixed. And yet at the same time I’m told that there’s no record of receiving my faxes. Thanks for giving me a second full time job, Equifax. -Melissa Thompson
My name is Zachary P Bushilla and I have been in touch with your company via phone and fax since September.
My wife and I are in the process of getting a mortgage loan and have been waiting 3 weeks for your company to update my records. I have personally faxed and called over 10 times in the past 2 weeks to resolve an issue of my date of birth. You can listen to my recorded my phone calls and the thousands of security questions I have been asked.
My bank said that they continue to get a “fraudulent” response when they try to get my credit report saying that my date of birth is 2003 when in fact it is 1983.
I have been asked to fax my birth certificate, license and W-2 to two different numbers. I have done that repeatedly over the past two weeks and every time I call to check on the update I am told that the fax was not received.
My most personal information just somehow vanishes when I fax to your company who claims to ask me all the security questions for my own identity security. I need you to resolve this issue so I can continue in this process with my bank.
I have an e-mail version of my id which I can send if needed. I will not call anymore do to the complete incompetence of every single employee I talk to at the call center. I have never had such poor customer support and there is still no resolve after all the time I have taken from my work day to do what I am requested.
I appreciate your attention to this matter ASAP.
Zachary Phillip Bushilla
Helena, MT 59601
406-461-XXXXX
If you did not get this resolved and you received the same bullcrap as I did (They kept initiating disputes for their errors and never fixing them), please contact me. A pattern has been identified and the company is about to pay dearly for the ill-willed evil people they have employed. They should give their employees psychological test before hiring. I believe the company may be good; but, they have some evil malicious people on staff that are ruining the company and the company’s reputation. Contact me at EQActionTeam@ gmail.com
Hello,
Having been a customer of Equifax for more than 7 years, I am writing to you as I was forced to cancel my account due to the inability of your team to correct a bug in the ID Patrol product. I spent hours on the phone with your “so called” customer service or more accurately disservice team and had repeated promises made that were never kept. In the end, the account is closed, and I am expecting a full refund.
How can a company offer a product that does not function as promised?
I am in the process of trying to fix my credit so I signed up on line to be able to monitor my report, scores, alerts… The information on the website was misleading and all I was able to do was see my credit report ONCE for $29.95! I immediately call Customer Service which was a huge waste of time, I was transferred to someone’s voice mail that said she would be out of the office until 9/11/15 and to leave your name, social security number, phone number and a case number if you had that. First I was calling on September 18th so in a week she hadn’t updated her voice mail, second in this day and age of identity theft who in their right mind is going to leave their social security number on someone’s voice mail? There was no way to speak to a manger as I was rudely advised to call back if I wanted one, the level of incompetence just kept rising with every call I made to get this straightened out. I agree with the person who commented back in March, no one there speaks English and if they do they do not speak it very well so it’s very hard to understand them.
Sherri you are exactly right. I was shocked too. I’m not giving my credit card number to someone in another country. I was appalled that equivalent was handing over my information to who knows in another country! Soon after I hung up I started getting “no caller Id” calls from john at equifax. Yea right! Equifax is setting up victims of identity theft to be taken advantage again! But it kind of works in Equifax favor because then we purchase the fraud protection from equifax and so it’s a WIN WIN for them! Give our info out to people In foreign countries then want us to purchase something to protect US FROM THEM!,, WE ARE NOT STUPID EQUIFAX!
You are on the money. Contact me at EQActionTeam@ gmail.com because they are about to Lose Lose. So, I hope it was worth it. Make 10 Million and lose 500 Million. I intend to make it happen. They picked the wrong one, it is on. Trump can’t even help them.
Customer Service…………………may as well be none, they do not speak english and don’t understand it any better. Ask for a supervisor ….. the same. Ask for a manager, don’t have one. I can’t believe that Equifax has my most personal information and I can’t get any answers. However, they can put anything, any TOM, DICK and HARRY reports and it is hell to pay to get it corrected. Come on all you guys I know I am not the only one. Send in your complaints.
Good afternoon – I called the customer service line on Friday, February 6th to set up an credit monitoring account through Equifax. I spoke with someone named “Christine” who stated I would be charged $12.95/month for the service. Not only was I erroneously charged TWICE for the service, I was charge TWICE in the amount of $16.95!! Not a huge amount, granted, but a RIP OFF just the same! I contacted customer service again to cancel the account and spoke with a supervisor (possibly) who goes by the name of “Lucy” who told me the erroneous amount had already been corrected on their system and that it was up to me and my bank to make sure the monies were credited back to the account!! “Lucy” could not tell me when the transaction would go through, nor was she able to notify our bank to make sure the money was credited back from us. My only recourse was to call our bank and file a dispute that could take up to 3 months to resolve!!! It makes me VERY UNCOMFORTABLE knowing now that Equifax has my SS# and access to my credit report!!! I plan on sharing my story with everyone I know so that they will not be taken in by this shady company!!!
Christina Peppin
On October 10, 2014 I received a letter from Equifax informing me that I could request a free credit report since I had previously placed a fraud alert on my file. When I placed the alert I had requested a credit report copy. I got one from both of the other companies but not yours. I went on line and filled out all your information then was told They couldn’t fulfill my request and I should call. I called but after giving all my information a second time I was told the automation system was down and my request could not be completed. I am concerned that my social security number and credit card number is hanging around Equifax for anyone to get while I can’t obtain a copy of my report. Can you please direct me to a working inite that can supply me with my request. Thank you, Peggy Henry