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Prevent Fraud & ID Theft Articles

How can both a fraud alert on my credit file and Equifax Credit Watch™ help me to protect my identity?

Having a fraud alert placed on your credit file is one of the things you can do if you suspect you have been or may be a victim of fraud– such as if you believe someone is trying to open credit accounts in your name. A fraud alert notifies lenders who receive your credit report that they should take steps to verify your identity, such as by contacting you, before authorizing new or additional credit. In this way, fraud alerts can help prevent new accounts from being opened that you did not authorize.

Fraud alerts are not a cure-all, however. For example, they do not prevent someone from using your existing credit cards. So, if you suspect you’re a victim of identity theft, or have already become a victim, fraud alerts are only a start in trying to protect your credit. You also need to pay close attention to your credit report to make sure that there is no activity that you do not recognize.

That is why we recommend that you monitor your credit with one of our Equifax Credit Watch™ credit monitoring products – that start for as little as $4.95 per month. It will allow you to monitor your credit file so that you will know what changes are being reported to your credit file.

Plus, Equifax Credit Watch includes the Automatic Fraud Alerts* feature from Equifax Information Services at no charge. With the Automatic Fraud Alerts feature Equifax will place your free initial 90 day fraud alert on your Equifax credit file and refer your fraud alert request to Experian and TransUnion, Then, every 90 days Equifax will automatically renew your initial 90 day fraud alert.

* The Automatic Fraud Alerts feature is made available to consumers by Equifax Information Services LLC and fulfilled on its behalf by Equifax Consumer Services LLC.

I do not have files at Experian or TransUnion. Will I be able to purchase Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring?

If we cannot locate your file at Experian or TransUnion, then you will not be able to purchase Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring. However, if you have an Equifax Credit Report™, we recommend that you consider Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold in order to obtain a level of identity theft protection.

Do you offer Equifax Credit Watch™ via mail?

If you choose not to receive Equifax Credit Watch™ online, it is available through the U.S. Mail. Equifax Credit Watch™ by mail includes the following:

Your complete credit report
Daily monitoring and notify express, which alerts you to changes to your credit report
Quarterly credit updates
Dedicated customer service toll-free hotline

You can order this product online at creditwatch.intersections.com. Or you can order it by mail at:
Equifax Credit Watch™
P.O. Box 222455
Chantilly, VA 20153-9954.

If you order through the mail, be sure to include your full name, Social Security number, date of birth, phone number, and mailing address. You will be sent an application along with information on how the Equifax Credit Watch™ by Mail process works.

Why should I purchase Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring?

Your file at each credit reporting company may be slightly different at each one. This is because creditors, lenders, and other entities do not always report to each agency and they typically request a report from only one agency when processing an application for credit. As a result, you could have changes occurring on one file and not the other two. With comprehensive monitoring, you get complete coverage and a peace of mind in knowing that if any changes are made to your credit file at any agency, you will be notified. Acquiring a comprehensive monitoring solution is the best way to stay on the lookout for identity theft.

I recieved a credit file alert from one or two of the credit reporting agencies, but not all three. Why did this occur?

There may be multiple reasons why this occurred. Creditors, lenders, and other entities do not always report to each credit reporting company on the same schedule. Therefore, you may receive the same alert from each agency, but with a lapse of time between each one. In addition, not all creditors, lenders, and entities report to all three agencies. As a result you may not get an alert from each credit reporting company.

What is the Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold Family Program?

The Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold Family Program provides customers that have purchased 12 months of Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with the ability to purchase 12 months of Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold for up to ten family members at a discount. At the time of purchase, a product code will be generated for each family member.

How long is the Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold Family Program product code valid?

Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold Family Program product code is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.

I do not have files at Experian or TransUnion. Will I be able to purchase Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring Family Program?

If we cannot locate your file at Experian or TransUnion, then you will not be able to purchase Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring Family Program. However, if you have an Equifax Credit Report™, we recommend that you consider Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold in order to obtain a level of identity theft protection.

How do I send Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold or Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring to my family members?

Once you purchase the Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold Family Program, it is easy to send the product to your family members. After your purchase is confirmed, simply click on the "Send to Family Member" button, and enter your family member's contact information. You may also do this in the Member Center. We will then email each family member an Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold certificate with a promotional code and a link to the Equifax Website registration page. If you prefer to print a certificate for your family member, click on the "Print Certificate" button on the send to family member page.

If you would like to send Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring to your family members, simply follow the process outlined about but look for identifying information for Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring.

How do I renew my Equifax Credit Watch™ ?

If you pre-pay for a fixed number of months, your Equifax Credit Watch™ product renews at the end of the pre-paid period. Thirty calendar days prior to your renewal date, we will notify you via email that your product will be renewed unless you notify us that you wish to cancel your service. One year from the date of purchase, we will charge the credit card you provided at the time of purchase for another 12 months. Your product will continue until cancelled.

If you purchase Equifax Credit Watch™ on a month-to-month basis, your product will automatically renew (and we will bill your credit or debit card) on the same day of each following month at the then-current rates until you cancel. If you purchase on the 31st day of the month, the renewal date will be the 30th day of each subsequent month. If your renewal date is the 30th, renewal during February will occur on the 28th.

My credit card is going to expire and my Equifax Credit Watch™ product is going to renew soon, how can I update my credit card?

You can update your credit card information by contacting our Customer Support Center. Click here for our Customer Support contact information.

I have Equifax Credit Watch™ Silver, can I upgrade to Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold?

You can automatically upgrade your Credit Watch product from the Member Center. From the Member Center and under available products, look for the Credit Watch product you would like to upgrade to and select the order now button. Your product will be automatically upgraded based on your selection. Or you may contact customer service to assist you in upgrading your existing product. Click here for our Customer Support contact information

I have Equifax Credit Watch™ Silver or Gold, can I upgrade to Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring ?

Yes, you may upgrade to Equifax Credit Watch™ Gold with 3-in-1 Monitoring. Simply log into your Equifax Personal Solutions account and view the Member Center. You should see an option to upgrade to one of our premium products. If you have any questions or are having difficulty please contact customer service to assist you in upgrading your existing product. Click here for our Customer Support contact information

How do I upgrade my existing Equifax Credit Watch™ product?

You can automatically upgrade your Credit Watch from the Member Center. From the Member Center and under available products, look for the Credit Watch you would like to upgrade to and select the order now button. Your product will be automatically upgraded based on your selection. Or you may contact customer service to assist you in upgrading your existing product.

I got an email notification saying an account was removed from my credit report, but the account is still open and the last activity was just a few months ago. What happened?

Equifax Credit Watch™ works by comparing the information currently in your credit file to the information that was in your credit file the day before. If a bank reports an account number to Equifax as 12345678 one day, Equifax Credit Watch™ will look for that exact account number the following day.

If the bank changes the way it reports the account number -- so that it appears as 01234567, for example -- Equifax Credit Watch™ may send you an alert that the old account has been closed and a new account opened, though in reality nothing has changed. Also, from time to time lenders ask that we remove accounts from our system. This can be a permanent removal or just for a short time. Either way, this would cause this type of alert.

After I got an Equifax Credit Watch™ notification regarding my account balance, I called my credit card company and found that their balance doesn't match the balance on the alert. Why?

Equifax Credit Watch™ sends you alerts based on the information your creditors report to Equifax. Your creditor may have reported your information before you made recent charges or before your latest payment was received.

I received a credit file alert from one or two of the credit reporting agencies, but not all three. Why did this occur?

I have a new email address, how can I update it to ensure that I continue receiving my notifications?

You can update your email address by logging into the Member Center and selecting "My Profile". Once accessed, you can update and modify your personal registration information such as: username, password, email address and secret question. Click here to update your email address.

I've started using a new credit card, but still haven't received an alert about opening a new account. Why?

Most credit card issuers report a new account within 30 days, but some can take as long as 90 days. Also, some smaller issuers may report to only one of three national credit reporting agencies -- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. If your issuer doesn't report to Equifax, Equifax will not receive the information. Call your card issuer and ask which credit reporting agencies it reports to, and how often.

What types of notifications should I expect to receive?

Using criteria effective in determining possible early warning signs of identity theft, Equifax alerts you by email of certain changes to your Equifax credit file. Changes that result in a notification include:

New accounts opened in your name
Credit inquiries resulting from a company requesting a copy of your credit report
An address change
Bankruptcies and other public records
Some changes to current accounts
Balance increase alerts based on a self-selected dollar amount or percentage

When you receive a notification for an event you do not recognize, you should contact the company or organization listed in the notification immediately.