Customer Service

Credit Report Control FAQs

Which companies does Equifax Credit Report Control¿ prevent from viewing my Equifax credit report?

CompanLocking your credit report with Equifax Credit Report Control¿ will prevent access to your Equifax credit report by certain third parties, such as credit grantors or other companies and agencies, with the following exceptions:

• Companies like Equifax Personal Solutions which provide you with access to your credit report or credit score or monitor your credit file
• Federal, state and local government agencies
• Companies reviewing your application for employment
• Companies that have a current account or relationship with you, and collection agencies acting on behalf of those whom you owe
• For fraud detection and prevention purposes
• In connection with your application for insurance
• Companies that wish to make pre-approved offers of credit or insurance to you.  To opt out of such pre-approved offers, call 1-888-567-8688. 

Does Equifax Credit Report Control lock my credit report at Experian and TransUnion?

No, Equifax Credit Report Control only locks your Equifax credit report.

If I use Equifax Credit Report Control to lock my credit report, can any information, including new accounts, be posted to my Equifax credit report?

When your Equifax credit report is locked information from third parties continues to be added your credit report. No information is blocked from being posted.

New accounts may still be reported to Equifax and posted to your credit file if a creditor opens an account utilizing a credit report from one of the other credit reporting agencies whose file you have not locked, if you grant access to a creditor by unlocking your Equifax credit report, or if an account is opened by a creditor with whom you already have a current account or relationship.

When my Equifax credit report is locked, what alerts of key changes will Equifax Credit Watch^TM provide?

• Third parties continue to report information to Equifax that is posted to your credit file when your Equifax credit report is locked. As a member of Equifax Credit Watch, you will continue to receive alerts of the following key changes to your Equifax credit file:
  • New accounts opened in your name
  • Credit inquiries (based upon exceptions or if you have unlocked your report)
  • Name and address changes
  • Bankruptcies and other public records reported to your credit file
  • Changes to current accounts such as closure or past due status
  • Collections
  • Balance increases based on a self-selected dollar amount or percentage
  • Dormant card activity if the date of previous activity is greater than a self-selected time

Equifax Credit Watch with Equifax Credit Report Control^TM is the most effective product to prevent identity theft from ruining your credit.

What is the difference between locking my credit report with Equifax Credit Report Control and placing a fraud alert on my Equifax credit file?

Locking your credit file with Credit Report Control prevents most requestors from accessing your Equifax credit report unless you allow them. With a fraud alert lenders (or other requestors) can access your Equifax credit report but are given a warning when they do so. Placing a fraud alert on your credit file notifies those lenders viewing your credit report to contact you directly before granting credit. With Credit Report Control, lenders (with some exceptions) cannot access your Equifax credit report unless you let them.  Fraud alerts placed on your Equifax credit report are reported to Experian and TransUnion, while Equifax Credit Report Control protects only your Equifax credit report.

If you suspect that you may be or have already been a victim of identity theft and would like to reduce the likelihood of potential fraudulent use of your Equifax credit report, place a fraud alert on your credit file. However, to lock down access to your Equifax credit report from potential fraud and to monitor key changes, you should also have Equifax Credit Watch with Equifax Credit Report Control.

What is the difference between Equifax Credit Report Control and the security freezes available under some state laws?

Equifax Credit Report Control and a state law security freeze both block access to your Equifax credit report. Equifax Credit Report Control exceptions are similar to the exceptions commonly found in state security freeze laws. However, because states have enacted their own security freeze laws,the laws differ from state to state. The primary differences between Equifax Credit Report Control and security freeze under state law are the ease of online access and the availability of one low annual fee for services provided by Equifax Credit Report Control. With Equifax Credit Report Control, you can easily lock and unlock your Equifax credit report online whenever you wish. Changes to lock, unlock, and request specific company access to your credit report are available at no additional charge, unlike under state laws where typically a fee is charged for each transaction (unless you are an identity theft victim). As an Equifax Credit Report Control member you enjoy these benefits:

• Ability to lock and unlock your Equifax credit report online quickly and easily
• Flexibility to temporarily unlock your Equifax credit report for all companies or for specific companies
• Email notification of changes made to the lock status of your Equifax credit report
• An online history of the changes you made to your lock status
• Knowledgeable Customer Care available 7 days a week

What if I already have a state-regulated security freeze on my Equifax credit report under state law or the Equifax voluntary security freeze and want to use Equifax Credit Report Control to lock my Equifax credit report?

If you already have a security freeze under state law or the Equifax voluntary security freeze program, you must first permanently remove that freeze before you can use Equifax Credit Report Control. Once the freeze is permanently lifted, you may then order Equifax Credit Report Control to manage access to your Equifax credit report.

Once I buy Equifax Credit Report Control, is my Equifax credit report automatically locked?

After ordering Equifax Credit Report Control, your credit report remains unlocked and accessible to third parties until you lock it. To lock your Equifax credit report, you just click the "Lock Now" button in the product to block access by third parties.

When I need to shop for a loan or apply for credit, how can I unlock my file with Equifax Credit Report Control?

Before you go shopping, you may unlock your Equifax credit report in one of two ways. You may unlock your Equifax credit report for a specific time period: Temporary Unlock or for specific companies: Specific Company Unlock. You may unlock your Equifax credit report online or by contacting a Customer Care Representative who will assist you.

How does a Temporary Unlock work?

Requesting a Temporary Unlock of your Equifax credit report is the easiest way to utilize your credit to get the things you need. You choose the dates when you want your Equifax credit report unlocked, from one day to one year, and Equifax Credit Report Control will automatically unlock and lock your credit report for that time period. During the Temporary Unlock period, your credit report is unlocked to all parties. For example, if you plan to shop for a car over the weekend, simply log into Equifax Credit Report Control and set up a Temporary Unlock period for the weekend. Then when you discuss financing with any dealer, the dealer will be able to access your Equifax credit report and process financing immediately.

How does a Specific Company Unlock work?

Another method to unlock your Equifax credit report is to unlock it for specific companies with the Specific Company Unlock feature. For example, if you are shopping for a car, you may decide how many applications for credit you will want to make. You then log into Equifax Credit Report Control and with Specific Company Unlock create 4-digit PINs (also known as a Lender Personal Identification Number) to distribute to each company for one-time access to your Equifax credit report. These 4-digit PINs are active for 6 months or until they are used. Creating new PINs will cancel any unused PINs that were previously created. Setting a Temporary Unlock period will also cancel any unused PINs

Please note that while Equifax allows any company who provides a valid 4-digit PIN to access your locked Equifax credit report, not all companies are customers of Equifax or have the capability to utilize these PINs. You may want to check with the lender before creating a PIN to make sure they are a customer of Equifax and are capable of using it. If you are unsure whether a company you wish to have access to your Equifax credit report is able to utilize PINs, you may wish to simply use Temporary Unlock to allow access to your Equifax credit report.

Can Temporary Unlock and Specific Company Unlock be used at the same time?

No. Setting up a Temporary Unlock period will cancel any unused 4-digit PINs, and creating PINs will cancel a Temporary Unlock period.

How many Specific Company Unlock PINs may I create?

You may have as many as 10 Specific Company Unlock 4-digit PINs active at one time. You should plan ahead and create all the PINs you will need at the same time. Creating additional PINs will cancel any unused active PINs.

Why can't I change the lock status of my credit report at night with Equifax Credit Report Control?

You may lock and unlock your Equifax credit report at any time online, however your lock status cannot change during the time of 11:30pm to 5:30am ET Monday through Saturday, and Sunday from 3:00am to 7:00am ET. If you request a change during these times, Equifax Credit Report Control will process the change at the end of the period and send you an e-mail to confirm the change has occurred.

Of what changes does Equifax Credit Report Control notify me?

When you own Equifax Credit Report Control, your membership includes email notification of the following:

• Your Equifax credit report is locked for the first time, at the end of a Temporary Unlock period or if an unlock period is cancelled.
• Your Equifax credit report is unlocked at the start of a Temporary Unlock period
• Your Temporary Unlock period will end in one week
• Specific Company Unlock PINs are created, used or expire
• Your address has changed on your Equifax credit report

What is the difference between Equifax credit report and Equifax Credit Report™?

Equifax Credit Report™ is a specific product sold to individual consumers by Equifax Personal Solutions, and consists of all information from the consumer's Equifax credit file, including some information that Equifax does not provide to businesses, such as pre-screen and account review inquiries.

Equifax credit report is a generic term referring to any consumer report derived from the credit information in your Equifax credit file, and includes reports provided to businesses for credit, insurance or employment purposes.