Four Ways That Equifax is Supporting Consumers During COVID

The impact of COVID-19 continues on a global scale as consumers, business leaders, and policymakers grapple to understand the immediate repercussions and long-term effects. 

Equifax is here to help. That’s why, from the initial days of the pandemic and the months that have followed, our team unveiled several steps to support our consumers in this unprecedented and rapidly changing economic environment. 

“Our core commitment is to help people live their financial best, and while the current COVID-19 situation is a challenge, understanding its potential impact on credit shouldn't be," said Anderson.

Here are four ways that Equifax is helping people get the information and resources they need to protect their credit and finances:

1. Building a Financial Resource Center: Equifax brought together its existing services and capabilities to create the COVID + Credit Financial Resource Center — a single online destination for people to leverage during this challenging time. The center is regularly updated with new content to help consumers in the face of an economic downturn. Through this new online resource center, people can gain access to articles, podcasts, videos and more to help them in the face of an economic downturn. In less than six months, our team published more than 120 articles and videos on the Resource Center, helping to provide insights to more than 600,000 visitors and counting.
2. Providing Free Credit Reports: Credit vigilance is essential during these uncertain times. To help consumers protect their financial health during the sudden and unprecedented hardship caused by COVID-19, Equifax is now offering consumers a free copy of their credit report every week until April 2021. Credit reports from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus can be accessed by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.
3. Launching a Consumer Credit Webinar and Podcast Series: Now more than ever, consumers need reliable, high-quality information to help them make decisions about their personal finances. Equifax launched the "You Ask. Equifax Answers" webinar series to speak directly with consumers, answering their questions on finances in light of the Covid pandemic and follow up some of the most common questions with social media posts and articles.  With the CreditTalks Podcast Series, we bring together experts from many different industries in order to help consumers navigate the current challenges they may face within their credit and personal financial health. From cars to real estate to investing to identity theft prevention, our experts provide useful information combined with Equifax insights on what we see happening in the economy. 
4. Leveraging Insights on Consumer Credit Confidence: We launched a Consumer Credit Confidence Survey to measure how respondents feel about their personal finances and overall prospects as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. Recent results found that consumers are feeling cautiously optimistic now about the health and financial impact of COVID-19. The Index is now being conducted monthly and will continue to measure consumers' credit and personal finance concerns.

“In times like these, it’s very important for people to understand their financial health and take control,” said Anderson. “We hope the resources that we are providing will empower consumers to live their financial best and better navigate these challenging times.”