Lock and AlertTM Privacy Policy
Effective Date: January 31, 2018
Protecting your personal information is important to Equifax® (“We” or “Us”). Please review the following information regarding our privacy policies and practices.
This online privacy policy (“Policy”) applies to this Equifax® Lock & Alert™ website and related websites or mobile applications (“Apps”) that link or refer to this policy (collectively and individually, “Website”), and we want visitors to our Website to understand our privacy practices in connection with this Website.
This document includes information about:
- Information We Collect and How We Use It
- How We Share Information
- Information Security
- Your Choice and Control Over Your Information
- Third Party Websites and Services
- Users Outside the United States
- Changes to this Policy
- How to Contact Us
Special Note for Parents: The Website is a general audience website and is not designed or intended to attract children under age 13. We do not collect personal information from any person we actually know is under age 13.
- Information We Collect and How We Use It
We collect the information necessary to deliver the Lock & Alert™ service.
The information we gather from you enables us to personalize and improve the Lock & Alert™ service and Website features. The information we collect from you includes: (1) information you provide directly to us; (2) information collected automatically (such as through cookies); and (3) information from other sources.
Information You Provide to Us: We may receive and store any information when you use our Website or that you provide to us in any other way. This includes personal information, which is information that can identify you as an individual. Examples of personal information include, but are not limited to, your name, your physical or email address, your date of birth, and your Social Security number. Personal information does not include information that does not reveal your specific identity or does not directly relate to an individual, such as demographic, de-identified or aggregated data. You can choose not to provide us with certain information, but then we may not be able to offer you Lock & Alert™ service, or you may not be able to take advantage of all of its features.
The information that you provide to us to use the Lock & Alert™ service will be used for purposes consistent with this Privacy Policy and the terms and conditions for the service.
We will retain your information for use as described in this Policy while you have an active account with us and for up to two years after your account is no longer active. If you wish to cancel your account or request that we no longer use your information to provide you the service or communicate with you as disclosed in this Policy, contact Customer Care at 888-548-7878, or cancel your service. We will also retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations and resolve disputes.
Registration: In order to access some portions of this Website, you must first complete the registration form submitting your email address and creating a password. During registration you are required to provide your personal information including: name, date of birth, phone numbers, and Social Security number. We use this information to verify your identity as well as uniquely identify your information with other data stores.
Supplementation of Personal Information: To improve the security of our Website, to protect your identity, and to protect your information, we may verify your personal information by matching the information you provide against other information that we obtain from identification verification companies.
Information Collected Automatically
We may receive and store certain types of information automatically when you interact with our website.
Cookies: We use session and persistent cookie technology. Generally speaking, cookies are text files that are placed in your device’s browser. Cookies can be used to help recognize your browser across different web pages, websites, and browsing sessions and to personalize and improve your experience on the Website. For example, cookies are used in order to:
- Allow us to gather aggregated statistical data about the use of our Website;
- Help us improve your navigation of our Website;
- Enable us to store your preferences for certain kinds of information;
- Help Equifax provide features such as personalized offers and education that we believe may be of interest to you;
- Allow us to store your user name so that we recognize you when you return to our Website; and
- Help us combat identity theft and fraud with more reliable identity verification and authentication data.
Web Beacons: We use a software technology called clear gifs (a.k.a. Web Beacons/Web Bugs), that help us better manage content on our website by informing us what content is effective. Clear gifs are tiny graphics with a unique identifier, similar in function to cookies, and are used to track the online movements of Web users. In contrast to cookies, which are stored on a user's computer hard drive, clear gifs are embedded invisibly on Web pages and are about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. We also use clear gifs in our HTML-based emails to let us know which emails have been opened by recipients. This allows us to gauge the effectiveness of our communications.
Device Identification: We also may collect other information about the device you use to access our Website. The information may include device type, operating system, device model number, serial number and types and versions of browser software used. On mobile devices, we also may use a unique identifier associated with your device (the “Advertising ID”) in order to better understand your interaction with our Website. The Advertising ID is similar to a cookie in a non-mobile browser and we will use it in a similar manner. On iOS devices, this is known as the Identifier for Advertising (IDFA), and on Android devices, this identifier is called the Google Advertising ID (AAID). We may also collect your IP address, which is a number automatically assigned to your device when you access the Internet and can be used to derive your general geographic location. This information is used to create a digital identifier for your device that may be associated with your account.
Log Files: Equifax may choose to automatically receive and record information on our server logs from your browser including your IP address, cookie information, Advertising ID and the page you requested. Our servers may automatically collect usage information, such as the numbers and frequency of visitors to our Website and its components, similar to TV ratings that indicate how many people watched a particular show. Equifax uses this data in aggregate form, that is, as a statistical measure, and not in a manner that would identify you personally. This type of aggregate data enables us to figure out how often customers use parts of the website so that we can make the website appealing to as many customers as possible, and improve those features.
Email Communications About the Lock & Alert™ Service and Other Offers: We do not ask you to email us personal information. We may receive a confirmation when you open an email from Equifax if your computer supports this type of program. We may use this confirmation to help ensure the timeliness and effectiveness of correspondence. We will periodically send you service-related announcements. For instance, if our Website is temporarily suspended for maintenance, we may send you an email. Generally, you may not opt-out of these communications, which are not promotional in nature. If you do not wish to receive them, you have the option to deactivate your account. In addition, we may send you offers for other products or services from us, our affiliates or third parties, however we will not give your information to third parties to email you offers directly. You may be able to opt-out of those communications in accordance with applicable law.
Information We Collect from Others:
We may also collect personal information about your transactions and interactions with us, our affiliates, or others. For example, in connection with requests for the Lock & Alert™ service, we access your Equifax individual credit file information.
We may receive additional information about you, from sources such as data brokers, data cooperatives, other commercial sources, and public databases. For example, we may collect information about average household income and census data relating to households within particular geographic areas to better understand the characteristics of our customers and visitors to our Website and to develop new products, services and content areas. We may also receive information from third parties that identifies your interactions with our Website across multiple devices.
We may combine all of the personal information and non-personal information we collect or receive about you and use or disclose it in the manner described in this online privacy policy, including to help us better tailor content, education, and offers to your interests and needs. As mentioned elsewhere in this Policy, we will not share your information with third parties for any purpose other than to provide the service to you.
- How We May Share Information
Service Providers: We may employ affiliates, other companies and people to perform tasks on our behalf such as an email provider to assist us in fulfilling portions of the Lock & Alert™ service or targeting our messages and need to share your information with them to provide the Lock & Alert™ service. Unless we tell you differently, our service providers do not have any right to use personal information we share with them beyond what is necessary to assist us in providing the Lock & Alert™ service.
Business Transfers: If all or part of our company is sold or merged, if we make a sale or transfer of assets, or in the unlikely event of a bankruptcy, we may transfer your information, including your personal information, to one or more third parties as part of that transaction.
To Protect You, Equifax and Others: We reserve the right to disclose your information as required by law and when we believe that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights and/or comply with a judicial proceeding, court order, or legal process; enforce or apply our conditions of use and other agreements; or protect the rights, property, or safety of Equifax, our employees, our customers, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
Fraud Detection: We may disclose your information where we believe it is appropriate to detect, prevent, and address fraud or other illegal activity. For example, we may disclose your device information and device digital identifier, as well as other information, including but not limited to IP address or account identifier, to our partners that provide services designed to detect potential fraud. This information may be combined with information from other participating services in order to improve the security of our online environment.
- Information Security
We are committed to protecting the security of your personal information, and use reasonable technical, administrative and physical security measures. However, no data transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be 100 percent secure. As a result, while we strive to protect the personal information we maintain, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information that you transmit to us.
- Your Choice and Control over Your Information
You can opt not to disclose information to Equifax, even though it may be needed to take advantage of certain Equifax Website and Lock & Alert™ service features. We may allow you to access some of your personal information for the purpose of viewing, and in certain situations, correcting and updating that information. The types of information that you can access and update will change as our Website changes. This can be seen when you log into our Website with your email address and password and choose "My Account". When you update information, however, we may maintain a copy of the unrevised information in our records. You may request cancellation of your Lock & Alert account by contacting us directly as set forth below or, if you are a Lock & Alert customer, by calling our customer service number. Please note that some information may remain in our records after deletion of your account. You may limit the amount of email you receive from us by de-selecting "email" as a preference for alert notification from within our Website. As explained earlier, the majority of browsers allow you to monitor and restrict our use of cookies. Please note, however, that if your browser does not accept cookies, you may not be able to take advantage of some of our website features.
Do Not Track Signal: Some web browsers may transmit “do not track” signals to the websites and other online services with which a user communicates. There is no industry standard that governs what, if anything, websites should do when they receive these signals. We currently do not take action in response to these signals. If and when a standard is established and accepted, we may revisit our policy on responding to these signals.
Advertising ID: You may reset your Advertising ID by following the instructions in your mobile OS. If you reset your Advertising ID, we will not be able to understand and personalize your experience on the Website.
Online Behavioral Advertising: The Equifax Online Behavioral Advertising Notice also provides information about how you may opt out from receiving ads based on your online behavior. Please visit the websites operated by the following organizations to learn more, including to learn about choices to opt out of targeted advertising:
Your California Privacy Rights: California Civil Code Section 1798.83 entitles California customers to request information concerning whether a business has disclosed Personal Information to any third parties for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes. California customers who wish to request further information about our compliance with this law or have questions or concerns about our privacy practices and policies may contact us as specified in the “How to Contact Us” section.
- Third Party Web Sites and Services
This Privacy Policy applies only to the Lock & Alert Website and service. This site may contain links or referrals to other websites not operated or controlled by Equifax (“Third Party Websites”). The policies and procedures that are described in this Privacy Policy do not apply to Third Party Websites, and any links or referrals from Equifax do not imply that Equifax endorses or has reviewed the Third Party Websites. We suggest contacting those third parties directly for information on their privacy policies and practices.
- Users Outside the United States
This Website is intended for users within the United States. If you use this Website from outside the United States, please be aware that information you provide to Equifax or that Equifax obtains as a result of your use of this Website may be processed and transferred to the United States and be subject to the laws of the United States. The privacy and data protection laws in the United States may not be equivalent to such laws in your country of residence. By using our Website, using any of our Website’s functions or features, or by providing us with your personal information or non-personal information, you consent to the collection, transfer, storage, and processing of your information in and to the United States.
- Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may change this Policy in the future. If we make changes to this Policy, we will post the revised privacy policy and its effective date on this Website.
- How to Contact Us
If you have questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, please email us at privacy@Equifax.com or write to Chief Privacy Officer, Equifax Inc., 1550 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309. Please reference “Privacy Notice – Lock & Alert” when contacting us about this policy.