Facts You Should Know

* Payment history on your credit file is supplied to Equifax by credit grantors with whom you have credit. This includes both open accounts and accounts that have already been closed.

* Payment in full does not remove your payment history. The length of time information remains in file is:

Credit and collections account --- 7 years from the date of last activity
Courthouse records --- 7 years from the date filed, except Bankruptcy Chapters 7 and 11 which remain for 10 years from date filed.

New York State Residents only: Satisfied judgments 5 years from the date filed; paid collections 5 years from the date of last activity with original creditor.

* A divorce decree does not supersede the original contract with te creditor and does not release you from legal responsibility on any accounts. You must contact each creditor individually and seek their legal binding release of you obligation. Only after that release can your credit history be updated accordingly.

* There may be what appear to be duplicate accounts reported in you credit file. This could be because some credit grantors issue both revolving and installment accounts. Another reason why an account may appear to be reported twice is that when you move, some credit grantors transfer your account to a different location and issue another account number.

* The balance reported is the balance on the date the source reported the information to Equifax. Credit grantors supply information on a periodic basis, so the balance shown may not be the balance you know it is today. If the balance reported was correct as of the date reported, it is not necessary to reinvestigate the balance of that account.

* Many companies market consumer products and services by mail. Millions of people take advantage of these direct marketing opportunities because it is a convenient way to shop. If you prefer not to receive direct mailings, you can write to: Direct Marketing Association, Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, New York 11735-9008. Include your complete name, full address, Social Security number and signature. The Direct Marketing Assoication will have your name removed from these lists.

* Many credit card companies and lenders utilize the Equifax database to offer pre-approved credit. If you prefer not to receive pre-approved offers, please notify us at: Equifax Options, P.O. Box 740123, Atlanta, GA 30374-0123. Include your complete name, full address, Social Security number and signature. Equifax will remove your name from the list we provide, and share your request with the other two major credit reporting agencies.


If the reinvestigation results in changing or deleting the information you are concerned about, you may request an updated credit report to be sent to any credit grantor that received your credit report in the past six months (12 months for Colorado, New York and Maryland residents) and/or company which received your credit report in the past two years for employment purposes.