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Contact Equifax - Why You Should Contact Equifax and How They Can Help Repair Your Credit

By: JR White

Many people are finding it necessary to contact the Equifax credit reporting agency. The main reason of late has been because of credit fraud. This has become more and more frequent these days. Someone has gotten hold of personal information and used it to open charge accounts, take out loans, and even turn on utilities. As the bills come in and no one makes the payment, the credit reporting agencies are required to register late or non-payments. This can continue until someone finds out his or her credit was used. This is usually when they contact Equifax and other credit reporting agencies to see what damage has been done.

There are two ways to contact Equifax. The first is by phone. The customer service center number in the United States is 1-800-685-1111. For consumers wanting to report suspected fraud the telephone number is 1-800-525-6285. The address for the company is P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, Georgia, 30374-0241. You can call or write them for more information to determine if you are a victim of fraud, ask for a copy of your credit report, or just have a general question.

There are three major credit reporting agencies in the United State. The first one is Equifax, the second, is Experian, and the third is Transunion. Each of these agencies carries almost the exact same information on consumers, which are their credit files. The files state whom the consumer owes money to, how much the debt is, and how often he pays. The creditors report to these three agencies to let them know if the clients have paid on time or are late. The credit bureaus also keep track of how many times the consumer applied for a loan and whom they applied to. There is a record of your previous addresses, past joint credit ventures, and may even include things like where you work or have worked.

There is a mass of information listed on your credit file. There are only certain people who can access this information. These people need your permission to do so. When this information gets into the wrong hands, your credit file can be extremely damaged. Accounts can be opened. Car loans and other financial loan applications can be made. This will all show on your credit report. Even if the application has not been approved, the credit check will still be on your record. This can potentially lower your credit score. There are ways to avoid this from happening to you.

First you must contact Equifax and the other credit reporting agencies. You will need to request a copy of your credit report. If you have been denied credit, you can obtain a copy for free at any time. During the course of a year you can also request your file once from each agency for free. Any other time it will cost you a small fee, generally $10.

When you get your credit file, go through all the personal information. If there are any issues, which you dispute, put it in writing. The credit reporting agencies are required by law to open an investigation to determine if credit fraud or theft has occurred. You can ask that any item, which is incorrect, be removed from your credit file. This does not mean a simple note explaining the situation, but completely removed. This is your right as a consumer.

If you feel you have become a victim of credit fraud or identity theft do not hesitate to contact Equifax and the other credit reporting agencies at once.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Author John White can teach you about Transunion and the other credit bureaus. You can also learn about what to look out for if you're thinking about contacting a debt consolidation service.

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