How Equifax Collects, Sells, and Shares Your Personal Data
What is Equifax?
Equifax is a major U.S.-based consumer credit reporting agency and data broker that collects, aggregates, and sells vast amounts of personal, financial, and employment data on individuals and businesses worldwide. It operates in over 24 countries and maintains credit files on more than 800 million individuals and 88 million businesses.
URL
equifax.com
Support Email
myprivacy.equifax.com
Type of Data Broker
Marketing
Aggression level
Critical
What Equifax collects and why it puts your privacy at risk
-
This company is listed in our Top 100 Most Aggressive Data Sellers based on sensitivity and reach.
-
Collects and sells basic details like your name, address, phone number, and email address.
-
The company’s practices pose a heightened risk for identity theft, scams, discrimination, and profiling.
-
Tracks and sells your location history, movements, and device-based geolocation data.
-
Collects and monetizes data related to your income, spending habits, debts, and financial status.
-
Collects and distributes your work history, job titles, company affiliations, and professional connections.
The risks shown are based on the types of personal data this company collects, sells, or shares.
Even limited data collection can expose you to serious privacy threats.
How to Opt Out and Remove Your Data from Equifax
Equifax provides options to opt out of certain data sharing practices, such as prescreened credit offers. However, this process requires mailing a physical form for permanent opt-out, and does not remove your data from Equifax's databases. Additional opt-out requests can be made via myprivacy.equifax.com, but full data removal is challenging and often limited.
For detailed instructions, view our Opt-Out Guide.
Enroll in mePrism Privacy to ensure continuous monitoring and removal from Equifax and other brokers.
Equifax Privacy Risks and How to Remove Your Personal Data
Credit Reporting and Data Aggregation
Equifax collects data from financial institutions, creditors, and public records to create detailed credit reports. This includes information on credit accounts, payment histories, and public records like bankruptcies.
Employment Verification via The Work Number
Through its subsidiary, The Work Number, Equifax gathers employment and income data from employers and payroll providers. This information is used for employment verification and is sold to third parties, including debt collectors and financial institutions.
Challenges in Data Removal
Opting out of Equifax's data collection is complex and does not guarantee complete removal of your information. Given the breadth of data collected and shared, using privacy services like mePrism can help manage and monitor your personal data across various platforms.
Companies like Equifax are selling your data right now.
Most data brokers make opting out difficult or impossible. We locate your exposed data, remove it, and continue monitoring as new brokers are added.
Create your free account now to see where your data is exposed and begin securing your privacy.
What our Customers are saying
