Equifax Credit Report

Equifax is the oldest of the three major credit bureaus, which dates back to 1899. Two brothers set up a company called Retail Credit Company in Atlanta, Georgia. The company became Equifax in 1975. They claim to be the largest provider of consumer information.

Equifax delivers comprehensive nationwide coverage through an on-line database of 190 million consumer credit files, offering complete credit granting decision support in a clear, concise reporting format designed for ease of use. Equifax automatically combines multiple files, groups key consumer data into tightly organized sections and provides enhanced reporting features for maximum decision-making speed and efficiency:

Five categories of information in an Equifax Credit Report:

• Identifying Information
  
• Employment Information
  (This is actually the last employment reported to Equifax by credit grantors, who do not usually update this information. It is used for demographic purposes only, not credit decisions).
  
• Credit Information
  
• Public Record Information
  
• Inquiries
  

How long does Equifax keep your credit information?

Payment in full does not remove your payment history. The length of time information remains on your credit file is shown below:

• Credit Accounts
  Accounts paid as agreed remain for up to10 years.
  Accounts not paid as agreed remain for 7 years.
  
  
• Collection Accounts
  Remain for 7 years.
  (The time periods listed above are measured from the date in your credit file shown in the date of last activity filed accompanying the particular credit or collection account.)
  
  
• Courthouse Records
  Remain for 7 years from the date filed, except:
  Bankruptcy-Chapters 7 and 11 remain 10 years from the date filed.
  Bankruptcy-Chapter 13 non-dismissed or non-discharged remains 10 years from the date filed.
  Unpaid tax liens remain indefinitely.
  Paid tax liens remain for up to 7 years from the date released.
  Paid or unpaid judgments remain on file 7 years from the file date.
  
  
• New York State Residents Only: Satisfied judgments remain 5 years from the date filed, paid collections remain 5 years from the "date of last activity".
  California State Residents Only: All tax liens remain 7 years from the date filed.
  
  
  

To see a sample online Equifax credit report, click here.

Equifax Credit Report Fields

• CONSUMER REFERREL MESSAGE:
  This is the address and phone number of the reporting agency. It is provided to assist you and the consumer in the
  event of adverse action.
  
  
• SINCE:
  Date file was established
  
  
• FAD:
  Date of last activity on file
  
  
• FN:
  FILE NUMBER for Equifax Internal use only
  
  
• IDENTIFICATION:
  Subject name
  Current address, telephone numbers, origin & date
  added to file
  Former address
  Second former address
  Also known as
  Birth date, SSN subject, SSN verified-Yes (Y) or No (N)
  (According to Equifax rules, SSN has been verified through major Equifax customers Social Security Administration will not verify SSN)
  
  
• EMPLOYMENT:
  ES-(Employment subject) position, firm, location,
  date employed, date verified
  EF-(Employment former) position, firm,
  location, date left
  E2-(Employment second former)
  
  
• SUMMARY OF FILE ITEMS:
  04/73-Oldest opening date of trade
  07/98-Newest reporting date of trade
  PR/OI-YES-file has public records
  FB-NO-when file contains NO information
  from credit reporting companies NOT affiliated
  with Equifax
  ACCTS:10-File contains ten trade lines
  HC-High credit range $450-87,595
  6-ONES-Six trades in the file coded 1
  1-TWO-One trade in file coded 2
  1-THREE-One trade in file coded 3
  1-FIVE-One trade in file coded 5
  1-OTHER_One trade in file with no code
  
  
• PUBLIC RECORDS OR OTHER INFORMATION:
  BKRPT (Bankruptcy) date filed, court number, case number, liabilities, assets, exempt amount, filer, type, intent,-chapter number
  COLL (Collection) Date reported, date assigned to collection agency, agency's client, amount, balance, date of last activity with agency's client,
  ECOA designator, account serial number.
  ST JD- (Satisfied judgement) date filed, court number, amount, defendent, case number, plaintiff, date verified, status, date satisfied
  
  
• INQUIRIES:
  INQS -Alert appears if three or more inquiries occured within the past ninety days. Customer name, number and date inquired. Two-year inquiry history shown.
  
  
• TRADE:
  First Line:
  FIRM/ID CODE-Name and customer number of reporting company
  *-Trade information from automated tape supplier
  RPTD-Date item was reported
  OPND-Date account was opened with reporting company
  H/C High credit (On "R" (Revolving) accounts,
  may indicate credit limit)
  TRM-Monthly repayment amount or number of months or years
  BAL-Balance owed as of reporting date
  P/D-Past due amount as of reporting date
  
  
• TYPE OF ACCOUNT:
  R=Revolving account
  O=Open account (30, 60, or 90 days)
  I=Installment account CS-Current Status of Account
  Code Description
  0 Too New To Rate; Approved But Not Used
  1 Paid as Agreed; Satisfactory; Current
  2 Pays 31-60 Days; Not more than 2 Payments Past Due
  3 Pays 31-60 Days; Not more than 3 Payments Past Due
  4 Pays 31-60 Days; Not more than 4 Payments Past Due
  5 Pays Over 120 Days; Not more than 4 or More Payments Past Due
  6 Pays Over 120 Days; Not more than 5 or More Payments Past Due
  7 Making Regular Payments Or Paid Under Wage Earner Plan Of Similiar Arrangements
  8 Repossession
  9 Charged Off to Bad Debt
  
  
• MR-Months reviewed
  
  
• Code Description
  U Undersigned
  I Individual
  A Authorized User
  J Joint
  C Co-Maker
  B On Behalf Of
  M Maker
  T Associated With Account Terminated
  S Shared
  
  
• ACCOUNT NUMBER:
  Subject's account number with reporting company
  Second Line:
  30 (01) 60 (01) 90+ (01)-Number of times account was 30, 60 or 90+ days late
  05/98-R4, 04/98-R3, 03/98-R2-Exact dates of last two delinquencies plus most severe delinquency rating in last
  seven years
  DLA 02/98-Date of last activity on account
  
  
• SAFESCANNED:
  This file was accessed by a customer using the Equifax SAFESCAN service, an Equifax fraud protection service.
  
  
• DATE FILE WAS ACCESSED
  
  
• SAFESCAN:
  Optional fraud system. Year and state of residence when Social Security number was issued.
  

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