How to Delete a Credit Account From Equifax

Equifax is one of the three national credit bureaus responsible for maintaining the information contained within the credit reports of every U.S. resident. A credit report is a record of your past and current debt, including mortgage loans, bankruptcies, and credit card accounts. Because of the vast number of company reports Equifax receives on a regular basis, inaccuracies do occur. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) limits the credit bureaus to reporting only information that is accurate. In the event that a consumer disputes the accuracy of any information contained within his credit report, the FCRA requires the credit bureau to conduct a full investigation. If you note a credit account listed on your Equifax credit report that does not belong to you, you can take steps to have it removed.

Instructions

1

Call the company providing the information to Equifax. The telephone number for the company will be listed in the credit notation. Explain to the representative you speak with that the company is reporting someone else's account to your credit file. Ask to be transferred to a supervisor who can help clear the matter up. Customer service representatives will rarely have the authority to alter credit files.

2

Give the supervisor the account number listed on your credit report. The supervisor will be able to use this information to look up the account and verify that it does not belong to you. You may be required to mail or fax a copy of your picture I.D. to verify that you are not the owner of the account. In most cases, this is enough for the company to request that Equifax remove the inaccurate information.

3

Contact Equifax by mail in the event that the company reporting the information does not remove it. Include within your letter that the credit account does not belong to you and that you are requesting a full investigation into the inaccuracy. Also include a copy of your Equifax credit report with the account in question highlighted.

4

Wait for a response. The FCRA allows each credit bureau 30 days to investigate disputed credit account entries. After the investigation is complete, you will receive notice via mail of the results of the investigation along with a fresh copy of your credit report if changes are made.

5

Contact the Attorney General for your state and file a formal complaint against the credit bureau if the erroneous notation is not removed. A well placed telephone call from the Attorney General in your favor can usually remedy issues regarding credit accounts. You may also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection.