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| An Introduction to Equifax’s Privacy Policies
and On-line Security Procedures |
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| For more than 100 years, Equifax has been a catalyst
for commerce by bringing businesses and consumers together.
We have built our good reputation through a commitment to protecting
the privacy and confidentiality of sensitive information. Because
safeguarding information privacy, on-line and off, is a top
priority for you and Equifax … |
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| … we take reasonable steps to: |
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Give web visitors clear notice of the information requested of them and of the purpose for which that information will be used; |
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Maintain accurate records, provide access to that information and, when that information has changed or may be inaccurate, provide a fair correction procedure; and |
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Implement safe and secure systems, physical and electronic, to safeguard personally identifiable information. |
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| For more information about Equifax’s on-line privacy
policies, please review our Internet
privacy policy FAQs. |
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| You may also wish to view our fair information practices outlining your rights with regard to your credit file and explaining precautions we take with information about you. |
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| Equifax has also taken a number of actions and initiatives to enhance privacy protection, improve information accuracy, and provide professional service. For a list of these efforts, please see "Putting Equifax Beliefs Into Practice" |
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| Equifax and BBBOnLine |
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| Equifax is a proud member of the Council of Better Business Bureaus’ BBBOnLine® Privacy Program steering committee, and our web site at www.Equifax.com conforms to all program policies. As such, we commit to abide by our posted privacy policies and submit to a comprehensive and independent verification of these policies by BBBOnLine. Information that is submitted solely for business purposes is not covered by program guidelines. Only domestic sites intended for use by U.S. residents are eligible for the BBBOnLine Privacy Program seal. Therefore, our international sites, links to which are provided on our home page, fall outside the scope of the BBBOnLine program, including http://www.equifax.co.uk/ (Equifax Europe); http://www.equifax.ca/ (Equifax Canada); http://www.dicom.cl/ (Equifax DICOM); http://www.veraz.com.ar/ (Equifax Organizacion Veraz); http://www.sci.com.br/ (Equifax Brazil); and http://www.evi-india.com/setup1.htm (Equifax India). |
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| Further information on BBBOnLine is available at http://www.bbbonline.org/ |
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| Equifax and the Online Privacy Alliance |
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| In addition to our adherence to BBBOnLine policies, Equifax is also a member of the Online Privacy Alliance (OPA). Equifax and OPA support self-regulatory initiatives that create an environment of trust and that foster the protection of individuals’ privacy online and in electronic commerce. |
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| For more on the OPA, please visit: http://www.privacyalliance.org/ |
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| Equifax and the Individual Reference Services Group (IRSG) |
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| Equifax is also a member of the Individual Reference Services Group (IRSG), a group of information services companies that have worked closely with the Federal Trade Commission to develop a comprehensive set of self-regulatory principles backed by audit and government enforcement. The IRSG has developed a white paper explaining its purpose and principles. To see the paper in its original form, please visit the IRSG site at http://www.IRSG.org Or you may download a PDF version of these principles at irsgv2.pdf. The PDF file can be viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader, available for free download at http://www.adobe.com |
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| For more information about Equifax and IRSG, please review our IRSG FAQs |
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| Notice, Choice, Access, Accuracy and Redress |
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| Personally identifiable information that Equifax maintains about you in its credit database is regulated by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, which provides for a procedure to review, update and correct information contained in your file. To order a copy of your credit report and review your file click here. When you receive your file, you will be given a special, toll-free telephone number to initiate updates or corrections to your file. |
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| When you order your credit information
on-line from Equifax, we capture certain data to process that
request and to verify your identity to ensure that we are sending
the correct report to the proper individual. This is for your
protection and to help eliminate ID fraud and fraudulent orders.
You also have the option of ordering your credit report by mail
or telephone. The decision to order your credit report on-line
(or by mail or telephone) is completely voluntary. |
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| Specifically, the information we collect on-line
for verification and processing includes: |
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First and last name (middle initial and suffix, as applicable); |
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Social Security number; |
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Date of birth; |
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Gender; |
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Home telephone number; |
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E-mail address; |
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Current and former mailing address; |
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Credit card number and expiration date; and |
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Drivers license number, state of issue, and address on license |
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| Additionally, we ask you from two to six multiple choice questions about information contained in your credit file, questions to which only you are likely to know the answer. |
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| When ordering our Sentinel product, similar information is requested. |
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| Equifax uses "cookie" technology only during those web sessions where you access the Consumer Center, register for a User ID and Password, and chose to order additional products during that same session. All other visits to our web site can be anonymous. |
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| Equifax does not disclose (sell, rent or provide)
the personally identifiable data you provide on-line to any
third party for any marketing purposes. Equifax may use the
data including postal address and/or email address to send promotions
for Equifax products and services. |
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| The Fair Credit Reporting Act proscribes a system for you to "opt-out" of certain uses of information in your credit report. This opt-out feature allows you to indicate that you do not want to receive any promotional materials from Equifax either by email or the US Postal Service. If you prefer not to receive pre-approved offers, you may call |
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| 1-888-5 OPT OUT (1-888-567-8688). |
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| To opt-out by regular U.S. mail, write to us, include your full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address, at: |
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| Equifax Options |
| P.O. Box 740123 |
| Atlanta, Georgia 30374-0123 |
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| Your Online Security |
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| Equifax recognizes the importance of
secure on-line transactions, and we safeguard the privacy of
information provided to us through online forms. For consumer
requests submitted to us on-line, we use programs that encrypt
the data you provide on the order form before transmission to
Equifax. The data is decrypted only upon receipt by Equifax.
For a detailed description of the on-line security procedures
we employ when you order your credit report on-line, see our
"On-line
Security FAQ" |
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| Further Questions? |
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| If you have questions or comments about Equifax’s privacy and information use policies, please email us at privacy@Equifax.com If you have specific questions about your credit file, you may email us at individual.custserv@Equifax.com. |
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| Revised and effective August 31, 1999. |
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| ©2000 Equifax Secure. All Rights Reserved. |
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