Corrections

Found a mistake on your credit report that you need to correct? Find out how to fix your Equifax credit report

There is a mistake on my Equifax Credit Report. How do I fix it?

If you believe there is incorrect or incomplete information on your Equifax credit report, it is important that you get this corrected.

The information used to generate a credit report is provided by credit providers, such as include banks, financial institutions, telecommunications companies and utility providers, to Equifax. The quickest way to have information corrected on your Equifax Credit Report is to speak directly with the credit provider that provided the information. You should ask them to investigate and amend your Credit Report if they have made a mistake. Equifax has a handy list of common creditor contacts. You can also visit the Equifax Corrections Portal to request Equifax conduct an investigation and amend your Credit Report if the information on it is inaccurate.

How long does it take to correct my Equifax Credit Report?

Once we receive your correction request, we will provide you with written confirmation that it has been received. Our Customer Resolutions team will investigate your request within 30 days and provide a response to you in writing. We may, however, notify you that there is a delay and seek to extend this time if we have not concluded our investigation.

How does the Equifax corrections process work?

Read through the following steps to submit a correction to your Equifax Credit Report.

1. Firstly, you need to submit a request to us via our Corrections Portal

2. Once we receive your request, we will provide you with written confirmation that it has been received. If all the relevant information is provided, Equifax may be able to make the necessary amendment straight away. For example, Equifax could update a default to ‘paid’

3. If necessary, Equifax will contact the credit provider on your behalf to have them verify the accuracy, or otherwise, of the correction request.

4. Equifax will then review the information given by the credit provider and make any amendments, if any, to the entry/entries on your Equifax Credit Report

5. Equifax finalises the investigation

Some important information to know
Equifax will notify you in writing what the result of our investigation is. Where appropriate, Equifax will send you a letter notifying you that your Credit Report has been corrected. Equifax will also issue you with an updated copy of your Equifax Credit Report so you can see what has changed.

If a correction is made to your Credit Report, Equifax will identify the organisations to which it has disclosed your Credit Report in the three months prior to it being corrected. It will then notify these organisations of the substance of the correction in accordance with Equifax's obligations under the Credit Reporting Code. Equifax will do this automatically at the time the correction is made.

If a correction is not made, Equifax will write to you setting out in detail the outcome of its investigation and why the requested correction has not been made. In the case of consumer credit information, Equifax will also send you a 'What You Need to Know' document. This sets out your rights under the Privacy Act 1988 and outlines the further steps you can take if you are unhappy with the outcome of the investigation by Equifax.

What information do I need to submit a correction?

If you would like to submit a correction request with Equifax it is important that you have the following information ready before you start.

The information required to submit a correction request can be found on your free Equifax credit report:

The PAS or Credit file number on your Equifax Credit Report. (This isn’t mandatory but will it easier for Equifax to identify you)
Your personal details, such as your name, date of birth, place of birth, driver’s licence number, employment details, current and previous residential addresses, email address and phone number(s)
Specific details of the entries on your Equifax Credit Report that you are disputing. Please let Equifax know the date the entry was listed on your report, the account/reference numbers it related to and the amount of money that was involved. If you can supply these details

How do I submit my request?

Online:
Submit your request through our online Corrections Portal.

Post:
Submit your request by mail by sending it to:

Equifax – Public Access
Equifax Australia Information Services and Solutions Pty Limited
GPO Box 964
NORTH SYDNEY NSW 2059

Please include the following identification information:

Name
Date of Birth
Current Address
Previous address
Driver’s license
Current Employment

You will also need to provide details of the correction required. Please include:

The details of the entry being disputed, in particular any relevant account reference numbers and the name of the credit provider who listed the entry you are disputing
The reason for disputing the entry
Any relevant documentation

How do I check the status of a correction request with Equifax?

You can check the status of a correction request by logging in to our Corrections Portal.

What steps can I take if I disagree with an investigation?

If you are unhappy with the outcome of Equifax’s investigation or would like to make a complaint, please contact our Internal Dispute Resolutions (IDR) team by sending an email to customercomplaintsAU@equifax.com. Make sure that you sufficiently detail your matter and include your full name, contact details, any reference numbers and relevant supporting documentation. Our IDR team will investigate your matter and contact you to attempt to resolve the matter directly.

We want to do everything we can to resolve your matter, so it's important that you raise it with our IDR team prior to having your matter addressed externally. Raising your matter with Equifax directly will often result in a quicker resolution.

If you are still not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. (Please note that AFCA will likely encourage you to try to resolve your issue with Equifax first before they get involved in investigating your complaint.)

Australian Financial Complaints Authority
Website: www.afca.org.au
Email: info@afca.org.au
Phone: 1800 931 678
Address: GPO Box 3, Melbourne, VIC 3001

When contacting AFCA, we suggest you include the following:

A detailed timeline of events
Copies of any correspondence, such as emails, you've had with the credit provider and Equifax's Customer Resolutions Team
As well as contacting AFCA, you can also make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

How do I contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)?

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Website: oaic.gov.au
Email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 363 992
Address: GPO Box 5218, Sydney, NSW 2001

How to get your Equifax Credit Report

If you've been rejected on a loan application due to an item on your Credit Report or believe there is something incorrect you firstly need to get a copy of your Equifax Credit Report.

You can get your Equifax Credit Report for free or you can subscribe to one of our Equifax subscription packages which will enable you to monitor and track your Equifax Credit Report and Equifax Credit Score over time.

Once you have your Equifax Credit Report, you’ll need to review the items and check the personal identity information is correct. After that, please review the details of your credit enquiries and defaults, if there are any. If you find credit enquiries or defaults that you do not recognise, or were unaware of, on your Credit Report, it is important to have these entries on your Credit Report investigated.

To start a correction investigation, you’ll need the details of the entry on your Equifax Credit Report that want to dispute. In particular, please note down the date the entry was listed on your Equifax Credit Report, the account/reference numbers it related to and the amount of money involved.

To ensure a smooth process you will need to ensure you have the details of these disputed entries items on your Equifax Credit Report before proceeding with the submission of a correction request.

The information used to generate your Equifax Credit Report is supplied to Equifax by credit providers. Banks, phone companies and utility providers are some of the most common credit providers in Australia.

The best way to correct information on a credit report is to speak directly with the credit provider that the error relates to, and ask that it be investigated and your credit report amended. Equifax also offers a free service to help your correct your credit report using our Corrections Portal.

Should I use a credit repair company?

Equifax urges Australians to be wary of 'credit repair' style organisations. In particular, you should think twice before paying for the services of a company that claims they can repair your Credit Report.

What is a credit repairer?

Credit repair companies claim they can fix your Credit Report or clear your credit history. Equifax urges Australians to be careful of such companies. They claim, not always credibly, to be able to remove negative information from people’s Credit Reports. The charge for this is often over $1,000.

Can I get I get my credit repaired for free?

Yes, in some circumstances you can. If you believe inaccurate information has been put in your Credit Report, you can ask the credit provider who supplied that information, or the credit reporting body that received it to investigate. Such investigations are free and if the disputed information is found to be inaccurate or incomplete, it will be deleted or modified. If you are unsatisfied with the response of the credit provider or credit reporting body, you can also seek advice from a community legal service or financial counsellor. Organisations such as National Debt Helpline and Good Shepherd provide assistance at no or minimal cost.

In addition, if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of an investigation by the credit provider or credit reporting body, you can utilise the services of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). ACFA provides free services to Australian consumers.

For more information on the Equifax complaints process please visit our Complaints section in the Help Centre.

Need more information?
ASIC MoneySmart also provides information on credit repair and financial counselling.
CreditSmart warns consumers to beware of credit repair companies and also provides information on legal advice.