From Equifax: How to protect your credit if COVID-19 affects your income

Staying vigilant while navigating through COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

LOGIN TO MYEQUIFAX

Equifax is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and the effect it is having on businesses and individuals. That’s why we are taking measures to support consumers impacted by the Coronavirus while also working with creditors and lenders to help minimize the effects on consumers’ credit standing.

Consumers who are experiencing a financial hardship may be wondering how potentially late or reduced payments on credit accounts might impact their credit standing. We encourage individuals with concerns to contact their lenders and creditors to discuss their options. Additionally, the Consumer Data Industry Association is providing guidance to creditors and lenders on how they can work with those who are affected by the Coronavirus.

So, what can you do to help minimize the impact of Coronavirus on your credit standing?

•Talk to your lenders and creditors and see if any assistance is available.

•Pay what you can. To avoid having late payments show up on your credit reports, try to make at least the minimum payment on accounts on time, or pay any amount you and the lender or creditor agree upon on time.

•Stay up-to-date on your credit reports. As a Core Credit account holder, you can access a new Equifax credit report every 30 days, for free. Simply login to myEquifax to see your latest Equifax credit report. And, as a reminder, you are also entitled to a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.

•Consider adding a consumer statement to your credit reports. You can add a brief 100-word statement (200 words in Maine) to your credit reports to explain your situation. See how to add a statement to your Equifax credit report. An example of a consumer statement is "Be advised that the negative accounts on my credit report are related to the Coronavirus. I intend to make these up as soon as I can."

You can also contact Experian and TransUnion to add a statement on those credit reports. You can find the latest information from Equifax here.

And we encourage you to visit the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the latest information on the Coronavirus.
All rights reserved Equifax and the Equifax marks used herein are trademarks of Equifax Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.
Please do not reply to this email. Mail sent to this address will not be answered. If you have any questions, please call us at 1‑800‑829‑3616, 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m (ET), 7 days a week. You may email us anytime at customer.care@equifax.com.
Copyright Equifax 2020| Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | FCRA | Unsubscribe
Equifax Global Consumer Solutions PO Box 105496 Atlanta, GA 30348