Who Is Equifax? Why Are They Calling Me?
Most commonly for incorrect information on your report
Contact Equifax
- Phone
- 1-866-349-5191
As of 2026-07-21 — verify before mailing anything important, since collectors do change addresses.
Equifax is one of the three nationwide credit bureaus (alongside TransUnion and Experian) — it compiles and sells credit reports rather than lending money or collecting debts. If Equifax appears in a complaint search or sends a letter, it’s almost always tied to a credit report dispute, not an attempt to collect a balance.
Why is Equifax contacting me if I don’t owe them money?
Equifax doesn’t originate loans or buy debt, so it has no balance to collect from you — contact from Equifax is almost always about a credit report dispute in progress, a fraud alert, or a data-breach notification, not debt collection. If a call or letter actually demands payment, confirm who’s really contacting you; that’s a debt collector or original creditor, not the bureau itself.
How is Equifax different from a debt collector?
Equifax maintains and sells credit reports built from data furnished by lenders, collectors, and courts; a debt collector pursues an actual balance and decides whether to keep calling, sue, or settle. Getting an inaccurate item corrected with Equifax can clean up your report, but it does not resolve or stop collection on the underlying debt — that requires dealing with the collector directly. See Credit Report Dispute for how the correction process works.
How do I dispute something on my Equifax credit report?
- File online at Equifax’s credit dispute center or by phone at 1-866-349-5191, identifying the specific item and why it’s wrong.
- Equifax is required to investigate, generally within 30 days (45 in some cases), per 15 U.S.C. § 1681i.
- Equifax forwards the dispute to whoever furnished the information — the original lender, a debt buyer, or a collection agency — who must respond.
- If the item can’t be verified as accurate, it must be corrected or removed; if verified, it stays, but you can add a statement of dispute.
What if Equifax resolves my dispute but the debt collector keeps calling?
A resolved credit report dispute only changes what shows up on your report — it doesn’t stop a debt collector from continuing to pursue the underlying balance if Equifax’s investigation confirmed the account as accurate. If contact continues after you believe the matter is settled, see Credit Report Dispute Post-Resolution for what to do next.
Questions & Answers
Is Equifax a legitimate debt collector?
Equifax shows up in the CFPB consumer complaint database, which tracks real complaints filed against real companies — so it is a legitimate, registered entity, not a scam name. That doesn't mean every call claiming to be from them is real; scammers impersonate real collectors. Verify what they're collecting before paying anything — see what to do the first time a collector contacts you.
— US Debt Compass Editorial Team
How do I stop Equifax from calling me?
Under the FDCPA, you can send Equifax a written cease-and-desist letter and they must stop contacting you except to confirm they've received it or to notify you of specific legal action. This doesn't erase the debt — it only stops the calls. See the cease-and-desist letter glossary entry for how to send one.
— US Debt Compass Editorial Team
How do I dispute a debt with Equifax?
Send a written debt validation request to Equifax's dispute address within 30 days of first contact — they must then verify the debt before continuing collection. See the contact details above for the current mailing address.
— US Debt Compass Editorial Team
Is Equifax on my credit report?
If Equifax is collecting on an account, it can appear on your credit report as a collection tradeline, separate from the original creditor's listing. Check your credit report directly to confirm, and see the credit report dispute guide if anything about the listing looks wrong.
— US Debt Compass Editorial Team
Sources
- CFPB — How do I dispute an error on my credit report?— consumerfinance.gov
- 15 U.S.C. § 1681i — Procedure in case of disputed accuracy— law.cornell.edu