How Can I Place a Fraud Alert on My Equifax Credit Report?
When it comes to taking measures to help protect your personal and financial information, placing a fraud alert is a good step. There are two types of fraud/identity theft alerts you can proactively – or reactively - place on your Equifax credit report: an Identity Alert and a Fraud Warning.
Please note that when you place an alert with Equifax, it will only be applied to your Equifax credit report. You will need to contact TransUnion directly to place an alert on your TransUnion credit report.
Identity Alert
With an Identity Alert, you can choose to add a personal statement and phone number (mandatory) to your Equifax credit report. If you live in Manitoba or Ontario and are applying for credit, this alert requires lenders and creditors to call you before extending credit. If you live elsewhere in Canada and are applying for credit, lenders and creditors are encouraged -- but not legally required -- to call you before extending credit.
An Identity Alert stays on your Equifax credit report for six years, unless you request in writing that it be removed. You can update your phone number for free, but we require a request in writing, along with proof of ID and a phone statement (phone bill).
You can place an Identity Alert on your Equifax credit report in one of three ways:
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
1-800-465-7166
Mail
Equifax Canada Co.
Consumer Relations Department
Box 190
Montreal, Quebec H1S 2Z2
When mailing information, the needed documentation will depend on the nature of your request. If you want to update your address, for instance, you will need to prove proof of address. If the request is to update other personal information, you will need to provide documents to verify the request.
Please include a photocopy of two pieces of ID, such as a driver's license, passport, SIN or health care card, or birth certificate.
To remove an Identity Alert, you can submit a written request by mail with copies of two forms of ID.
Fraud Warning
The main difference between an Identity Alert and a Fraud Warning is that a Fraud Warning is only available to confirmed victims of fraud/identity theft. This special statement added to your credit report will also include a phone number to encourage (but not legally require) lenders to call you before extending credit.
Fraud Warnings are free, and stay on your Equifax credit report for six years. A Fraud Warning must be placed through our Call Centre so we can confirm you are a fraud/identity theft victim. If you place a Fraud Warning, Equifax will also launch a fraud investigation if one is needed to assist you with any fraudulent inquiries/accounts, or other fraudulent information showing on your Equifax credit file.
Here are some scenarios of confirmed fraud that would qualify you for a Fraud Warning:
- Your bank informs you that your information was fraudulently used to get new credit
- You see unauthorized inquiries on your credit report after your personal information is compromised
- Your bank accounts are accessed fraudulently
- RCMP or the police direct you to call Equifax because there is already confirmed fraud
- Someone else requests to increase one of your credit limits
To place a Fraud Warning on your Equifax credit file, call:
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
1-800-465-7166
When calling the IVR, please have your SIN number, address and date of birth on hand.
To remove a Fraud Warning, you can send a written request along with two pieces of ID to the address above.
