Equifax

Equifax is the company behind the 2017 breach that exposed names and birth dates of about 147 million people and Social Security numbers of 145.5 million. The 2019 settlement with the FTC, CFPB and 50 states and territories was at least $575 million, potentially up to $700 million. In January 2025 the CFPB found that Equifax still mishandled credit-report disputes and sold inaccurate credit scores after 'test code' reached its live systems. That order carried a $15 million penalty. Consumers cannot opt out of being in Equifax's files, and the company says in its own privacy statement that it sells personal data to third parties for commercial purposes.

• Severity
• Evidence tierUnassigned
• Claims confirmed
• Last verified2026-10-16

Primary source. www.consumerfinance.gov/enforcement/actions/equifax-inc-and-equifax-information-services-llc/ — Unverified - heuristic first draft.

Arbitration

YES (consumer products): mandatory binding arbitration before the AAA under its Consumer Rules, with a class/representative waiver (Product Agreement Sec. 4). If the class waiver is held unenforceable, the whole arbitration clause falls away (Sec. 38). CARVE-OUT: claims that Equifax Information Services LLC violated the FCRA are 'not subject to this provision'. The Site Terms of Use contain no arbitration clause.

Data sharing

SELLS DATA: Equifax's privacy statement (last updated Oct. 2026) says 'We use and sell personal data to nonaffiliated third parties for the following commercial purposes'. Its California table lists recipients including ad networks, data brokers, consumer data resellers, employers, government agencies, and social networks. Equifax identifies itself as a data broker under Texas law. 2017 BREACH: about 147 million people's names and dates of birth, 145.5 million SSNs, and 209,000 payment card numbers were exposed through an unpatched database Equifax had been warned about in March 2017. Opt-outs are available online at myprivacy.equifax.com, by phone at 1-866-807-7461, or through the my.equifax.com account. Opting out of sharing does not remove a consumer's credit file.

Contacts

Privacy contact. Chief Privacy Officer, Equifax Inc., 1550 Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30309; online form https://www.equifax.com/privacy/contactus/; Customer Care 1-866-295-6801

Legal notice. Equifax Inc., 1550 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA (SEC EDGAR business address). The registered agent was not verified this pass.

Mailing address. Not recorded.