Personal Corrections

Contact the credit provider

If the error relates to a credit facility that you have or have applied for, you should contact the credit provider, such as the bank, telco or utility company that the error relates to and ask that it be investigated to amend the information on your Equifax credit report. Equifax has a list of most credit provider contacts to help you contact the creditor directly.

Contact Equifax

Equifax offers a free service to investigate the accuracy of information on your Equifax credit report that is in dispute or you think needs correcting.

Here's how it works:

1. Submit your request online

The more information you can provide, the quicker we can investigate. If you are requesting the correction on behalf of someone else, please also include the requester's details in addition to yours.

You can also request a correction by mail by sending your request to:

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

You will need to include the following identification information:

• Name
• Date of Birth
• Current address
• Previous address
• Driver License
• Current Employment

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

• Details of the entry being disputed; including any account reference numbers and the name of the credit provider who listed it.
• The reason for disputing the entry
• Any relevant documentation

2. Equifax investigates

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.

If all relevant information is provided it could be as simple as us making the necessary amendment e.g. updating a default to ‘paid’ or deleting a judgement.

3. Equifax contacts the credit provider

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

4. Equifax reviews the credit provider's response

Equifax will then review the information given by the credit provider and make any amendments, if any, to the entry(ies) on your Equifax credit report.

5. Equifax finalises the investigation

We will notify you in writing what the result of our investigation is. If a correction is required, Equifax will send you a letter notifying you that the correction has been made. Equifax will also issue you with an updated copy of your Equifax credit report.

If a correction is made to your credit report, Equifax will notify any credit providers who have received a copy of your Equifax credit report within the three months prior to the correction being made, in accordance with its 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(s) has not been made. In the case of consumer credit information we will also send you a 'What You Need to Know' brochure which sets out your rights under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) if you are unhappy with the outcome of the investigation by Equifax.

Be wary of 'credit repair' style organisations

Think twice before paying for the services of a company that claims they can “repair” your credit report or credit history.

Some companies claim to be able to remove negative information from your credit report and charge you to do so. This can often cost over $1,000 and it is likely you are required to pay up front.

Free services available to help

By contacting your credit provider or a credit reporting body they can investigate the disputed credit information for free and correct information on your credit report if it is inaccurate. If you are still unsure on what to do, you can also ask a financial counsellor or community legal service for advice.

Free financial counselling is available from the National Debt Helpline by calling 1800 007 007.

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 may contact the external dispute resolution scheme of which Equifax is a member, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). Please note that if you have not already done so, AFCA will likely encourage you to work with us before they investigate your complaint. 
 
How to contact the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA): 
Online:  www.afca.org.au  
Email:  info@afca.org.au  
Phone: 1800 931 678  
Mail: Australian Financial Complaints Authority 
GPO Box 3 
Melbourne VIC 3001 
 
When contacting AFCA, we suggest you include the following: 

• a detailed timeline/chronology of events
• copies of any correspondence with our Customer Resolutions Team and the credit provider 

You may also make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). 
 
How to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): 
 
Online: www.oaic.gov.au  
Email:  enquiries@oaic.gov.au  
Fax: 1300 363 992  
Mail: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner   
GPO Box 5218   
Sydney NSW 2001 

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.