How to Opt Out of Equifax's Marketing Data

To opt out of Equifax's marketing data, go to myprivacy.equifax.com/opt-in-opt-out/personal-info, enter your name and address, complete the CAPTCHA, and submit; the request processes within about 15 days. To stop prescreened credit and insurance offers, opt out separately at optoutprescreen.com. Both are free and neither touches your credit score. If fraud is your worry, place a free credit freeze at Equifax's freeze portal on top of these.

Equifax carries baggage the other bureaus do not. In 2017 it suffered one of the largest data breaches in history, exposing the personal information of roughly 147 million people, and later agreed to a settlement of up to 425 million dollars in consumer relief. That history is the reason so many people search for how to get their data out of Equifax. The uncomfortable reality is that you cannot fully leave a credit bureau, but you can shut off its marketing use of your data and lock down your credit file, which is what this guide walks through.

What does Equifax know about me?

The credit file holds every credit card, mortgage, auto loan, and line of credit your lenders report, plus payment history, balances, inquiries, and public records. Separately, Equifax sells consumer data segments for targeted marketing and supplies the prescreened offer lists that lenders use to mail you preapproved cards and insurance. The marketing data and the prescreened offers are what you can opt out of. The credit file itself keeps operating under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which is also what gives you the right to see and dispute it.

How do I opt out of Equifax?

Verified against Equifax's current process as of July 2026. There are up to three things worth doing:

Action 1: Marketing data opt-out

1. Go to myprivacy.equifax.com/opt-in-opt-out/personal-info.
2. Enter your name and address. Date of birth, SSN, email, and phone are optional and only sharpen the match; add them or not as you prefer.
3. Complete the CAPTCHA and submit. Processing takes about 15 days.
4. A written route also exists by mail to Equifax if you would rather not use the portal.

Action 2: Prescreened offers opt-out

1. Go to optoutprescreen.com, the official site run jointly by Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis, so one request covers all four.
2. Pick the 5-year electronic opt-out online, or the permanent opt-out that requires mailing a signed form.
3. The form asks for SSN and date of birth for matching. This is optional; the permanent mail-in option is the more deliberate choice if you would rather not enter them online.

Action 3: Credit freeze (if fraud is a concern)

1. Place a security freeze through Equifax's credit freeze portal. It is free to set and free to lift.
2. A freeze blocks new creditors, including anyone using stolen details, from pulling your Equifax report. Given the breach history, many people freeze all three bureaus as a baseline.

Will opting out hurt my credit score?

No. Opting out of marketing data or prescreened offers has no effect on your credit score or your ability to borrow, and a credit freeze does not lower your score either. A freeze simply blocks new inquiries until you lift it. Your report stays intact and lenders you already work with are unaffected.

Is Equifax legit after the breach?

Equifax is a legitimate, operating credit bureau, breach notwithstanding. The 2017 incident was a genuine failure and led to a major settlement, but the company remains one of the three bureaus lenders rely on, and the FCRA still entitles you to a free report and to dispute errors. Judging it harshly and using it carefully are compatible; the point is to limit what it can do with your data, not to pretend you can erase your file.

How long does an Equifax opt-out take?

The marketing opt-out processes within roughly 15 days. Prescreened offers can take a few months to fully taper off, since third-party marketers keep mailing from lists they pulled before your opt-out registered. A credit freeze, by contrast, takes effect immediately.

Does Equifax put my info back?

The electronic prescreen opt-out lapses after five years, so it resets unless you renew or choose the permanent mail option. Equifax also keeps collecting credit data from your lenders regardless of any marketing opt-out, because that is the credit file, not the marketing profile. This timed reset mirrors the broader relisting cycle across data brokers, where Consumer Reports measured only about 27 percent of listings removed through automated and self-service methods versus roughly 70 percent when real people handled removals and kept checking. Set the reminder, or go permanent by mail.

Can I remove my family from Equifax?

Each adult files their own opt-outs and freezes, since credit files are individual. For minor children, parents can request a free child credit freeze from Equifax, which is worth doing precisely because a child's clean, unused credit file is a prime target after a breach.

Is it safe to opt out of Equifax?

Yes. The marketing opt-out needs only your name and address, with everything else optional. The prescreen form requests SSN and date of birth for matching, which you can decline by using the mail-in permanent form. The credit freeze does require identity verification, but that is the point, and it is handled directly through Equifax's official portal.

How did Equifax get my info?

Your lenders and creditors report your accounts to Equifax, which is how the credit file forms, and you never chose that directly; it is how credit reporting works. The marketing data is assembled separately from public records, purchase data, and commercial sources, the same broker pipeline described in how data brokers get your information. Either way, the profile was built around you rather than by you.

Is Equifax removal free?

Yes. The marketing opt-out, the prescreen opt-out, and credit freezes are all free by law. Anyone charging you to opt out of or freeze your Equifax data is charging for something you can do yourself at no cost.

Frequently asked questions

Should I freeze my credit or just opt out?

They do different jobs. A marketing opt-out cuts data sales and junk offers. A freeze blocks new credit accounts from being opened in your name, which is the stronger anti-fraud move. Given the breach, doing both, and freezing all three bureaus, is a reasonable baseline.

Am I still affected by the 2017 breach?

Data exposed in 2017 does not expire, so caution remains sensible: freeze your credit, monitor your reports, and stay alert to identity theft. A marketing opt-out will not undo the breach, but freezing your file directly limits what a thief can do with exposed details.

Does one OptOutPrescreen request cover Equifax and the others?

Yes. optoutprescreen.com is shared by all four major bureaus, so a single prescreen opt-out covers Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis. The marketing opt-outs, however, are separate for each bureau.

Can I get my Equifax report and dispute errors?

Yes. Pull it free at annualcreditreport.com and dispute inaccuracies with Equifax under the FCRA. The bureau must investigate, typically within 30 days, and correct or remove what it cannot verify.