Equifax Credit Report Format

Equifax format credit reports in the standard Acrofile Plus layout for Equifax can be provided for easy integration into your application. Alternatively, the MERit Credit Engine provides credit report data in database tables or as XML, so it is possible to create your own custom-design report layouts.

The Merit Credit Engine uses the Equifax Internet System to System web interface to access STS 6.0 or System 5 fixed-format data, from which it generates the human readable report. The Merit credit API documentation shows how you can also request that Equifax generate human readable  text reports as part of its response. With either approach, it is an easy matter for software developers to pass the report text directly to the end-user for viewing or printing, as illustrated below.

Equifax Layout

1. Inquiry Data  Shows the data used for the request. It identifies the consumer name, current address, former address and employment (if provided,) and social security number.

2. Report Header   Appears at the top of reports to identify the operator, the user reference (if provided) and relevant dates and times.

3. Risk Models One or more credit scores may appear here, along with reason codes. This example shows a BEACON score.

4. Safescan Alerts  Possible fraud indicators, such as an SSN used with other names or reported as deceased.

5. OFAC Alert  provides a record of the check against the Office of Foreign Assets Control database for USA PATRIOT Act compliance.

6. Consumer referral address shows the credit bureau phone number and address to be provided to the consumer if credit is declined.

7.  Subject Identification shows the full name that Equifax has on file.  SINCE indicates the date the file was established, FAD is the date the file was last updated, FN is the Equifax internal file number.

8. Addresses (Current and Former) with dates reported.

9. BDS / Social Security Number Birth date of the subject and one or more Social Security numbers associated with this consumer.

10. Employment  Up to four lines showing recent employers (as known to Equifax.)

11. Profile Summary is a quick overview of the  rest of the report. SUM - The date range covered. PR/OI - Existence of public records or other information. (Yes or No.)  COLL - Existence of collection items. (Yes or No.)  FB - Foreign bureau accounts (how many.) ACCTS - Accounts (how many.)  HC - Range of lowest credit limit to highest reported credit limit or balance.
ONES, TWOS. - How many R1, R2 derogatory trade items.

12. Inquiry Alert - Warns of possibly excessive recent applications for credit.

13. Public Records - May include docket number and dollar amounts from garnishments, bankruptcies, judgments, and other court records. See table below.

14. Tradelines

15. INQS - Company name, Equifax member number and dates of recent credit inquiries. Normally indicates where else the subject has applied for credit.
16. Online Directory - If ordered, telephone numbers and addresses of the subject's creditors can be listed to assist in skip-tracing, etc.

Other Items

OFAC Alert, if requested, provides a record of the check against the Office of Foreign Assets Control database for USA PATRIOT Act compliance.

Consumer's Statement (if present) is the subject's side of the story for items that may have been unsuccessfully disputed, or the consumer's explanation for late payments and other derogatory items.  A fraud victim alert may have also been included at request of the consumer.

CONSUMER STATEMENT RPTD 12/02 PURGE 12/08
#HK# ID FRAUD VICTIM ALERT: MY IDENTITY MAY HAVE BEEN USED WITHOU MY CONSENT
TO FRAUDULENTLY OBTAIN GOODS OR SERVICES FRAUDULENT APPLICATIONS MAY BE
SUBMITTED IN MY NAME USING CORRECT PERSONAL INFORMATION DO NOT EXTEND CREDIT
WITHOUT FIRST CONTACTING ME PERSONALLY AND VERIFYING ALL APPLICANT
INFORMATION AT 777-777-7777 DAY OR 888-888-8888 EVENING

Equifax Codes

Public Record Codes

Equifax Trade Check Rating Codes

The information bands on the credit report may vary, depending on which Equifax products or add-on options you've chosen, and your bureau settings.