How to Remove Equifax Fraud Alert

Whether you should remove your Equifax fraud alert depends on your current risk and credit‑needs.

If you are still dealing with potential identity theft, keep the alert. It forces creditors to contact you before opening new accounts, adds a layer of protection at no cost, and does not lower your credit score. Keeping it while you gather the documents Equifax requires (see the 'gather documents' section) lets you maintain vigilance without interrupting everyday transactions.

If you have resolved the threat, need to apply for a loan, or prefer a more restrictive safeguard, remove the alert. An active alert can delay credit checks, especially for mortgage or auto financing, and may no longer be necessary once you've filed an identity‑theft report. The following sections walk you through removing a temporary 90‑day fraud alert or an extended 7‑year fraud alert, both online and by phone or mail.

Equifax clears your alert after you send the identification documents it requests, and, for an extended 7‑year fraud alert, any supporting proof of the original claim. Provide the items below to avoid delays, then move on to the step‑by‑step removal process in the next section.

• Government‑issued photo ID (driver's license, state ID, or passport) showing your name and photo.
• Social Security number or copy of your Social Security card.
• Proof of current residence (utility bill, bank statement, or lease) dated within the last 60 days.
• Copy of the original fraud alert notice you received from Equifax.
• If you're removing an extended 7‑year fraud alert, include a copy of the police report, FTC Identity Theft Report, or court order that initiated the alert.
• Any additional documentation Equifax specifically requests in its correspondence (for example, a notarized statement).

Removing a temporary 90‑day Equifax fraud alert is simple: contact Equifax and ask them to cancel it, then verify the change on your credit file.

1. Gather the items listed in the 'gather documents Equifax needs to remove your alert' section - government ID, Social Security number, and any proof you're no longer a victim (police report, FTC Identity Theft Report, or a written statement).
2. Call Equifax at 1‑800‑525‑6285 (available 8 a.m.‑8 p.m. ET) or log into your myEquifax account.
3. When the representative asks, state clearly, 'I want to remove my temporary 90‑day fraud alert.'
4. Provide the gathered documents verbally or upload them through the secure portal if you're online.
5. Ask for a confirmation number and the expected removal date (typically effective immediately).
6. After the call or online submission, wait 24 hours, then request a free credit report to confirm the alert is gone.

Proceed to the next section to learn how to remove an extended 7‑year Equifax fraud alert if you ever need a longer‑term solution.

You can cancel an extended 7-year Equifax fraud alert by contacting Equifax and providing proof that the underlying identity‑theft case is resolved.

Steps to remove your alert

• Gather official documents: police report, FTC Identity Theft Report, or a court order confirming the case is closed.
• Call Equifax's fraud‑alert line at 1‑800‑xxx‑xxxx or write to the Fraud Alert Department (P.O. Box 105880, Atlanta, GA 30348).
• State that you want the extended 7-year alert removed and attach or fax the supporting documents.
• Ask for written confirmation that the alert has been deleted.
• File the confirmation with your records and keep copies of everything you sent.

After you receive confirmation, proceed to the next section to learn how to remove your Equifax fraud alert online.

You remove your Equifax fraud alert online by signing into the Equifax Consumer Portal, navigating to 'Security Alerts,' selecting 'Remove Alert,' uploading the documents you gathered in section 2, and confirming the request.

The portal handles both a temporary 90‑day fraud alert and an extended 7‑year fraud alert with the same workflow, and you typically receive an email confirmation within a few business days.

After the email confirms removal, monitor your credit file as described in the next section 'remove your fraud alert by phone or mail' to ensure the change took effect and no new alerts appear.

Call Equifax at 1‑800‑525‑6285 and request removal of your fraud alert, or mail a signed request to Equifax Security Freeze, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348.

• Verify your identity on the call with your Social Security number, date of birth, and the type of alert (temporary 90‑day or extended 7‑year) before asking to remove it.
• In the mailed letter, list your full name, current address, Social Security number, and whether the alert is temporary or extended; state clearly that you want the alert removed.
• Attach a photocopy of a government‑issued ID and a recent utility bill, the exact documents outlined in the 'gather documents Equifax needs to remove your alert' section.
• Keep a copy of the phone confirmation number or mailed request and ask Equifax to send written confirmation; you'll need this when you move to the 'confirm removal and monitor your credit file' step.

Equifax confirms removal by sending a written notice or updating your online account; when the alert no longer appears, you can start monitoring your credit file.

Log into your Equifax portal, download the newest report, and compare it with the version you saved before removal; sign up for real‑time alerts on new inquiries or accounts, and use the free annual report from each bureau to double‑check accuracy.

If identity theft resurfaces, you can place a new alert or take additional steps, as outlined in the next section on filing an identity theft report. view your Equifax credit report

After you file an identity‑theft report, you can have your Equifax fraud alert removed by sending the required paperwork to Equifax.

Gather the following items before you contact Equifax:

• Copy of the Federal Trade Commission identity theft report
• Police report or case number, if you obtained one
• Proof of identity (driver's license, passport, or utility bill)
• Any documents that show the fraudulent activity (e.g., altered statements)

Submit the documents through the same channel you used earlier - online, by phone, or by mail - as detailed in the 'remove your fraud alert online' and 'remove your fraud alert by phone or mail' sections. State clearly that you are requesting removal of your alert after filing an identity‑theft report, attach the copies, and keep a record of the submission. Equifax typically processes the request within 30 days, after which you can verify removal in the next step.

An alert that another person or organization placed on your Equifax credit file can be removed only by you, the consumer, after you verify your identity and explicitly request its deletion.

Typical steps: gather a government‑issued photo ID, a recent utility or bank statement, and any written notice showing the alert is unauthorized. Call Equifax at 1‑800‑685‑1111, tell the representative you want to 'remove an unauthorized Equifax fraud alert,' provide the documents for verification, and note the reference number they give you. If you prefer mail, send the same documents to Equifax Security Freeze, P.O. Box 105069, Atlanta, GA 30348, and include a clear statement requesting removal.

For faster processing, you can also log into the Equifax online portal (see the previous 'remove your Equifax fraud alert online' section) and follow the prompts to delete the temporary 90‑day or extended 7‑year alert. After Equifax confirms the change, check your credit report (see the next 'confirm removal and monitor your Equifax credit file' section) to ensure the alert is gone.

Call Equifax's consumer line, ask for the fraud‑alert supervisor, and remind them you've already supplied the documents outlined in 'gather documents Equifax needs to remove your alert.' If the supervisor still refuses, mail a certified‑letter package that includes a copy of your ID, the police report or FTC Identity Theft Report, and a written demand to delete the alert; keep the delivery receipt as proof.

Switching to a credit freeze provides stronger protection than keeping a temporary 90‑day or extended 7‑year Equifax fraud alert because a freeze blocks all new account pulls until you unlock it with the PIN or password you set, whereas a fraud alert merely asks lenders to verify your identity before opening credit;

the freeze is free, can be added online using the same portal described in the 'remove your Equifax fraud alert online' section, and may be more suitable if you anticipate ongoing identity‑theft risk, though it requires the extra step of temporarily lifting the freeze whenever you apply for credit, a minor inconvenience compared with the minimal effort of removing an alert.