Equifax collects and also aggregates information on more than 88 million businesses and more than 880 million individuals worldwide. We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation, Statutory and Executive Boards and Commissions, Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter. Over the years the company has produced several profitable data-gathering and transaction-processing progeny, including Certegy, which became a separate entity in 2001, and ChoicePoint, which became a separate entity in 1997. Year should not be greater than current year. As consumers, we often take for granted all the hard work that goes into building a great company. In June 1996 the company gained full ownership of Transax plc, the largest check guarantee company in the United Kingdom, while in March 1998 it acquired a leading U.K. risk and credit management firm, CCI Group Plc. "[71][77], In April 2014, Equifax was sued in New York federal court by God Gazarov, who claimed the company erroneously reports him as having no credit history because of his unusual first name. Cator Woolford Gardens - Cator, Three (CWG) (GC4BAB) was created by BigDoggie & Frogger (adopted by ckirbee) on 4/10/2002. By 1920, the company had offices throughout the United States and Canada. In 1920, however, Retail Credit's insurance business suffered a serious blow when a consortium of insurance companies formed the American Service Bureau to provide members with investigative reports of the sort that Retail Credit supplied. A system error has occurred. Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland, USA. Once the estate of Cator Woolford, founder of the company now known as Equifax, these lovely grounds include the beautiful Cator Woolford Gardens. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Three years later, Retail Credit ran afoul of the new federal regulations and was charged with violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act. 2017: Equifax is the victim of a massive cyber hack, which is believed to have exposed the personal, confidential information of about 145 million Americans. Revenues had reached a record $1.62 billion by 1998, but the outlook was somewhat clouded by the economic uncertainties that had begun with the Asian financial crisis of 1997. In March 1930 Retail Credit established the Georgia Credit Exchange to provide services in cities across the state. The marketing division had sales of $90 million in the first nine months in operation. There he supervised the compilation of a list of customers, with indications of their credit-worthiness, for the local Retail Grocer ' s Association. [46] Moreover, the employee portal was reportedly not the same server targeted in the later breaches, which Motherboard speculates may suggest multiple breaches by more than one party may have occurred. Equifax Inc (NYSE:EFX) 196.37. That year also saw Equifax introduce a record 25 new products. The trouble-plagued ChoicePoint made headlines in 2005 for leaking consumers confidential information to identity thieves. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. After a decade-long court battle, Retail Credit was allowed to retain the purchases. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. According to the reporting, despite receiving this warning from the security researcher, the affected portal was not closed until six months later in June, well after the March and MayJuly breaches had begun. In addition to formation of a technology division, brought about by the consolidation of the company's activities in that field, Equifax also acquired Telecredit, Inc., a Los Angeles credit bureau that provided check and credit card authorization services, for $457 million in 1990. In mid-1992 Equifax agreed to provide consumers with a toll-free number and to begin investigating disputes within 30 days. Likewise, Equifax gained the capability to provide additional types of information to clients. Relying on his experience in Tennessee, Cator began by seeking out an alliance with the city's grocers. Copyright 2018 Key Credit Repair. Equifax Inc. These activities had long taken place at a different location under separate management; three years later, Retail Credit further severed its connection when the Exchange was sold to businessman L.S. It has been recognized in the Top 100 list of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies by Forbes. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. There was a consent decree. Photograph of Cator Woolford, who, with his brother Guy, started the Retail Credit Company, the precursor to Equifax, in Atlanta, Georgia. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy, We have a credit expert available right now to take your call. The company was founded by Cator Woolford and Guy Woolford in 1899 and is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Show more---Top 5 ETFs holding EFX. [51][52], In September 2017, Brian Krebs revealed that the Argentine arm of Equifax had left private data from approximately 14,000 consumers, and more than 100 staff members, available to anyone who entered "admin" as both the username and password for one of its online systems. The company sold stock to the public for the first time in 1965. [36], On 2 August 2022, a week after its CEO Mark Begor was deemed "uniquely qualified to lead the Company" and was granted a $25 million bonus package by Equifax's board, the Wall Street Journal reported that Equifax had sent millions of incorrectly calculated credit scores to lenders. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Equifax moved into marketing databases, which allowed patrons to target their most likely customers. Equifax collects and provides data through the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE), an exchange of non-credit data including consumer payment history on telecommunications and utility accounts. "Equifax." Its stock value consistently outperforms the market, and the company often explores new ventures, although with varying degrees of success. [69][70], In July 2013, a federal jury in Oregon awarded $18.6 million to Julie Miller of Marion County against Equifax for violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Equifax, one of the nations top three credit-reporting agencies, along with Experian and TransUnion, holds information on more than 400 million credit holders across the. The settlement was for those who were affected by the data breach, and it cost Equifax over $700 million. Reese, Krista. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. 1923: The company forms Credit Service Exchange, a credit rating operations firm. Who Is The Founder Of Equifax? Failed to delete flower. To make amends, Equifax announced in August 1991 that it would cease using credit information to compile lists for the purposes of direct marketing. Equifax was founded by Cator and Guy Woolford in Atlanta, Georgia, as Retail Credit Company in 1899. (to see if you were a victim of this hack, please. Today, we know that company as Equifax. Are you sure that you want to delete this flower? Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. [79], On November 4, 2017, it was reported that a group of five Oklahomans had sued the company, claiming that Equifax "violated laws which require financial institutions to protect the security of their customers' personal information. [46], On September 18, 2017, Bloomberg News reported that Equifax had been the victim of a "major breach of its computer systems" in March 2017, and that in early March it had begun "notifying a small number of outsiders and banking customers" about this attack. They started their credit investigations by going door-to-door among merchants, asking about their customers and noting the findings in ledgers. By the end of the company's second decade of existence, Retail Credit was thoroughly established as a significant partner in the life insurance business. Retail Credit changed its name in 1979 to Equifax Inc., derived from "equitable factual information." The agency has recorded a very big growth over the years, and they have total assets worth $7.23 billion. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? 2015 mmwoodruff (Atlas Obscura User) The Cator Woolford Gardens, a 39-acre park just a few miles outside of downtown Atlanta, Georgia, are one of the last remaining historic estates anywhere in . By 1920, it has 37 branches throughout North America. Don't ignore the company's latest email", "That $125 payment from Equifax? [59], On October 12, 2017, Equifax's website was reported to have been offering visitors malware via drive-by download. [18], Equifax was the subject of more than 57,000 consumer complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from October 2012 to September 17, 2017, with most complaints relating to incomplete, inaccurate, outdated, or misattributed information held by the company. There was a problem getting your location. Equifax (EFX) has a Smart Score of 9 based on an analysis of 8 unique data sets, including Analyst Recommendations, Crowd Wisdom, and Hedge Fund Activity. They said they could have downloaded the data of all of Equifax's customers in 10 minutes: "I've seen a lot of bad things, but not this bad. . Privacy Policy. Here's What You Can Do", "Want that $125 from Equifax? Attempts to run facilities in Baltimore, Greensborough, and Philadelphia during this time failed, and the offices were closed. Address: 1600 Peachtree Street, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30309 U.S.A. Telephone: (404) 885-8000 Fax: (404) 888-5452 http://www.equifax.com Statistics: Public Company Incorporated: 1913 as Retail Credit Company, Inc. Employees: 14,000 Sales: $1.62 billion (1998) Stock Exchanges: New York Ticker Symbol: EFX Their downtown office quickly expanded, as the brothers offered life and auto insurance. The following day, a class-action lawsuit was filed by Jacksonville, Florida resident Nydia Jenkins against Equifax alleging she had received a "substantially pricier car loan" (resulting in an additional loan payment of $2,352 more per year) due to Equifax reporting her credit score 130 points off from what it should have been. Some of the company's data storage equipment is pictured circa 1978. 0 cemeteries found in Woolford, Dorchester County, Maryland, USA. Most of the credit work was then being done by a subsidiary, Retailers Commercial Agency. Today the facility operates as Morningstar Treatment Services, which serves children with intellectual disabilities. Make sure that the file is a photo. In the late 1920s Woolford befriended Franklin D. Roosevelt and was one of the founders of the . [62], On October 13, 2017, the attack was revealed to have been performed by hijacking third-party analytics JavaScript from Digital River brand FireClick. With his brother Guy, Cator Woolford started the Retail Credit Company, the precursor to Equifax. This entity was later sold. However, in February 2020, the United States Department of Justice indicted four members of China's People's Liberation Army on nine charges related to the breach, which China has denied. Heres a look at how the Atlanta-based company grew into the credit reporting giant that it is today. Also proving helpful was the advent of credit bureau associations which had begun springing up as the exchange of information between fellow creditors became more common. [55] While these apps themselves were not reportedly connected to that breach, they had security flaws of their own, being vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks owing to some parts using HTTP instead of HTTPS. [60][61][62][63] At that time, only 3 out of 65 top anti-malware products provided protection against the particular malware, meaning that many visitors were at risk of having their computers infected when visiting the Equifax website. Eventually the company's ability to retrieve information by computer from vast data banks would prove one of Retail Credit's greatest assets. Equifax is the oldest and largest credit bureau in existence today. Riley, Michael, Anita Sharpe, and Jordan Robertson, "The New Equifax Boss Wants to Make Amends. (France); UAPT-Infolink, plc (U.K.). Wanting more opportunity for her daughter, Anne Lane joined forces with her friend and civic leader Rebecca Frazer to create the Cerebral Palsy Centerin 1949 in the basement of St. Lukes Episcopal Church on Peachtree Street. Its headquarters are located on Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta. In the late 1920s Woolford befriended Franklin D. Roosevelt and was one of the founders of the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute. In the first full year of U.S. military involvement, the company lost 1,200 workers. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Founded by brothers Cator and Guy Woolford, each got their start in the credit business as grocers, where they compiled lists of customers based on their creditworthiness. 1930: The Retail Credit Company has 81 branch offices throughout North America. These 39 acres of property are nestled in the heart of the North Druid Hills area. In the late 1920s Cator Woolford befriended Franklin D. Roosevelt when the future president began visiting Warm Springs, seeking a cure for his polio. We have set your language to By taking these steps to mollify the public, Equifax hoped to ward off federal legislation that would mandate costly measures to increase fairness. By 1915 Retail Credit's earliest work compiling lists of good and bad credit risks in the Atlanta area had dwindled to almost nothing. Armed with a form showing the information that would be provided about each potential customer, the salesman pulled in a large number of new clients. In 1994 the company also greatly expanded its international operations through acquisitions and joint ventures, gaining a presence in 12 countries, including Argentina, Chile, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Australia. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Other failings were on the exposure of American salary data, and website malware. Copyright (c) 2022 Company-Histories.com. Equifax's push into the Brazilian market was challenged by the economic difficulties there, especially the currency devaluation. Equifax Inc. is an American multinational consumer credit reporting agency headquartered in Atlanta, . The enterprise was newly christened the Retail Credit Company, Inc., on December 29, 1913. Two years later the San Francisco office was entirely destroyed by earthquake and fire. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. Two brothers, Cator and Guy Woolford, created the company. In 1941, when the war began for the United States, the company was providing 7.5 million reports a year; many of its inspectors, however, were drafted into the military and other employees left the enterprise to engage in war-related endeavors. The law also restricted the kinds of information credit bureaus could sell. Equifax Inc. company and executive profile by Barron's. View the latest EFX company infomation and executive bios. [77][78] A Heartland Bank spokesperson said the bank "immediately investigated and contacted the credit reporting agencies after Haman reported" she was still alive. The credit bureau had opened 34 branch offices in the United States and three in Canada, as well. Credit books for Athens, Rome, Columbus, Macon, and Augusta were developed and marketed and a branch office was opened in Augusta. Retrieved Aug 19, 2013, from https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/equifax/. The company responded that such findings were never used in credit-rating evaluations but were limited to its insurance and consumer investigations businesses (which were later spun off). Call toll free: 1-877-842-5215, Top Four Ways To Financial Freedom In 2023, 5 Secret Facts About Credit That You Never Knew, Best Credit Card Practices Ahead of the Holidays, Ways to Use Your Credit Card That Nobody Talks About, 1898: Equifaxs roots begin in this year as a Tennessee-based grocery story. [74] An Equifax spokesperson said that Equifax is considering appealing the jury's verdict. After a couple of years, the company expanded into commercial credit reports on big companies in the UK, the US, and Canada. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. This changed in 1999 when the agency started offering services to credit consumer sectors. Equifax also holds the number one position in check guarantee and verification in the United States, Canada, France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. The company would also no longer keep tabs on customers' buying histories for the purpose of placing shoppers in a range of categories from "luxury buyers" to "coupon clippers." Equifax had quickly built up a significant presence in the emerging Brazilian market through a total investment of more than $350 million. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. (ChoicePoint and Equifax did not then, nor do they now, share information or any relationship.). 1901: Retail Credit Company expands into the moral hazard market, selling credit information to life insurance companies. He established the Thomas Guy Woolford Charitable Trust, which is today administered by SunTrust Banks (now Truist). [12] It is alleged that the hearings prompted the Retail Credit Company to change its name to Equifax in 1975 to improve its image. Cator Woolford, Co-Founder Guy Woolford, Co-Founder Equifax Board Members Mark Begor, Director Elane B. In the late 1920s Woolford befriended Franklin D. Roosevelt and was one of the founders of the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. In the fall of 1901, the company dispatched a salesman to the Northeast to drum up business in the home offices of the nation's largest insurance companies. 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