New Equifax Toolbar Powered by EarthLink Helps Consumers Combat Identity Theft

Identity theft is on the rise and "phishing" -- the practice of sending e-mails from what appears to be a bank or other trusted Internet site to gain access to personal information -- is quickly becoming a popular method of choice among identity thieves. Unfortunately, as these e-mails become more sophisticated, they are harder to detect.

Equifax is the only credit reporting company to offer free phisher scam protection. The new Equifax Toolbar powered by EarthLink features Scam Blocker and is designed to detect and notify you about "phishy" or fraudulent Websites. The Equifax Toolbar integrates with your Web browser and also:

* Features a visual safety rating for each page you visit

* Alerts you before you enter a page that's on a list of known scammers or has characteristics commonly associated with fraudulent Websites

* Blocks pop-up ads and other unwanted windows

* Offers a built-in search box for fast access to information on the Web

The Equifax Toolbar is easy to download, at www.equifax.com to download today.