Yes, the Equifax Data Breach Settlement email and website are real. Although the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has previously warned of people attempting to scam Equifax cyberattack victims, EquifaxBreachSettlement.com is a real website and the email Dan received is legitimate, an FTC spokesperson confirmed to VERIFY.
Full Answer
Is the Equifax data breach settlement email a phishing scam?
If you receive any emails regarding an Equifax Data Breach Settlement asking for payment information, it’s a phishing scam and should be ignored. You will need to have received the email to take advantage of this offer, as there’s a code within each one that grants you access to the special credit monitoring settlement.
Is Equifax’s $125 settlement a scam?
It sounds like a scam, but it’s not: Equifax really is giving millions of people up to $125 in cash or free identity restoration services after a 2017 data breach exposed the personal information of about 147 million people. That said, it didn’t take long for scammers to start using the settlement as a way to get your personal information.
How do I switch to credit monitoring after the Equifax settlement?
That’s because the settlement with Equifax was just approved by a court. So now, if you signed up for credit monitoring as part of that settlement, you can take a few steps to switch it on. The email or letter tells you how. Learn more at the FTC’s official site for information: ftc.gov/Equifax.
Did you get an email about free credit monitoring through Equifax?
Lots of people recently got an email or letter about free credit monitoring through the Equifax settlement. That’s because the settlement with Equifax was just approved by a court. So now, if you signed up for credit monitoring as part of that settlement, you can take a few steps to switch it on. The email or letter tells you how.
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Did Equifax pay settlements?
The company has agreed to a global settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and 50 U.S. states and territories. The settlement includes up to $425 million to help people affected by the data breach.”
Has anyone received money from Equifax?
After a data breach in 2017 exposed personal data of more than 147 million consumers, including in some cases Social Security and driver's license numbers, credit bureau Equifax agreed to pay hundreds of millions in compensation to help affected consumers.
How much will Equifax settlement be?
Equifax will pay up to $425 million in restitution to those directly impacted by the massive data breach of the credit bureau in 2017. A federal court gave final approval to the class-action lawsuit settlement in mid-January.
How do I know if I was breached by Equifax?
Equifax has created a website where you can find out if you have been affected by the breach. The website will ask you for the last six digits of your social security number and your last name, and then will tell you if you have been affected. You can also call 1-833-759-2982.
What is going on with the Equifax settlement?
Equifax denied any wrongdoing and no judgment or finding of wrongdoing was made. If you are a Class Member, the deadline to file Initial Claims Period claim(s) for free credit monitoring or up to $125 cash payment and other cash reimbursement passed on January 22, 2020. The Settlement is now effective.
What happened to the Equifax settlement Payments?
The company has agreed to a global settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and 50 U.S. states and territories. The settlement includes up to $425 million to help people affected by the data breach.
Who qualifies for Equifax settlement?
You are a Settlement Class Member if you are among the approximately 147 million U.S. consumers identified by Equifax whose personal information was impacted by the Equifax Data Breach.
Is there a lawsuit against Equifax?
In 2017, hackers broke into Equifax in a breach that exposed the financial information of 147 million Americans. A federal court in 2020 approved a $380 million settlement of class actions lawsuits, with no finding or judgment of wrongdoing made.
How much can you get from a data breach settlement?
How much can I receive from the Capital One settlement? Class members can collect up to $25,000 in cash for lost time and out-of-pocket expenditures relating to the breach, including unreimbursed fraud charges, money spent preventing identity theft and fees to professional data security services.
Has Equifax been recently hacked?
In September 2017, credit reporting giant Equifax came clean: It had been hacked, and the sensitive personal information of 143 million US citizens had been compromised—a number the company later revised up to 147.9 million. Names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, all gone in an unprecedented heist.
Does Equifax send email alerts?
If you've signed up for credit monitoring from Equifax, you will be informed by email of any changes or events related to your credit report. Some of these email alerts are triggered by regular actions you take yourself, like buying a cell phone or financing new furniture.
Does Equifax need my SSN?
We ask for personal information, such as your Social Security number, during the order process to verify your identity and to locate your Equifax credit report.
How does Equifax get paid?
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion make most of their money selling bulk lists to banks and credit card companies. American Express, for example, could purchase a list of potential customers 25 to 30 years old with credit scores above 650.
How does Equifax work?
1. We compile your credit history based on your credit accounts, using your Social Security number or other identification information. 2. We provide your credit information, in the form of credit reports, to lenders and creditors to help them determine your creditworthiness.
When was Equifax hacked?
In September 2017, credit reporting giant Equifax came clean: It had been hacked, and the sensitive personal information of 143 million US citizens had been compromised—a number the company later revised up to 147.9 million. Names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, all gone in an unprecedented heist.
How much did Equifax pay for data breach?
It's been mere days since credit-reporting firm Equifax agreed to pay up to $700 million to settle claims over a massive 2017 data breach and already scammers are trying to exploit the deal to fraudulently get their hands on your personal information.
How to figure out if you are a settlement claimant?
On the settlement website, you can figure out whether you're one of the eligible claimants. Enter your last name and last six digits of your Social Security number in a website operated by the settlement administrator (not Equifax). If told your personal information was affected by the data theft, then you can file a claim.
What is the deadline for filing your claim?
The deadline to file claims is Jan. 22, 2020, for most benefits, and you won't receive anything until the settlement administrator gets the go-ahead from a court — that would be Jan. 23, 2020, at the earliest.
How to make sure you're not handing over sensitive financial information to a fake website?
To make sure you're not handing over sensitive financial information to a fake website, start your claims process on the FTC's Equifax page at ftc.gov/Equifax. The federal agency noted that consumers never have to pay a fee to claim benefits from the settlement and said anyone who calls to urge you to file a claim is most certainly a con artist.
How much can you claim for cyber theft?
People who were harmed in the cybertheft can also claim as much as $20,000 in cash reimbursement for expenses related to the breach. Those include fees to freeze or unfreeze credit reports, as well as for credit-monitoring services; losses from unauthorized charges to accounts; and any payments to lawyers and or accountants.
How long can you claim for identity theft?
You can make a claim for up to 20 hours of time spent dealing with the breach. The good news here is that backing documents aren't required, and you could see compensation for time you spend trying to recover from identity theft (or avoid it in the first place) of $25 an hour (up a maximum of 10 hours -- more than that and you will need documents backing up your additional time spent). You must certify that you are being truthful.
How long does Experian monitor credit?
Consumers impacted by the data breach are entitled to up to 10 years of free monitoring of their credit reports. You can also sign up for at least four years of monitoring services provided by Experian at no cost, or if you already have credit monitoring going, you can file to be compensated for up to $125 in cash.
What to watch out for when calling Equifax?
Here are five things to watch out for: 1. Equifax phone scams. You may receive a call that says "this is Equifax calling to verify your account information.". On its blog, the Federal Trade Commission recently warned consumers that Equifax will never call you out of the blue. "It's a scam," the FTC said.
How many people have been stolen by Equifax?
Exit Full Screen. UPDATE: Equifax said hackers may have stolen the information of 2.5 million more people than initially estimated. The Equifax breach might have given scammers a treasure trove of personal details about you that they can use in all sorts of ways to steal your identity, money and make your life miserable.
What credit bureaus freeze credit?
Consumer advocates suggest that you file a request to freeze your credit with each credit bureau – Experian, Equifax and TransUnion – to keep criminals from opening accounts or credit cards in your name.
Why do scammers spoof numbers?
Scammers can spoof numbers to help make it seem as if a trusted caller is calling you. 2. Another round of fake IRS calls. Fraudsters may use the information from the Equifax hack to make it seem that the call you receive from the fake IRS guy is real.
How many phishing websites were created after Equifax security breach?
A day after the breach and launch of the legitimate help website, scammers had created 194 phishing websites that shared similar addresses with equifaxsecurity2017.com
What to do if you get a letter from a collection agency?
If you get a letter from a collection agency, don't just dismiss it, Levin said. Ask for a proof of claim so you can find out whether the debt is real or a sign that you've been victimized by identity theft.
Does Equifax collect information?
Equifax "collects enormous amounts of information about each and every one of us. ... In this case, you're talking about everything you would need to commit every kind of identity theft known to humanity," he said.
