Settlement FAQs

how to equifax settlement

by Claire Kiehn Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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How to file a claim for the Equifax breach settlement 1. Use the official online tool you can use to check if you were part of the Equifax breach. 2. Enter your last name and last six digits of your social security number to see if your data was part of the hack.

To get free credit monitoring or a cash payment (or both), you must submit a claim: online at EquifaxBreachSettlement.com, or. through the mail. (Send your claim to Equifax Data Breach Settlement Administrator, c/o JND Legal Administration, P.O. Box 91318, Seattle, WA 98111-9418).

Full Answer

When will Equifax pay settlement?

Settlement benefits for eligible time spent and out-of-pocket losses are likely to begin issuing in fall 2022. The Equifax Data Breach Settlement website will provide updates. If you still have your claim number, you can enter it on the website and check the status of your claim.

When can I expect my Equifax settlement check?

We have a guide for how to prepare and file your claims and what the settlement payments can cover. The earliest you can expect to receive benefits, the FTC said, is the day after the submission deadline: Jan. 23, 2020.

Does Equifax owe me money?

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - It’s been two years since the Equifax data breach and now they may owe you money. Depending on how involved you got after initial word of the Equifax breach, financial advisor Nancy Anderson says you could qualify for even more than the $125 dollar minimum, even without receipts.

What you should know about the Equifax breach settlement?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a consumer alert regarding the Equifax Data Breach. In September 2017, Equifax announced a data breach, which affected the personal information of 147 million people. Under a recent settlement filed, Equifax agreed to spend up to $425 million to help people affected by the data breach.

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How do I claim my Equifax settlement?

For more details and to check your claim status, visit EquifaxBreachSettlement.com . If you were affected by the Equifax data breach, you can still claim financial reimbursement for costs you incurred, or time you spent dealing with fraud or identity theft, after January 22, 2022. Claims are due by January 22, 2024.

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.

Will I get $125 from Equifax?

If you asked for money If you requested compensation of up to $125 or reimbursement for time spent recovering from fraud or ID theft, a check or debit card will be mailed to the address you used when submitting your claim. Be prepared for compensation that is much less than you requested.

Who qualifies for the 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.

How do I check my Equifax claim?

You can also log into your myEquifax account and view your status by clicking the “check status of a dispute” button. If you are checking your status by mail or phone, please make sure you have the confirmation number that was provided to you when you submitted your dispute.

What happened to the Equifax lawsuit?

More Information About the Settlement In September of 2017, Equifax announced a data breach that exposed the personal information of 147 million people. 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.

Is Equifax being sued?

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.

What happened to Equifax after the data breach?

In the wake of Equifax's 2017 data breach, which compromised the personal information of roughly 147 million consumers — including names, birthdates and Social Security numbers — the company ended up as the target of multiple lawsuits and reached a settlement in 2019 with the FTC, the Consumer Financial Protection ...

How do I know if I was part of Equifax breach?

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.

Does Capital One accept settlements?

Yes, Capital One does accept debt settlements, either directly or through a collection agency. You can refer to the most recent notice you've received and reach out to that party to begin the negotiation process for an amended payment agreement.

Can I go to Equifax in person?

Equifax Phone number: While Equifax's official customer service phone number is 1-800-846-5279, I found the easiest path to reach a real human is to call this number: 1-866-640-2273. How to reach a real person: Press 4, then press 1.

How Much Will Indiana residents get from the Equifax settlement?

approximately $79The Indiana Attorney General will start sending settlement payments on Wednesday to Hoosiers whose data was leaked in a 2017 Equifax breach. More than 236,000 past and current Indiana residents will get approximately $79 as part of a settlement that Indiana reached with the credit company.

How do I get my money from Equifax breach?

To get free credit monitoring or a cash payment (or both), you must submit a claim: online at EquifaxBreachSettlement.com, or. through the mail. (Send your claim to Equifax Data Breach Settlement Administrator, c/o JND Legal Administration, P.O. Box 91318, Seattle, WA 98111-9418).

How much will I get from Indiana Equifax settlement?

“Each person who filed an eligible claim for restitution at IndianaEquifaxClaims.com will receive approximately $79," a statement from the Attorney General's Office said. "The Office will begin distributing digital and check payments on March 31.

What is the Indiana Equifax settlement?

As part of the settlement, Equifax agreed to pay $19.5 million to the State of Indiana. That money is being directed to consumer restitution payments and costs associated with the settlement. If your personal information was impacted in the data breach, you are eligible for a consumer restitution payment.

What happens if you are impacted by Equifax?

If you were impacted by the Equifax data breach, you may seek reimbursement for valid Out of Pocket losses or Time Spent (excluding losses of money and time associated with freezing or unfreezing credit reports or purchasing credit monitoring or identity theft protection) incurred during the Extended Claims Period if you have not received reimbursement for the claimed loss through other means.

When is the deadline to file a claim against Equifax?

The deadline to file a claim for Out-of-Pocket Losses or Time Spent that occurred through January 22, 2020 has passed.

When is the deadline for Equifax?

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.

When is the deadline for credit monitoring in 2024?

January 22, 20 24 (For future losses and time) File a claim for Credit Monitoring Services or Alternative Reimbursement Compensation. The deadline to submit a claim to receive the Free Credit Monitoring Services offered under the Settlement, or Alternative Reimbursement Compensation has passed.

When is the extended claim period for credit monitoring?

You may seek reimbursement for valid Out-of-Pocket Losses or Time Spent (excluding losses of money and time associated with freezing or unfreezing credit reports or purchasing credit monitoring or identity theft protection) incurred during the Extended Claims Period (between January 23, 2020 and January 22, 2024) if you have not received reimbursement for the claimed loss through other means.

Is the Equifax settlement final?

By order of the Court, the Settlement cannot become final until the appeals of the remaining objectors are resolved. In September of 2017, Equifax announced it experienced a data breach, which impacted the personal information of approximately 147 million people.

When is the extended claim period for out of pocket loss?

To be eligible, your claim for Out-of-Pocket Losses or Time Spent must occur between January 23, 2020 and January 22, 20 24(the “Extended Claims Period”).

When did Equifax breach?

In September 2017 , Equifax announced a breach that exposed the personal data of approximately 147 million people. If your data was impacted, under a legal settlement, you may claim free services and payments.

How long does it take to get a free credit report from Equifax?

You can get six free credit reports from Equifax in a 12-month period, for seven years beginning January 2020. These are in addition to the free reports you’re already entitled to under the law.

Can you request reimbursement for Equifax?

You can request reimbursement if you spent money, for example: For certain Equifax products before the breach. To freeze or unfreeze your credit. For credit monitoring services. Dealing with fraud or identity theft after the breach.

What does it mean when Equifax settles with the FTC?

A settlement with the FTC means Equifax will pay victims of its breach $125 or more. Make sure it pay ups. Save this story for later.

How long does Equifax monitor credit report?

The settlement specifically allows for "at least four years of free monitoring of your credit report at all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion)" and then "up to six more years of free monitoring of your Equifax credit report.". That's not as comprehensive as it sounds at first. At least, though, during the four years ...

How much compensation can you get for identity theft?

People who have already suffered identity theft or other damages as a result of the breach and have documentation to back it up are potentially eligible for up to $20,000 in compensation.

How much did Equifax pay for the data breach?

As part of its $700 million settlement with the commission, Equifax set aside more than $500 million to compensate the millions of victims of the data breach.

How much money can you claim for identity theft?

If you were the victim of identity theft and it cost you a significant amount of money, it makes sense to gather the receipts and other supporting documents required for a claim that approaches the $20,000 individual limit.

How to find out if your Social Security number was exposed?

Step 1: Use this link to access the claim process . Then scroll down to "Find Out if Your Information Was Impacted" and click on that link. After entering your last name and the last six digits of your Social Security number, you'll instantly get an answer about whether your data was exposed and you're eligible to make a claim.

Is Equifax doing credit monitoring?

For consumers skeptical about accepting the credit monitoring, Lacey explains, "it’s not Equifax doing the work; it’s their competitors doing it on their behalf."

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Can you report credit monitoring expenses?

In a Monday press conference, the FTC announced that consumers would be able to report some credit monitoring expenses and the time they spent resolving issues raised by the breach without having to submit receipts or other records.

What happened to Equifax in 2017?

By the time Equifax discovered the hack, the hackers had taken the birth dates, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers of millions of people.

How much does Equifax pay?

A $20,000 payment. Equifax will also pay $20,000 to consumers who can prove that they suffered "fraud, identity theft, or other misuse" because of the data breach. Equifax will also pay them $25 per hour for up to 20 hours of time they had spent trying to safeguard their data.

How long does credit monitoring last?

Class members will first have the option of free credit monitoring for four years or a cash payment of $125. Those who'd prefer the cash must already have credit monitoring in place for at least six more months. People who have less than six months of credit monitoring left, don't qualify for the payment.

How much does Equifax pay for credit monitoring?

In a statement on Monday, Equifax said that the payout to consumers includes $425 million that will cover credit monitoring and out-of-pocket losses because of the breach, as well as the cost of "identity restoration services.". Equifax will pay the remainder to the federal government. The amount of money consumers will receive varies.

How much did Equifax pay for the 2017 data breach?

Equifax has agreed to pay nearly $700 million for the 2017 data breach that exposed personal information like Social Security numbers of nearly 150 million people. And now, the victims will finally get a little money. In a statement on Monday, Equifax said that the payout to consumers includes $425 million that will cover credit monitoring ...

Does Equifax reimburse out of pocket losses?

Equifax will also reimburse them for out-of-pocket losses and up to 25% of the cost of Equifax credit or identity monitoring. Exactly how Equifax will require consumers verify their costs is unknown.

Does Equifax cover identity restoration?

Equifax will be covering free Identity Restoration services for no fewer than seven years to anyone affected by the data breach. Equifax didn't say what those services were, but it did say it would help to "remedy the effects of identity theft and fraud."

How much did Equifax pay in penalties?

The company has also agreed to pay $175 million in civil penalties to 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as $100 million to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The FTC Commissioners voted unanimously, 5-0, to take this action against Equifax.

How many free credit reports will Equifax give in 2020?

In addition, beginning in January 2020, Equifax will provide all U.S. consumers with six free credit reports each year for seven years. That's in addition to the one free annual credit report that Equifax and the two other nationwide credit reporting agencies currently provide.

Who warns consumers not to rely too heavily on credit monitoring?

Brookman warns consumers to not rely too heavily on credit monitoring.

Did Equifax respond to Consumer Reports?

Equifax had not responded to Consumer Reports' request for comment at time of publication.

Do retailers earn affiliate commissions?

When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.

Is Equifax breach preventable?

A scathing Congressional report released in December of 2018 called the Equifax breach “entirely preventable.” The 96-page report concluded that the financial reporting company failed to properly fix a vulnerability in its database software despite being warned about the problem in early March 2017, months before the data breach.

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