Consumer Alert
Equifax Data Breach Settlement: What You Should Know
In September of 2017, Equifax announced a data breach that exposed the personal information of 147 million people. Under a settlement filed today, Equifax agreed to spend up to $425 million to help people affected by the data breach. If you were affected by the Equifax breach, you can't file a claim just yet. That's coming. But you can sign up for FTC email alerts about the settlement at ftc.gov/Equifax.
(Not sure that you were affected? The breach claims site will have a tool to let you check. Sign up for an FTC email update to find out when that tool is up and running.)
Here’s what you need to know about the settlement.
Benefits Available To You
If you were affected by the breach, you may be eligible for benefits.
1. Free Credit Monitoring or Cash Payment
You can get at least 4 years of free credit monitoring of your credit report at all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). On top of that, you can get up to 6 more years of free credit monitoring of your Equifax credit report. That’s a total of 10 years of free credit monitoring. (Minors affected by the breach are eligible for even more free credit monitoring.)
If you have credit monitoring that will continue for at least 6 months and you decide not to enroll in the free credit monitoring offered in the settlement, you may be eligible for a cash payment. The amount you’d get will depend on the number of claims filed.
2. Reimbursement for Your Time and Other Cash Payments
You may be eligible for reimbursement and cash payments up to $20,000 for:
- time you spent protecting your identity or recovering from identity theft, up to 20 hours at $25 per hour
- money you spent protecting your identity or recovering from identity theft, like the cost of freezing or unfreezing your credit report or unauthorized charges to your accounts
- up to 25% of the cost of Equifax credit monitoring or identity protection products you bought between September 7, 2016 and September 7, 2017
3. Free Identity Restoration Services
You are eligible for free identity restoration services for at least 7 years that you can use if someone steals your identity or you experience fraud.
Next Steps
The claims process will start after court approval. To learn more about the settlement, go to ftc.gov/Equifax. We’ll update that page when there’s new information.
You can also sign up to get FTC email updates about this settlement.
If you were affected by the breach, you may also receive an email notification after the court approves the settlement. The notification will provide more information about the settlement, the benefits available to people impacted, and how to request the services offered under the settlement.
This blog post was updated on August 1, 2019.
Search Terms
In reply to How do I find out if I was by Debbie Crawford
You can use this look-up tool to see if your information was exposed in the data breach. Get more information at www.FTC.gov/Equifax
In reply to is this the official by kanye2020
A website address that ends in ".com" is not a government website.
The website www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com is the where you can file a claim if your information was exposed in the Equifax data breach.
The FTC has more information at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.
In reply to Just received a notice from by buddy2008
Yes, the email notice you got from the FTC is legitimate.
We have information about the Equifax settlement at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.
The deadline to file a claim is January 22, 2020.
In reply to I received one (and perhaps a by online account user
Read more about what you can file a claim for at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.
In reply to Read more about what you can by FTC Staff
In reply to The settlement option 1 is by Misleading
You can file a claim for free credit monitoring if you don't have free credit monitoring now. If you already have credit monitoring, you can file a claim for $125.
If you were affected by the breach and you paid expenses as a result of the breach, or spent time dealing with the breach, or paid for Equifax credit monitoring and related services between 9/7/16 and 9/7/17, you can file a claim for cash payments.
Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax to learn more.
In reply to hi! I confirmed that I was by madisrad
Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax for a link to the tool that will check if you were affected.
In reply to My husband passed away in by ontheroadagain
A person can file a claim for free credit monitoring OR $125 if they have credit monitoring on their credit file now. The FTC has more information at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.
The claim site is www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com. There are questions and answers on the settlement website with more information.
In reply to By accepting the cash payout, by Kay
You can read more about the settlement at www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com. There are questions and answers, key dates and more information on that website.
The FTC has information at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.
In reply to What about the fact I had no by Need2Know
People who were affected by the breach can file a claim for cash payments for the time they spend dealing with the breach. They can get $25 per hour for up to 20 hours of their time. Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax to read about this:
In reply to So I used the tool and by Alexandra Mary
People who were affected by the breach can file a claim for free credit monitoring, identity theft protection services and cash payments. Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax for more information about filing a claim. You can file a claim at www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com.
In reply to Where can I find what credit by Mike Redwine
The settlement says people who were affected by the breach can file a claim for up to 10 years of free credit monitoring. Are you asking about that free credit monitoring or something else?
In reply to Now that I know my by GIGI
Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax to read about the settlement.
In reply to What is the turnaround time by simchabl
The settlement administrator will not send out any benefits until they are allowed to do so by the court, which will be January 23, 2020, at the earliest. Learn more at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.
In reply to Are you eligible to file if by bleeallen55
If your information was exposed in the data breach, you can file a claim at EquifaxBreachSettlement.com. Learn more at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.
In reply to My spouse was affected so it by June
If your spouse's information was exposed, your spouse can file a claim.
You can file a claim if your information was exposed in the data breach. Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax to learn more.
In reply to So 147 million are hacked, by Just a thinker
Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax to learn about what is available for people who experience identity theft.
In reply to The lookup tool says my info by Heidi
In reply to Your tool says I was affected by krisb181
Please go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax for detailed information.
If you were affected by the breach, you may file a claim for free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services, or for $125 if you decide not to enroll because you already have credit monitoring.
You may file a claim for cash payments, capped at $20,000 per person, for expenses you paid as a result of the breach, like losses from unauthorized charges to your accounts or the cost of freezing or unfreezing your credit report.
You may file a claim for cash payments, for the time you spent dealing with the breach. You can be compensated $25 per hour up to 20 hours. If you submit a claim for 10 hours or less, you must describe the actions you took and the time you spent doing those things.
In reply to Your tool says I was affected by krisb181
In reply to I have several hours invested by Rob OConnell
A person who was affected by the breach can submit a claim for a cash payment for the time they spent dealing with the breach. They can be compensated for up to 20 hours of their time.
If you make a claim for less than 10 hours, you have to describe what you did to deal with the breach and how much time you spent doing that. The claim site www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com has more information for people who file claims. The frequently asked questions page has information about cash payment for time spent.