Consumer Alert
Equifax Data Breach Settlement: How to Claim Your Benefits
Earlier this week, we told you that roughly half the people in the country can get benefits under a settlement that the FTC and others reached with Equifax. Now, you can now find out if you were affected by the September 2017 breach and make your claim for benefits.
Start at ftc.gov/Equifax. There, you can use a tool to find out if your information – like your Social Security number (SSN) – was exposed in the breach, learn about benefits, and start your claim to get free credit monitoring and maybe even cash. If your info was exposed in the breach, the settlement will give you up to 10 years of free credit monitoring. That means you’ll get an alert whenever somebody checks your credit history, opens a new loan or credit card in your name, or says a payment is late. So if somebody has, say, your SSN and tries to use it to get a loan, this free credit monitoring service would let you know right away. That’s the kind of information that might make a real difference when you apply for a job, try to rent an apartment, or apply for credit.
And a word on the cash: there are several ways to get reimbursed for the time or money you spent dealing with the after-effects of the breach. Read more at ftc.gov/Equifax, but here’s something to consider. To get paid back for up to ten hours of your time, you just need to say what you were doing for those ten hours.
Check out ftc.gov/Equifax to learn more, and be sure to file your claim by January 22, 2020.
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July 28, 2019
How do I know by looking up my info or filing a claim would expose my information? Introducing more issues just for claiming the lousy $125 is it all worth it for just that? Plus they'd be just giving us that if we truly were victims of their data breach sending mailings and issuing checks instead of us going to them account sounds like a hoax to me
January 15, 2020
Wasn't it Equifax credit monitoring services that were breached and caused all of this mess to begin with?! Isn't this like getting shot by the enemy posing as your allie, then providing them more ammo to shoot you again?! Why would I trust someone that screwed it up so bad the first time?
July 29, 2019
I would like to obtain a FREE copy of my credit report, from all 3 major credit reporters. How do I go about doing this?
August 06, 2019
In reply to I would like to obtain a FREE by csheets
Visit annualcreditreport.com to get your free credit report.
July 29, 2019
How does credit monitoring help me when someone uses my identity to obtain health care in my name and my health record is incorrect?
August 01, 2019
In reply to How does credit monitoring by Salad D
If someone used your personal information to get health care, that's identity theft. You can report it, and get help to correct the problems in your health records. Go to www.IdentityTheft.gov to report identity theft, get the forms you need to send to businesses to repair problems, and get a recovery plan.
The person who took your personal information to get health care might also try to get credit cards, loans, utility service or do other financial transactions with your information. You can order a free copy of your credit report at www.AnnualCreditReport.com and check for any accounts you don't recognize. You could place a credit freeze to stop the person from opening new accounts with your information. You could use credit monitoring to learn about activity on your credit reports.
July 29, 2019
Was aware of this settlement that's going on and I'm trying to claim my money
July 29, 2019
Seems like everyone should be able to claim at least 1 hour - the time to search for info on the issue, checking to see if you were impacted, filing a claim, etc. All of that is due to the breach.
July 29, 2019
This settlement is a joke. Consumers are not guaranteed anything but pennies or monitoring by the same company that did not protect our data. Its really sad that the FTC allowed Equifax a get out of jail free card. Not unexpected though.
July 29, 2019
Why isn’t this site asking for the last 6 digits of my SS#?
August 08, 2019
I believe I'm in the settlement that I have have been using my credit
August 08, 2019
EQUIFAX NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN. WHAT ARE ITS VICTIMS WAITING FOR? THE MASSIVE DATA BREACH WARRANTS A CALL FOR ACTION VERSUS ACQUIESCING TO THIS FAKE DATA COMPANY'S SO-CALLED SETTLEMENT OFFER! EQUIFAX SOLD OUT CONSUMERS & YET EXPECTS TO REMAIN IN OPERATION - REALLY?
August 09, 2019
I verified through your website that my data was compromised. I signed up for the free monitoring but never received a confirmation via email. What now?
August 13, 2019
When can I get my money
August 25, 2019
I have filed a claim twice with Equifax for free monitoring. They don't respond, just keep sending me the same canned email telling me I can file a claim. When the breach occurred, I confirmed with them that I was affected. I can't find out who to contact to complain about their lack of substantive response.
September 03, 2019
Soooo, I just read that the 'estimated' individual payout is going to be 'much less' than the original target of $125...due to the 'overwhelming' response in the first two weeks.
What exactly does 'much less' equate to? $1.25?
September 06, 2019
I signed up for credit monitoring and have my claim number. When does this start, how do I sign up?
October 22, 2019
How come out of a $425,000,000 settlement only $31,000,000 will go towards what most people want. That is to have nothing to do with Equifax. When I signed up for the $125 on the day it started. I was supposed to get the full amount. I have heard so many people wanted the small settlement of $125 that I might only get 50 cents.
What happened to the other $394,000,000?
November 06, 2019
In reply to How come out of a $425,000 by Equifax victim
Question #8 of the questions and answers on the settlement website (www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com) explains how the settlement funds are being allocated.
November 02, 2019
Has anyone else been denied jobs or housing due to this? I had no idea my credit and information was breached, then i found out its why i wasnt even hearing back about submitted resumes for jobs. I also am unable to get a government security clearance needed for military service. I had no idea why i was denied rental housing as the people doing the checks were not required to disclose the findings of their background and credit checks. Now the claims people are asking for proof of losses and damages, but how do you calculate the value of such extreme and widespread losses?
November 08, 2019
I do not have any faith in this credit monitoring. There is no guarantee that someone will not be able to get into my personal information. It should have been protected in the first place.
November 23, 2019
How do I withdraw my claim? I've decided I want to remain outside the settlement.
January 10, 2020
In reply to How do I withdraw my claim? I by Buff Crone
Answer # 24 in the Frequently Asked Questions on www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com says the deadline to exclude yourself from the settlement has passed.
December 09, 2019
So, to sum all this up Equifax will pay about 25 cents per social security number sold, free dates of birth, free personal information, (including everything you need to use credit).
My issue is that they are making more off of the information breach than they are spending, this is not a punishment.
December 09, 2019
This board is monitored and you cannot say bad things about Equifax, or the settlement.
January 10, 2020
In reply to This board is monitored and by zachlyon553
Here is the is the full Comment Policy, which is posted right above the box where you type in your comment:
December 30, 2019
My family's information was exposed by Equifax's security failure. We have all filed for continued protection, not for money. When will we get it? While all the reporting companies provided some free initial protection, they are now withdrawing it and offering to continue if we pay for the service. So, again, having been compromised by Equifax, when will be protected as offered?
January 10, 2020
In reply to My family's information was by Thomas
You can file a claim for free credit monitoring and identity theft protection benefits. You must file a claim by January 22, 2020.
Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax to read how to file.
January 10, 2020
There is NO reason why these companies need to have our private information on file ever. I would like information as to how to delete my name and information completely out of their system. This is a global scam. And the corporate raiders should be ashamed of themselves.
January 10, 2020
In reply to There is NO reason why these by lct1119
Equifax is one of three national credit bureaus. The three companies collect information about your credit history, such as how many credit cards you have, how much money you owe, and how you pay your bills. Each company creates a credit report about you, and then sells the report to businesses that are deciding whether to give you credit.
You cannot opt out of this data collection. However, you can review your credit report for free and freeze your credit.
January 03, 2020
It's all one giant scam!
January 06, 2020
I mailed a settlement claim in July. I have not received anything indicating my claim was received. I asked for credit monitoring and reimbursement for the credit freeze I had to pay for since I live in Oregon. How can I check on the status of my claim?
Thank you for your help.
January 10, 2020
In reply to I mailed a settlement claim by Marty
Benefits will come after final approval from the court. Final approval will be on January 23, 2020 at the earliest.
For free credit monitoring, after final approval from the court, you will get an activation code with instructions. You can choose to receive this code by email or postal mail when you file your claim.
For cash payments, you can choose to get a check or debit card when you file your claim. It will be sent to your mailing address after final approval from the court.
January 15, 2020
I filed a claim on January 10, 2020 but haven't heard back. I have a claim number. How long before I get feedback or is there a site I can go to to check
January 16, 2020
In reply to I filed a claim on January 10 by Dongeorge w't …
The settlement administrator will send out benefits when it is allowed to do so by the court, which will be January 23, 2020, at the earliest.
The FTC has information at www.FTC.gov/Equifax. We will update that page when we have more information.
January 21, 2020
that is what ,is great about having a Bankruptcy on my Record....U have to jump thru a lot of Loops to get any credit...
January 30, 2020
I applied for free three credit bureau monitoring. Several months ago. To date, I have not received any email or home address instructions
February 07, 2020
I filed my claim for the credit monitoring on July 31, 2019. My understanding was that the Settlement Administrator would be contacting us after January 23, 2020 to give us the information we needed to begin the free 10-year monitoring. To date, I have received nothing and am wondering what is happening with this settlement.
June 04, 2020
In reply to I filed my claim for the by BJVH
When will the free credit monitoring start? I submitted claim in July 2019 and received no response regarding how to start. Has anyone else been successful starting the free 10 year credit monitoring?
June 28, 2020
Where's my money I done reported it over a year ago.. and I already have i d protection so they have to pay me instead
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