January 2020
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. The settlement includes up to $425 million to help people affected by the data breach.
The initial deadline to file a claim in the Equifax settlement was January 22, 2020.
After January 22, 2020, you can still file a claim(link is external) for expenses you incur between January 23, 2020, and January 22, 2024, as a result of identity theft or fraud related to the breach, such as:
- Losses from unauthorized charges to your accounts
- Fees you paid to professionals, like accountants or attorneys, to help you recover from identity theft
- Other expenses you incurred while recovering from identity theft, like notary fees, document shipping fees, postage, mileage, and phone charges.
You also can file a claim for the time you spent recovering from identity theft or fraud between January 23, 2020, and January 22, 2024. You can be compensated up to $25 per hour up to 20 hours. There are limited funds available so your claim may be reduced.
Even if you do not file a claim, you can get:
Free Help Recovering from Identity Theft
Once the court allows the start of this benefit, for a period of at least seven years, you will be able to get free identity restoration services if you discover misuse of your personal information. We will update this website when this benefit becomes available.
Free Credit Reports for All U.S. Consumers
All U.S. consumers can now get 7 free Equifax credit reports per year through 2026 by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com.
