If your data was part of 2017 Equifax data breach, you may now submit a claim for money and time you lost as a result of the breach. The personal information of 147 million people was exposed as a result of that breach, so there is a good chance that you affected.
Equifax 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.
As part of the settlement, you can file to recover money you spent to protect yourself from identity theft and on credit monitoring following the Equifax data breach. And if you signed up for credit monitoring, you can file a claim for $125 instead to cover that expense.
Cash payments for other expenses you paid as as result of the breach as well as for time lost are also available. For instance, you can recover money losses due to unauthorized charges to your accounts, the cost of freezing or unfreezing your credit report, and fees you paid to professionals like an accountant or attorney.
Cash payments for time spent dealing with the breach are also available. You may 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. If you claim is for more than 10 hours of time, you must also provide supporting documentation to prove the time you lost.
As part of the settlement free identity restoration services and free credit reports will be made available.
To see if you are eligible to file a claim, you can click here: https://eligibility.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/en/eligibility
To file a claim or obtain more information, click here: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/refunds/equifax-data-breach-settlement
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