How to Join the Equifax Class Action Lawsuit
If you’ve recently learned that you’ve been affected by the Equifax data breach, you may be wondering how to join the class-action lawsuit against the company. Many individuals have opted to file such a lawsuit in hopes of receiving free identity theft protection, credit monitoring, and reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses. This article will explain how to join a class-action lawsuit against the company and how to proceed.
2.4 million people were affected by the Equifax data breach
The recent Equifax data breach has exposed the personal information of 148 million people, making them potentially vulnerable to identity fraud. This figure is nearly equivalent to the populations of Rhode Island and New Hampshire combined. A newly-leaked document, reportedly authored by Equifax, revealed the additional number of people affected by the breach. During the initial investigation of the breach, the company did not disclose this additional number of consumers. However, after a wave of media reports, Equifax confirmed this discovery and said it came as part of its ongoing analysis. The company declined to comment on the discovery.
The company has confirmed that an additional 2.4 million Americans are affected by the Equifax data breach. The company says the information in question is not as personal as previously believed. It is unclear whether this new data includes social security numbers or driver’s license information. In the case of social security numbers, only the part number is exposed. The company said that these data do not include home addresses, driver’s license states, or expiration dates.
Free credit monitoring
The Federal Trade Commission recently announced a multi-million dollar settlement with Equifax in the wake of a massive data breach that compromised the personal information of 147 million people. As a part of the settlement, Equifax will provide free credit monitoring services for four years to people who were affected by the breach. While this is a piece of great news, it is also important to note that you must claim your free membership before the deadline, which is November 2019.
The settlement agreement between Equifax and the FTC will also provide compensation to victims of the data breach. The money is being paid out in the form of debit cards and checks to cover out-of-pocket expenses related to the breach. The funds will reimburse consumers for the costs of credit monitoring, identity theft, and fraud recovery. These funds should cover the cost of credit monitoring services and freeze credit accounts. The settlement also compensates consumers for the time they have lost dealing with identity theft and fraud.
Reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses
If you suffered any losses or fraud as a result of the breach, you can claim reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses in the Equifax class action lawsuit. This includes the costs you paid to freeze your credit reports, pay for a credit monitoring service, or to hire an attorney. You must provide adequate documentation to prove your losses, including credit card statements, invoices, and telephone records.
You can check on the settlement website to see if you are eligible. The settlement provides free credit monitoring for two years, cash payments for out-of-pocket expenses, and reimbursement for time spent coping with the Equifax data breach. The Atlanta federal court approved the Equifax data breach settlement on Dec. 19, and over 15 million people have filed claims, representing about ten percent of the class.
Free identity theft protection
You may be wondering if there is any way to get free identity theft protection in the Equifax class action lawsuit. While Equifax denies wrongdoing, they do allow customers to opt-out of arbitration. While they may be able to waive the arbitration clause, the company’s terms of service prohibit the consumer from pursuing a class-action lawsuit if they don’t want to. In some cases, this might not apply if Equifax was negligent and your identity was stolen.
Fortunately, the Equifax security breach settlement includes free identity theft protection. As part of the settlement, the company has agreed to provide victims with six free credit reports a year for seven years. These reports help you detect suspicious activity on your credit report and identify thieves. You can also access your reports for free through your bank or credit card issuer, as long as you have an active Equifax account. Fortunately, despite the recent scams, the free identity theft protection offered through the Equifax settlement is legitimate.