In July, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced a multistate coalition of attorneys general, led in part by Ohio, reached a settlement with Equifax following an investigation into its massive 2017 data breach.
The historic settlement included payment of at least $7.14 million to Ohio. All affected consumers are eligible for long-term credit monitoring. Those who have credit-monitoring services and who plan to keep those services for at least six months may be eligible for up to $125. However, that amount may be significantly reduced based on the number of claimants. Consumers also may be eligible for reimbursement for their time and expenses if they were the victims of identity theft related to the breach or if they purchased Equifax credit-monitoring services the year prior to the breach. The settlement includes additional measures that aim to protect consumers’ information in the future.
Consumers who are eligible for redress will be required to submit claims online or by mail. Paper claims forms can also be requested by phone. Note that most claims must be made by Jan. 22, 2020.
For those who may have been affected by the breach:
For everyone, whether affected or not:
- Check your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com to make sure your credit report is free of any errors.
- Consider placing a security freeze on your credit. A security freeze prevents anyone from opening new credit accounts in your name. The process to place a security freeze requires that you contact each of the credit-reporting companies directly. You can place a freeze at the following websites:
If you suspect a scam or an unfair business practice, contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at
www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.