Equifax data breach settlement

[CoolRich59]

So how do I find out the name of my monitoring and if it is is current?

-ERD50

I went on the Chase website and saw that one of the credit card benefits is credit monitoring from CreditJourney. I've had the card for a couple of years and don't plan on canceling, so that's what I submitted.

I think a lot of card issuers offer the same or similar credit monitoring as a card benefit. For example, I also have a Capital One card and they offer CreditWise credit monitoring.

 

[RunningBum]

So how do I find out the name of my monitoring and if it is is current?

Do you keep emails for things like this, when you sign up for such a service? Look for "credit monitoring" or something like that. TrustedID was a common service, and whoever gave that to me switched me to IDNotify.

 

[aja8888]

I have been using Credit Karma. I just put Credit Karma on the Equifax form. I have no document to back that up so good luck to me!

 

[ERD50]

Do you keep emails for things like this, when you sign up for such a service? Look for "credit monitoring" or something like that. TrustedID was a common service, and whoever gave that to me switched me to IDNotify.

There was no email, it was snail mail.

I'll try the suggestion by CoolRich59 later.

-ERD50

 

[Focus]

I froze my credit bureau accounts some time ago. Since that's more than equivalent to credit monitoring, I felt free to ask for the check. But apparently they won't be happy unless you specifically have monitoring. Is there any reason at all why it would be worth it to me to take them up on their credit monitoring offer?

I'm going to answer my own question, in case it helps anyone else. I found this in the email I got from TransUnion when I froze my account:

Federal law allows certain transactions – such as those for insurance purposes – to continue even while a credit freeze is in place, and you should continue to monitor your credit.

Guess I'll be opting for the four years of credit monitoring after all. In the process of researching this, I came across this USA Today article:

Equifax settlement 2019: How to protect yourself beyond a credit freeze

It's scary how much work they expect us to do to keep our information safe (when the institutions with our information can't even manage to so themselves). A sample:

Pasqual recommends freezing your reports at Innovis, ChexSystems and the National Consumer Telecommunications & Utilities Exchange (NCTUE). You should also request a free report from each to check for any errors every 12 months.

• Innovis provides information to help companies detect and prevent fraud. You can get your free report at www.innovis.com/personal/creditReport and request a security freeze at www.innovis.com/personal/securityFreeze.
  
• ChexSystems reports information on checking account applications and histories. Banks and credit unions use these reports to determine whether to approve a new bank account. To get your free report and request a freeze, go to the company website at www.chexsystems.com and click "Free FACTA Report" and "Security Freeze Information."
  
• NCTUE collects telecom, pay-TV and utility-connection requests, account payment histories, defaults and fraudulent accounts. Get your free report and request a security freeze at Consumer Info.

 

[ERD50]

UPDATE: With a possible UPSIDE...

So how do I find out the name of my monitoring and if it is is current?

I know earlier someone thought that was a silly question, but I know I got a letter some time back that I got free monitoring because of some other breach. I didn't pay much attention, it's free. So I don't recall the name or the time period. Not even sure I kept any paperwork, or where it is. Might have been the Target breach? Home Depot? There's been so many.

I got the email, it just " you had some form of credit monitoring or protection in place and will continue to have the credit monitoring in place for a minimum of six months from the date of your claim filing. " It doesn't say I had to pay for it.

Can I do some kind of query on my own? Would it show on a credit report? Anything else?

I also want my $0.03, dang it! But with these hoops, it might go all the way to $0.07, and I'll be visiting the "Blow That Dough!" thread!

-ERD50

So I followed CoolRich59's advice, but my Chase CC account (Amazon) didn't show that I had any credit monitoring. I found this article from WIRED which linked to some search sites, but my state (IL) isn't included.

https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-settlement-money-email-get-paid/

Next, I dug through some files, and actually found the original document I recalled (although there may be others?). It was from Anthem, and they enrolled me and DW in credit monitoring! Progress! Oooooppps, not so fast. It was active from 2015-2017, so does not qualify with the Equifax requirement of current and the next 6 months (though it says from the date of filing - could that be sneakily interpreted as 6 months before/after?).

The possible upside: The WIRED article states:

The Equifax settlement has a provision through which victims can claim a cash payment for "time spent." This means that you can claim a rate of $25 per hour for up to 20 hours of the time you wasted dealing with the fallout of the breach. But here's the kicker: The first 10 of those hours is "self-certified," meaning you don't need to provide documentation, you just need to describe what you spent the time on. "You must certify that the description is truthful," the settlement says. "Valid claims for Time Spent will be reimbursed in 15-minute increments, with a minimum reimbursement of 1-hour per claim."

If you spent hours researching what to do about the breach, setting up credit freezes, hopping on the phone with your bank, or doing anything else remotely relevant, you can claim up to $250 for that time without needing to show any specific evidence.

I figure I spent several hours (I am starting a log) investigating this, so I'm going to see if I can modify my claim for the hours spent. But I think I have a LOT more research to do. Wish me luck.

Is the "time spent" allocated the same as the "up to $125"? IOW, if they end up getting 1% of $125, would I expect 1% of my "time spent" claim? With these hoops, I bet the actual claims for $ go way down.

Maybe I shouldn't tell anyone, more for me?

-ERD50

 

[Starsky]

I froze my credit bureau accounts some time ago. Since that's more than equivalent to credit monitoring, I felt free to ask for the check. But apparently they won't be happy unless you specifically have monitoring. Is there any reason at all why it would be worth it to me to take them up on their credit monitoring offer?

Go for the cash. I did the same thing. Two of my freezes cost $10 each and are good in perpetuity, so it seems to fulfill the paid credit monitoring requirement, and is much more secure. The monitoring seems worthless. (Ask for forgiveness, not permission.....)

 

[Scrapr]

Does anyone think Equifax lawyers are going to check the credit monitoring docs for compliance? Frankly I don't.

But I'm too lazy to even make up a story to get $3 in a couple years

 

[Chuckanut]

This deal is a joke and just proves how the big boys and girls can pull the strings of government when they wish.

I suspect that there was strong political pressure from above. Hopefully, there are a few real investigative reporters left who will look into this phony baloney deal.

 

[SecondCor521]

UPDATE: With a possible UPSIDE...

I figure I spent several hours (I am starting a log) investigating this, so I'm going to see if I can modify my claim for the hours spent. But I think I have a LOT more research to do. Wish me luck.

Is the "time spent" allocated the same as the "up to $125"? IOW, if they end up getting 1% of $125, would I expect 1% of my "time spent" claim? With these hoops, I bet the actual claims for $ go way down.

Maybe I shouldn't tell anyone, more for me?

-ERD50

It's unclear to me if the "hours spent" claims will be from the same inadequate pool as the "automatic $125" claims. Someone somewhere suggested they are.

I filed a claim for the free $125 plus 10 hours spent, as I had credit monitoring and had spent at least 10 hours as a result of the breach. Who knows what I'll get.

Good luck.

 

[Focus]

This deal is a joke and just proves how the big boys and girls can pull the strings of government when they wish.

I think they're addressing the symptoms, not the disease. There have been so many major hacks that we have to assume that everyone's information is out there at this point. The only real solution is to remove the value of that information (particularly Social Security numbers) by creating alternative identification systems.

 

[ERD50]

UPDATE: With a possible UPSIDE... ...I found this article from WIRED which linked to some search sites, but my state (IL) isn't included.

https://www.wired.com/story/equifax-settlement-money-email-get-paid/
[see earlier post.... basically that you could change to a claim of hours instead of the "up to $125"]

The possible upside: The WIRED article states:

-ERD50

So I tried this AM, but I didn't see any clear way to change from the $125 request to a "time spent" request, as you could have chosen earlier.

For your claim to be considered, you must provide the name of your credit monitoring service and certify that you will have it for at least the next 6 months from the date you submitted your claim. Here are the choices:

Because of the number of individuals who have selected the alternative compensation cash payment, the amount you receive may be substantially less than $125.

[ ] Click this box if you want to keep the alternative compensation cash payment. Your payment may be substantially lowered, depending on the number of valid claims filed.

OR

[ ] Click this box if you would like to amend your claim to get at least 4 years of free credit monitoring, instead, which monitors your credit file at all three bureaus—Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian—at no cost to you.

OR

[ ] Click this box if you wish to select neither alternative compensation cash payment nor free credit monitoring.

Seems you can only switch from the $125 request to a credit monitoring request, or to nothing at all?

-ERD50

 

[timo2]

I found this Facebook site from equifax for the breach. Sorry if it was already shared and I missed it. https://m.facebook.com/Equifax-Data...sition]=23&ft[ordinal_position]=28:5&__md__=1

 

[RobbieB]

That's what I'm going to do nothing at all.

Just like I never signed up for the free credit monitoring after it happened. Like I want those idiots working for me?

I'm not going with the new bunch of idiots either.

 

[Free To Canoe]

That's what I'm going to do nothing at all.

Just like I never signed up for the free credit monitoring after it happened. Like I want those idiots working for me?

I'm not going with the new bunch of idiots either.

+1

Got the email, I am affected. Applied for the money.

 

[Focus]

Having credit monitoring is also a requirement in the Yahoo data breach settlement, so I figure that I'll go for the credit monitoring with Equifax and then go for the cash with Yahoo.

 

[COcheesehead]

TurboTax and Credit Karma offer free monitoring. I also have True Identity for monitoring. I get notices from all three usually within hours of each other.

So if you signed up for one of these, go for the cash.

 

[Sue J]

I just got an email about the settlement. It says you have until Oct 15 to verify your claim for the $125 settlement by naming the credit monitoring service you had active at the time you filed.

It also states that your claim may be substantially reduced based on the number of claims received.

You also have the option to amend your claim (also by October 15) to choose free monitoring instead.

According to the tool I was affected by the breech and I submitted a claim a few weeks ago, asking for the cash. I have CreditKarma and a few credit cards that monitor any changes but I don't really trust anyone but ME to monitor my credit, especially the clowns who let the original breech happen.

But I have still not received the email asking for the name of my credit monitoring service. I've checked my junk folders and my trash, looking for something from Equifax. Nothing asking for more information for the claim.

I recently did a freeze for both DH and I for all three credit bureaus. That was fun and easy and I made notes with all the logins, passwords and PINS in case we ever need to thaw.

 

[COcheesehead]

According to the tool I was affected by the breech and I submitted a claim a few weeks ago, asking for the cash. I have CreditKarma and a few credit cards that monitor any changes but I don't really trust anyone but ME to monitor my credit, especially the clowns who let the original breech happen.

But I have still not received the email asking for the name of my credit monitoring service. I've checked my junk folders and my trash, looking for something from Equifax. Nothing asking for more information for the claim.

I recently did a freeze for both DH and I for all three credit bureaus. That was fun and easy and I made notes with all the logins, passwords and PINS in case we ever need to thaw.

I got two emails for my one claim. Maybe one was supposed to go to you.

You are very smart to keep all the credit freeze info. Some have posted how difficult it is to thaw or refreeze their credit, but it is actually super simple if you have the login/pins/passwords.

 

[Gumby]

In light of the fixed fund settlement, we just switched to the credit monitoring. I don't trust that they will do it properly, so I attach no value to it, but I hope that it will cost them at least some amount to do it. As I said earlier, I'd like to drive them and Experian and TransUnion all out of business.

 

[omni550]

Sorry, folks....

If you made a claim for $125 from Equifax, you’re not getting it after court awards nearly $80 million to attorneys....

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/19/court-awards-80-million-to-consumer-attorneys-in-equifax-case.html

omni

 

[aja8888]

If you made a claim for $125 from Equifax, you’re not getting it after court awards nearly $80 million to attorneys....

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/19/court-awards-80-million-to-consumer-attorneys-in-equifax-case.html

omni

I knew I should have been an attorney instead of an engineer....

 

[RobbieB]

Yeah, big surprise eh?

I like their free credit monitoring (not) like I'm going to trust my info the same bunch of incompetents that blew it before.

 

[GrayHare]

The situation is ludicrous. I signed up for one of the free credit monitoring offers, following all directions. Years later I get a letter from telling me Experian needs my phone number and other info to activate it. Like I'm going to give them even more info to lose/sell/whatever.

 

[Sue J]

According to the tool I was affected by the breech and I submitted a claim a few weeks ago, asking for the cash. I have CreditKarma and a few credit cards that monitor any changes but I don't really trust anyone but ME to monitor my credit, especially the clowns who let the original breech happen.

But I have still not received the email asking for the name of my credit monitoring service. I've checked my junk folders and my trash, looking for something from Equifax. Nothing asking for more information for the claim.

I recently did a freeze for both DH and I for all three credit bureaus. That was fun and easy and I made notes with all the logins, passwords and PINS in case we ever need to thaw.

UPDATE

Yesterday I received a letter in the mail asking me for the info about my credit monitoring service. The letter included a claim number and said I needed to verify my claim by 4/17/20.

I signed in and told them that I use CreditWise from Capital One. I have CreditWise from some other incident where it was offered for free.

So this settlement is still in the works. Interesting.......