Millions In Georgia Exposed In Equifax Breach: How To File Claims

GEORGIA — Millions of Georgians are among those eligible for restitution in the $700 million settlement over the Equifax security breach. The Atlanta-based credit reporting company has now opened an online portal where impacted consumers can file claims for relief.

Investigators found that Equifax failed to patch a vulnerability in its security monitoring system that went undetected for 76 days in 2017.

Social Security numbers, names, dates of birth, addresses, credit card numbers and in some cases, driver's license numbers, were included in the breached data, which officials said impacted more than 147 million people.

A multi-state investigation into what is one of the largest breaches ever of consumer data showed that the sensitive information of an estimated 56 percent of adults was compromised.

"As I stated at the beginning of this investigation, our primary responsibility is to protect the consumers of Georgia, millions of whom, through no fault of their own, had their personal information compromised in this data breach," Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said in a statement.

Equifax agreed to pay a total of $425 million to individuals and $175 million to states impacted by the breach, in the settlement announced this week. Georgia will receive $7.18 million, Carr said.

"I am pleased that our office played a significant role in this investigation, obtaining a fair and appropriate settlement, ensuring substantial consumer relief and requiring the implementation of robust security measures to protect against future exposure of consumers’ private data," Carr said in a statement July 22 after the settlement was made public.

These are some of the services Equifax will offer to those affected as part of the restitution plan, according to the settlement:

• Free credit-monitoring services for 10 years to those impacted. Those who already have such a service may apply for a $125 credit.
• Cash payments up to $20,000.
• Seven years of identity-restoration services.

The settlement outlines measures Equifax must take to protect personal data, including weekly security checks and reports as well as studying ways to reduce reliance on Social Security numbers. It must also handle the millions of claims filed by affected customers.

What To Do If Impacted By The Equifax Breach

Equifax has a tool so people can check whether they were impacted by the Equifax breach and are eligible for part of the settlement.

Those impacted can file a claim with Equifax on the settlement page.

There is also a portal through the Federal Trade Commission dedicated to the Equifax data breach settlement, where the claims page became active Wednesday, July 24.

How To Protect Your Personal Information

For those who have been affected by this breach, there are steps that can help protect your information, according to the Federal Trade Commission and Georgia's Office of the Attorney General:

• Get a free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228.
• Call the Equifax Settlement Administrator at 1-833-759-2982.
• Take advantage of any free services being offered as a result of the breach.
• Use two-factor authentication on your online accounts whenever available.
• Consider a credit freeze.

SEE ALSO:

• Equifax CEO Richard Smith Out After Criticism Over Lax Security, Response To Breach
• Georgia-Based Equifax Makes Fortune 500 List For 2019
• Former Equifax Executive Charged With Insider Trading
• Equifax Announces Massive Data Breach Affecting 143 Million Americans