Pennsylvania’s top law enforcement official has helped to secure the largest data breach settlement in history.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro- and a coalition of 49 other Attorneys General- reached the deal with Equifax concerning the breach, which affected 147 million customers and was made public in September of 2017.
Up to $425 million will be made available through a Customer Restitution Fund and a $175 million payment will be made to the states, which works out to $7.3 million for Pennsylvania. However, each affected person may only receive a few dollars.
Affected customers will receive credit-monitoring services for a total of 10 years. Equifax will also make it easier for customers to dispute inaccurate information contained in credit reports, as well as improve security practices.
Consumers who are eligible will have to submit claims online or by mail.
Paper claims forms can also be requested over the phone. Consumers will be able to obtain information about the settlement, check their eligibility to file a claim, and file a claim on the Equifax Settlement Breach online registry. To receive email updates regarding the launch of this online registry, consumers can sign up at www.ftc.gov/equifax. Consumers can also check www.attorneygeneral.gov for updates and call the settlement administrator at 1-833-759-2982 for more information.
