# Most U.S Straight Dope Readers Can Get Free $125 (in reality, $5)--Equifax Data Breach Settlement **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2019, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591 "2019-07-25T03:54:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/61 "2019-09-09T19:08:41Z")
Bumping this because I received an email from the claim settlement saying I \*\*must \*\*verify that I had credit monitoring at the time of the breach. (Which I have absolutely no idea if I did or where I would even look to find out.) So, no, you can’t just get a free $125 without them actually verifying that you did indeed already have credit monitoring. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/62 "2019-09-09T19:21:12Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Bumping this because I received an email from the claim settlement saying I \*\*must \*\*verify that I had credit monitoring at the time of the breach. (Which I have absolutely no idea if I did or where I would even look to find out.) > > So, no, you can’t just get a free $125 without them actually verifying that you did indeed already have credit monitoring. Yup. Got one of these emails, too. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/63 "2019-09-09T20:29:54Z")
Huh. I got an email today, but it just explains what options exist if I want to change my prize. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/64 "2019-09-09T20:37:20Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Bumping this because I received an email from the claim settlement saying I \*\*must \*\*verify that I had credit monitoring at the time of the breach. (Which I have absolutely no idea if I did or where I would even look to find out.) > > So, no, you can’t just get a free $125 without them actually verifying that you did indeed already have credit monitoring. They just ask for the name of the service. Is Equifax going to spend time and money contacting those monitoring companies to verify? And what incentive do those monitoring companies have to spend their own time and resources verifying and reporting back to Equifax? Maybe there is some central DB for credit monitoring, but if there was, why would they ask the name of the company? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/65 "2019-09-09T21:18:22Z")
They did this additional step to cut down the number of claimants for the cash. What is very clear is that no one will get anywhere near $125 (unless they had actual losses and submitted verification for their claims) because the amount of money available is too small to pay cash to more than a very small number of claimants [while naturally there is plenty of money to pay the lawyers enormous fees]. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/66 "2019-09-09T21:29:01Z")
I got the same e-mail. I put CreditKarma as my monitoring company. If the reject that, I am not that concerned. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2019, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/67 "2019-09-09T21:51:06Z")
Yeah, I got an email, too. I did have credit monitoring (and still do). I gave them the name of my service. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/68 "2019-09-10T12:44:20Z")
We still haven’t gotten the verification email request. Wonder what that means. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2019, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/69 "2019-09-10T17:45:22Z")
AAA offers free credit monitoring–with ProtectMyID. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/70 "2022-12-19T22:13:11Z")
Today I got a check for $5.21 for “Equifax Data Breach Settlement.” Is this the same one being talked about in this thread? I filed a claim (it says) between July 22, 2019 and January 22, 2020. I wonder what happened to my $125. Maybe I didn’t have credit monitoring and I got this as my booby prize? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/71 "2022-12-19T22:20:14Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > You can now file a claim if you were among the 147 million people whose data was exposed in the major Equifax data breach in 2017 to recover money you spent or lost as a result of the hack. The Federal Trade Commission announced on Monday that Equifax has agreed to pay at least $575 million and up to $700 million to help compensate the victims of hackers who stole data from Equifax customers. Payments as part of the settlement can cover the costs to recover from the security breach of the free credit report company – including recovering from the theft of your identity – and unauthorized charges to your account. You can also submit a claim to cover the cost of protecting yourself from identity theft, following the Equifax data breach. > > [You're running out of time to submit your Equifax data breach claim -- here's how - CNET](https://www.cnet.com/how-to/equifax-breach-you-can-now-file-a-claim-for-your-share-of-the-700m-settlement/) > > So your alternatives are: > > 1. Free $125 (no documentation needed) or > 2. Free credit monitoring (no documentation needed) or > 3. Substantially more if you document your costs/losses > > To see if you are covered: > [https://eligibility.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/en/eligibility](https://eligibility.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/en/eligibility) > > To submit a claim: > [https://www.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/](https://www.equifaxbreachsettlement.com/) - WAG-The lawyers have to be paid. You got a share of what’s left. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/72 "2022-12-19T22:22:04Z")
So the lawyers got over 95% of the takings? Wouldn’t that be a fairly surprising outcome? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.E](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.e/32/8932_2.png) [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2022, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/73 "2022-12-19T22:26:55Z")
It’s partly the lawyers’ hefty cut, and partially the paltry sum the court set aside. $425 million for a breech that affected 147 million people? From a company worth $23.4 billion? Apparently they didn’t expect a lot of people to actually apply for the settlement, and they expected most of those people to take the “free credit monitoring” rather than cash. They thought wrong. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/74 "2023-01-05T02:05:12Z")
> **[Americans outraged as they receive payment of less than $5 when promised $125](https://www.the-sun.com/money/7025526/outraged-receive-payment-less-than-promised-who-qualifies/)** > > A DATA breach left 147million Americans seeking restitution, but some aren’t even getting a quarter of what was promised. Equifax, a credit reporting company, experienced a data breach in 201… Yes, I am embarrassed about having posted such misleading information. I still haven’t gotten anything at all. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.E](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.e/32/8932_2.png) [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/75 "2023-01-05T02:48:58Z")
I bothered to put in for compensation for lost time and got a whopping $10 for my troubles. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/76 "2023-01-20T17:11:58Z")
Just a word of encouragement to NOT give up hope: I finally got my big $5.21 check today! ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/77 "2023-01-20T17:15:30Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I am embarrassed about having posted such misleading information. But not so embarrassed that you’re going to send us all the missing $120? Notpology! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/78 "2023-01-29T00:42:53Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Just a word of encouragement to NOT give up hope: I finally got my big $5.21 check today! Got my check today! My friend asked me what I was going to spend it on, “Are you going to Disneyland?” and I said, “Well, I can go stand outside the entrance I guess, $5.21 won’t even pay for parking!” ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/79 "2024-12-19T18:55:11Z")
Well, I am going to clean up! I am getting more money than my original settlement! I just got an email: > **Equifax Data Breach Settlement Additional Pro Rata Payment** > > Your Additional Settlement Payment > $7.43 > > _ **This email is from the official Settlement Administrator for the Equifax Data Breach Settlement. You are eligible for an additional payment from the Settlement. To redeem your additional payment, please follow the instructions below.** _ > > **To Redeem Your Payment:** > > - Click the **Redeem Virtual Card** button below or visit the redemption site by clicking this URL:… ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591/80 "2024-12-19T22:45:12Z")
I got the same amount. I was a little annoyed that I had to provide personal info to redeem it, but not annoyed enough to let them keep the money. Transferred the money to my Amazon gift card balance without a problem. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-u-s-straight-dope-readers-can-get-free-125-in-reality-5-equifax-data-breach-settlement/837591.md?page=3)