Floridians Exposed In Equifax Data Breach: How To File Claims

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

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.

"The massive Equifax data breach is the most egregious examples of a failure to protect Florida consumers’ most personal information from cybercriminals," Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a statement this week. "It is a serious risk of identity theft that could follow consumers for a lifetime.

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

In the settlement announced this week, Equifax agreed to pay a total of $425 million to individuals and $175 million to states impacted by the breach.

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 providing weekly security reports and 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 Florida 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.