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How to Check Whether Your Information Was Exposed in the Equifax Data Breach

Use the official Equifax settlement eligibility checker or call its administrator. Claims are closed, but you can still review your credit reports and take steps to protect yourself.

By TheFinanceBase Team 2 min read

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Use the official Equifax Data Breach Settlement website and select “See If My Information Was Impacted” to check whether you were included. If the online checker is unavailable, call the settlement administrator at 1-833-759-2982. The settlement’s claim deadlines have passed, so checking eligibility does not let you file a new claim.

How to check whether you were affected

  1. Go to the Equifax Data Breach Settlement website.

  2. Select “See If My Information Was Impacted” to open the settlement’s eligibility checker. The site provides this route, but the checker’s live operation and current requested information could not be confirmed; do not enter personal details unless you are sure you are on the official settlement site.

  3. If you cannot use the checker, call the administrator at 1-833-759-2982. The settlement FAQ advises checking each last name you have used, including prior surnames.

What information was involved

The breach occurred in 2017 and the settlement site says approximately 147 million people were affected. Information involved included names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and addresses. In some cases, driver’s license numbers, credit card numbers or other personal information were also involved. Exposure was not limited to payment-card data.

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What a positive result means now

The checker is an eligibility lookup, not a way to reopen the settlement claims period. The initial deadline to file a claim was January 22, 2020; the extended deadline was January 22, 2024. Both have passed, and the settlement site says claims for cash compensation and free credit monitoring are closed.

The settlement administrator says eligible class members may access identity restoration services for seven years after January 11, 2022, whether or not they filed a claim. Check the official settlement site for details about those services.

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What to do if your Social Security number may have been exposed

Review your credit reports

The FTC recommends getting your free credit reports and checking for accounts or activity you do not recognize. An unfamiliar account can be a sign of identity theft. If you find evidence of misuse, use IdentityTheft.gov for steps tailored to your situation.

Consider a credit freeze

A credit freeze restricts access to your credit file, making it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. You must place a freeze separately with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The FTC says freezes are free, do not affect your credit score and remain in place until you lift them.

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Think carefully about paid monitoring

Credit monitoring is optional; finding that you were affected does not by itself mean you need to buy a service. The FTC advises asking questions before signing up for identity or credit monitoring that may carry a recurring fee.

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