The Equifax Data Breach and What It Means for New Yorkers

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection is alerting New Yorkers affected by the Equifax data breach that deadlines are fast approaching related to the recent settlement.  On July 29, 2017, Equifax announced it had succumbed to the largest data breach in history, exposing the records of over 8.4 million New Yorkers and on July 22, 2019, the settlement was announced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to settle all consumer claims related to the security breach. 

To check whether you or your family were affected, click here.

Consumers affected by the breach have three options: opt in to the settlement; opt out of the settlement and file separate claims; or do Nothing. 

Each option has a number of elements to consider.  To assist consumers with their choices, the Division has created a comprehensive site here summarizing the different options and possible choices consumers can make.  Depending on which option you choose, these are the imminent deadlines:

November 19, 2019: If you decide to opt out of the settlement and file your own claim, you have to reserve your right to sue Equifax related directly to the data breach by sending a letter of exclusion.  For more details on what to include in the letter and where to send it, click here and scroll down to the Opt Out section.

January 22, 2020: If you decide to opt in to the settlement, you will need to decide on settling for the cash or credit monitoring option by this date.  For more details on the options, click here and scroll down to the Opt In section.  You can register your preference for these options by clicking here.

If a consumer chooses to “do nothing,” there are no date limitations.  Before finalizing on this solution, consumers should review the details on the Division website here to understand all the options available.

For questions about the settlement or to file a consumer complaint against a business or individual, please contact the Division of Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 697-1220 or visit our website at www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection. The Consumer Assistance Hotline is open Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. You can also follow the Division of Consumer Protection on social media on Twitter: @NYSConsumer. 

Source: The New York State Division of Consumer Protection