Some Equifax Customers Can Claim Up to $600 by Sept. 1
Writer: Lucy Lazarony
Editor: Adam West
Reviewer: Ashley Fricker
Key Takeaways
- Some Equifax customers who used the credit reporting services in 2022 may be able to make a claim of up to $600 as part of the settlement of a class action lawsuit.
- The plaintiff in the lawsuit alleges that Equifax reported a duplicate record of a $305 collection account on her credit report causing her credit score to plummet.
- There are about 37,000 members in the settlement class for this lawsuit.
Duplicate collection accounts can devastate credit scores. Now, roughly 37,000 consumers caught in an alleged Equifax reporting error may be eligible to claim a payment expected to be worth up to $600 from a proposed $2.2 million settlement.
The parties have reached a proposed settlement in the class action lawsuit of Bradberry v. Equifax Information Services LLC. The lawsuit alleged Equifax violated the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by reporting duplicate collection accounts on consumer credit reports.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff asserts that actions made by Equifax violated section 1681e(b) of the FCRA. This section requires consumer reporting agencies to “follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy” when preparing consumer reports.
Equifax denies any wrongdoing in the case, and the court has not decided which party is right. Rather, each party has agreed to settle the case to avoid the cost and risk of more litigation.
How a Duplicate Account Allegedly Cost a Homebuyer
In the Bradberry v. Equifax Information Services LLC class action lawsuit, plaintiff Charmayne Bradberry alleges she received a credit report that showed a duplicate of a $305 collection account, which she says caused her credit score to severely drop.
This drop in credit scores caused Bradberry to be denied a vital mortgage application and caused her monetary damages, she alleges in the class action lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, Equifax has “negligently and recklessly disseminated false and damaging information regarding the plaintiff’s credit” and “failed to follow reasonable procedures to ensure maximum accuracy of credit reports.”
Who Can Claim Up to $600 — and How
The settlement covers U.S. consumers Equifax identified as recipients of a letter about duplicate reporting. According to Equifax’s records, 37,651 consumers received the letter in August or September 2022.
Those who received notifications about the settlement and can confirm they suffered qualifying harm have until Sept. 1, 2026, to file a claim for a payment expected to be worth up to $600.
Equifax Settlement Timeline
Key dates for affected consumers seeking a payment of up to $600.
To file a claim, class members must log in on the settlement website using the notice ID, beginning with EQB, and the PIN printed on the notice.
If you submit a valid claim, you’ll receive your payment after the court approves the settlement and any appeals are settled. You can choose an electronic payment through the settlement website or wait for a paper check to arrive in the mail.
The court has scheduled a final approval hearing for Oct. 6, 2026.
For more information on filing a claim, visit the settlement website.
What Equifax Has Agreed to Change Under the Settlement
Equifax has agreed to continue for six months changes it previously implemented to avoid reporting the same collection account more than once on an Equifax consumer report.
Equifax also has agreed to remove duplicate collection accounts caused by the issue covered by the settlement from class members’ files and offer class members six months of complimentary access to Equifax Complete. This credit monitoring service has a value of about $60.
Class counsel plans to seek $733,333.33 in attorneys’ fees from the settlement fund and up to $75,000 in litigation expenses. Equifax has separately agreed to pay $425,000 in attorneys’ fees connected to the practice changes secured through the settlement.
