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La semana pasada, la FTC y otros llegaron a un acuerdo resolutorio con Equifax por el incidente de seguridad de datos de 2017 que expuso información personal de 147 millones de personas. Te dijimos que fueras a ftc.gov/es/Equifax, donde puedes averiguar si tu información fue expuesta y enterarte sobre cómo presentar una reclamación ante la compañía a cargo del proceso de reclamaciones.

 

La respuesta pública ante el acuerdo resolutorio ha sido abrumadora y estamos felices de que millones de personas hayan visitado ftc.gov/es/Equifax y hayan ingresado al formulario de reclamación del sitio web del acuerdo resolutorio.

 

No obstante, con el volumen inesperado de reclamaciones salió a relucir el lado negativo. En primer lugar, destacaremos lo positivo: los 147 millones de personas afectadas por el incidente pueden solicitar y obtener el monitoreo de crédito gratuito. En el caso de las personas que certifiquen que contaban previamente con el servicio de monitoreo de crédito, también existe la opción de reclamar hasta $125.  Sin embargo, el monto asignado para pagar esa parte del acuerdo resolutorio es de $31 millones. En consecuencia, una alta cantidad de reclamaciones de dinero en efectivo en lugar del monitoreo de crédito significará solo una cosa: cada persona que elija la opción de dinero en efectivo terminará recibiendo solamente una pequeña cantidad de dinero. Ni siquiera cerca de los $125 que tal vez estaban esperando.

 

Por lo tanto, si aún no has presentado tu reclamación, elige el monitoreo de crédito gratuito. Honestamente, el monitoreo de crédito gratuito tiene un valor mucho más alto; el valor de mercado sería de cientos de dólares al año. Además, este servicio de monitoreo es probablemente mejor y más útil que cualquiera que tengas, ya que monitorea tu informe de crédito en las tres agencias de informes de crédito a nivel nacional e incluye hasta $1 millón en seguro contra robo de identidad y servicios individualizados de reparación de crédito y restauración de identidad.

 

Para quienes ya hayan presentado su reclamación para recibir dinero en efectivo, manténganse atentos a un correo electrónico del administrador del acuerdo resolutorioTe solicitarán el nombre del servicio de monitoreo de crédito que ya tienes. O, si te gustaría cambiar de opción, tendras la oportunidad de cambiar tu elección a monitoreo de crédito gratuito. El correo electrónico del administrador del acuerdo resolutorio te dirá, cualquiera sea el caso, qué hacer a continuación. Y el administrador del acuerdo resolutorio ha dicho que el sitio web para las reclamaciones también se actualizará con esa información.

 

También ten en cuenta que, bajo el acuerdo, hay dinero disponible para reembolsar a las personas lo que pagaron de su bolsillo para recuperarse del incidente de seguridad de datos. Este reembolso correspondería en tu caso si después del incidente de seguridad de datos tuviste que pagar para que congelaran tu crédito, o si contrataste a alguien para que te ayudara a aclarar el robo de identidad. El acuerdo resolutorio tiene asignado un monto mayor de dinero para esos casos. Si eres una de esas personas, usa tus documentos de respaldo para presentar tu reclamación.

 

Este blog fue aclarado el 1 de agosto de 2019.

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Puede que usemos rutinariamente dichos registros cómo se describe en el sistema de avisos publicados. Para más detalles sobre qué hace la FTC con la información personal que recolectamos, por favor lea nuestra política de privacidad.

El propósito de este blog y su sección de comentarios es informar a los lectores acerca de la actividad de la Comisión Federal de Comercio (FTC) y compartir información con los lectores para ayudarlos a evitar, reportar y recuperarse del fraude, las estafas y las malas prácticas comerciales. Valoramos sus opiniones, ideas e inquietudes y alentamos los comentarios. Pero tenga presente que este es un blog que está bajo moderación. Revisamos todos los comentarios antes de publicarlos y no publicaremos comentarios que no cumplan con nuestra política de comentarios. Esperamos que los comentaristas traten a los redactores del blog y entre sí con respeto.

  • No publicaremos comentarios fuera de tema, comentarios idénticos y repetidos, ni ningún comentario que incluya promociones de venta.
  • No publicaremos comentarios que incluyan mensajes vulgares, ataques personales que mencionen nombres, o términos ofensivos dirigidos contra personas o grupos específicos.
  • No publicaremos amenazas, declaraciones difamatorias, ni sugerencias que alienten actividades ilegales.
  • No publicaremos comentarios que incluyan información personal, como números de Seguro Social, números de cuentas, domicilios residenciales y de email. Para presentar un reporte detallado sobre una estafa, visite ReporteFraude.ftc.gov.

No editamos los comentarios para eliminar el contenido objetable, así que asegúrese de que su comentario no contenga ninguno de los contenidos mencionados anteriormente. Los comentarios publicados en este blog pasarán a ser de dominio público. Para proteger su privacidad y la de otras personas, por favor, no incluya información personal. Las opiniones de los comentarios publicados en este blog pertenecen exclusivamente a los individuos que las expresan. No pertenecen a la Comisión Federal de Comercio (FTC) ni representan sus puntos de vista.

Callie
July 31, 2019
I'm not sure how useful the free credit monitoring is considering the data breach Equifax is responsible for.
dianacalero_13
August 13, 2019
Pues ahí una persona hacker que está difamándome y mostrando fotos mis desnudas y chantajeándome por Facebook necesito que pare con todo eso que psicológicamente me está afectando
Dubious
September 06, 2019

En respuesta a por David

Same here! Plus Equifax will no doubt ask for even more personal information in order to do the free monitoring.
FTC Staff
September 03, 2019

En respuesta a por Callie

FAQ #8 states that Settlement Class Members may submit a claim to enroll in at least four years of three-bureau credit monitoring services, provided by Experian, at no cost. Go to www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com to learn more.

Concerned-C
September 05, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

Is the FTC aware that the free credit monitoring being offered via Experian is also offered directly from Experian for free? Look at the list of features you get in the credit monitoring part of the settlement. Then go to Experian's site and look at their product offered. The Equifax settlement is basically the Experian “basic” package. Which is free to everyone. The only feature that’s part of the settlement that is not in the basic free package is identity theft insurance. So Equifax tricked the FTC in to thinking they were giving consumers something of more value than it actually is. Experian offers other products with credit reports and scores which would have actually been of value. (Approximately $20 per month X 4 years = $480). This embarrassing that no one at the FTC looked into wether or not this was a fair value for the data breach.
Breach_Vic
October 11, 2019

En respuesta a por Concerned-C

I have had the free Experian credit monitoring for years already, so if this is true then I am getting NOTHING more than what I have already had. What a VALUE! The free Experian monitoring is what notified me this week and last week, that someone opened new accounts in my name both times. Which of course is thanks to the breach in the first place, since this all began happening AFTER the breach! I REALLY hope we are getting more than what Concerned-C is claiming..
query-w
February 10, 2020

En respuesta a por Concerned-C

I've checked the Experian website and can find nothing for free. The lowest price tier for one of their "IdentityWorks" packages which includes 3 bureau monitoring is $9.99 per month for one adult. You get first 30 days for free.
FTC Staff
February 11, 2020

En respuesta a por query-w

The deadline to file a claim for free credit monitoring related to the settlement was January 22, 2020. 

You can still get free help recovering from identity theft and six free credit reports per year through 2026 by visiting the Equifax website. Read more about what you can get at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.

CAB
March 25, 2020

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

I submitted a claim and received a claim number but never received any other information.
bvoris
October 01, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

After properly completing and submitting the form via the www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com Website -- at least 2 months ago -- I've yet to receive any information regarding the actual credit monitoring services benefits. Instead, I've received email communications instructing me to initiate the very same claim that I've already submitted. While FTC Staff repeatedly instructs consumers to "Got to www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com to learn more" about this confusing settlement, the administrator's deficient Website and inadequate communications fail to provide such basic information as the process for actually receiving the benefits that the administrator is purportedly administrating. In other words, how does a consumer actually receive the credit monitoring services benefits promised by the FTC after completing and submitting the form???
FTC Staff
October 01, 2019

En respuesta a por bvoris

Answer #3 of the questions and answers on www.FTC.gov/Equifax explains that if you request free credit monitoring, you will get an activation code with instructions after the court approves the final approval.  You can choose to receive this code by email or postal mail when you file your claim.

Laur
October 02, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

Is there an estimate as to when this will be done? Still awaiting the credit monitoring as well.
FTC Staff
October 08, 2019

En respuesta a por Laur

The deadline to file a claim is January 22, 2020. The settlement administrator will not send out any benefits until it is allowed to do so by the court, which will be on January 23, 2020, at the earliest. The FTC will update the information page www.FTC.gov/Equifax with new information.

Fjohn
October 24, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

How do I know what I submitted was in fact accepted, since I have not received an email. If emails are going to be sent after the enrollment deadline there's no chance to fix a problem with enrollment. Is there a way to verify enrollment in credit monitoring, before the deadline?
SoWe’reUncover…
November 27, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

So, unless we pay for our own credit monitoring, we’re not protected if the initial Equifax provided Experian TrustedID coverage ends after one year from the date of acceptance on initial breach offering? I ask because I received notice from TrustedID that my coverage ends on Dec 17th. If this is true, that we have to wait until near the end of January 2020, I say we've all be breached again!
Susie Q
October 03, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

So, sometime in years future, we will be able to monitor whether damage has happened NOW from the Equifax Breach a year or more ago???? This makes absolutely no sense. I have the same experience as the person above. I filed for the credit monitoring service in JULY. I have heard nothing, and have had two different credit cards fraudulently used in the last month. This is ridiculous.
CJFried
November 05, 2019

En respuesta a por Susie Q

Same here!!! I applied for the monitoring and have heard nothing from Equifax. Is there going to be something done to the company if they fail to follow through with the monitoring?
amberDon't use…
December 03, 2019

En respuesta a por CJFried

Ditto. It is December 2019, and no sign of any email to activate free credit monitoring. To add insult to injury, the previous monitoring company IDNotify is now unlocking credit files and ending their service. What a joke.
zippy t
January 12, 2020

En respuesta a por amberDon't use…

I too received notification from IDNotify that monitoring credit has been discontinued as of December 2019. What a joke- most of our numbers won’t be used until these creeps know that people are now vulnerable to deceptive practices. Some people don’t have hundreds of dollars per year to correct a problem that we never created. Credit card companies used to offer coverage for a small fee per year. Since the problem has become so rampant, many have discontinued the services. The payout was more than the insurance company could keep up with.
FTC Staff
January 16, 2020

En respuesta a por zippy t

The free credit monitoring that's available under the Equifax settlement did not start yet.

If you filed a claim for free credit monitoring under the settlement, the company that manages the settlement will send you information about how to activate your credit monitoring after the Settlement is effective. The company will send you an activation code and link to the Experian website where you can enroll and activate your Credit Monitoring Services. The settlement will be effective on January 23, 2020 at the earliest. Read more at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.

Leezeedeezia
January 20, 2020

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

I submitted my claim a few month ago. I have not received any type of code or even an email that verifies the claim I submitted. Why is that??
feeling violat…
January 24, 2020

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

I've been told that the effective date for the new credit monitoring services is not until after the appeal period, which could take months from now! I am stunned that Equifax was not required to extend the IDNotify coverage until the new coverage became effective. This gap is completely unacceptable, leaving consumers exposed all over again (and more vulnerable than ever). Extremely disappointed with the way this is being handled.
FTC Staff
January 29, 2020

En respuesta a por feeling violat…

The effective date of the settlement does not occur until either (1) the time to file an appeal has expired and nobody has appealed or (2) all appeals are resolved by an appellate court and no more appeals may be filed. 

James
January 28, 2020

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

So, you are saying this statement in BOLD text on the settlement website is not indicating the settlement is effective? "The Settlement received final approval from the Court on January 13, 2020. You may review the Final Approval Order and Final Order and Judgment by clicking here."
FTC Staff
January 29, 2020

En respuesta a por James

The effective date of the settlement does not occur until either (1) the time to file an appeal has expired and nobody has appealed or (2) all appeals are resolved by an appellate court and no more appeals may be filed. 

tinkerpoo
March 20, 2020

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

so if the time for an appeal is over and the last court date was the end of january 2020 then where do the consumers stand now? if no credit monitoring then what?
jd
January 03, 2020

En respuesta a por bvoris

From the source you linked: "Please note that none of these benefits will be distributed or available until the settlement is finally approved by the Court."
Sophie T
January 15, 2020

En respuesta a por jd

My ID Notify expired yesterday, settlement was made a few days ago, and I’ve received no emails or other form of communication regarding the four years of free monitoring. What to do?
FTC Staff
January 16, 2020

En respuesta a por Sophie T

The free credit monitoring that's available under the Equifax settlement did not start yet.

If you filed a claim for free credit monitoring under the settlement, the company that manages the settlement will send you information about how to activate your credit monitoring after the Settlement is effective. The company will send you an activation code and link to the Experian website where you can enroll and activate your Credit Monitoring Services. The settlement will be effective on January 23, 2020 at the earliest. Read more at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.

PJ
January 03, 2020

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

I filed to receive free credit monitoring months ago but haven’t received any information that it was accepted, shouldn’t I have received an email?
Bob Durbois
October 08, 2019

En respuesta a por Callie

I also am not sure how useful the free credit monitoring is considering the data breach Equifax is responsible for.
T_Roy
July 31, 2019
This information should have been disclosed in your initial email about filing a claim. Not disclosing it has probably cost many people. The fact that only 31 million was set aside for cash payments is a joke. Most people don't trust these credit agencies and want nothing to do with them.
FTC Staff
July 31, 2019

En respuesta a por T_Roy

Everyone who was affected by the breach can ask for and get free credit monitoring. The settlement site (www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com) says people who were affected can ask for at least four years of free, three-bureau credit monitoring services, provided by Experian.

If you already sent a claim for the cash payment, you will get an email from the settlement administrator. They will ask you to name the credit monitoring service you already have. If you want to change your request from asking for cash payment to asking for free credit monitoring, you can do it then.

Jefferson
July 31, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

Is the FTC aware that prior to the settlement, Equifax offered victims PAID credit monitoring? They tried to profit from their own mistakes. They should liable for much more.
FTC Staff
August 01, 2019

En respuesta a por Jefferson

If you were affected by the breach, you can file a claim for a cash payment, capped at $20,000 per person, for expenses you paid as a result of the breach. You can file a claim for the cost of Equifax credit monitoring and related services you had between September 7, 2016, and September 7, 2017, capped at 25 percent of the total amount you paid. Learn more at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.

NoThankYou
August 01, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

so you can only get a quarter of your costs back?
FTC Staff
August 01, 2019

En respuesta a por NoThankYou

The information at www.FTC.gov/Equifax says you can make a claim for cash payments, capped at $20,000 per person. When you request cash payment, you could request payment for:

1. expenses you paid as a result of the breach (read the details at www.FTC.gov/Equifax);

2. the time you spent dealing with the breach (read the details at www.FTC.gov/Equifax);

3. the cost of Equifax credit monitoring and related services you had between September 7, 2016, and September 7, 2017, capped at 25 percent of the total amount you paid.

ken
July 31, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

Bridget: Free monitoring is not a good alternative because it doesn't capture damages already incurred. The problem is that it was communicated that $125 is what will be payed out. So if someone was paying for credit monitoring previously they will not recoop those costs. Can people who have already opted into the $125 settlement now exclude themselves and from the class action lawsuit and sue to recoop those damages in small claims? This deal is pretty atrocious that only $31 million are being awarded to 150 million affected people when the CEO has ~$20 million in bonuses.
FTC Staff
August 01, 2019

En respuesta a por ken

Ken: Go to www.FTC.gov/Equifax to read about the benefits  - including free credit monitoring - an affected person can request. People who were affected can file a claim for cash payments, capped at $20,000 for epenses they paid as a result of the breach, for things like:

  • Losses from unauthorized charges to your accounts
  • The cost of freezing or unfreezing your credit report
  • The cost of credit monitoring
  • Fees you paid to professionals like an accountant or attorney
  • Other expenses like notary fees, document shipping fees and postage, mileage, and phone charges

People can also file a claim for the cost of Equifax credit monitoring and related services you had between September 7, 2016, and September 7, 2017, capped at 25 percent of the total amount you paid.

People can also file a claim for time they spent dealing with the breach. Read the details at www.FTC.gov/Equifax.

ken
August 01, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

Bridget: I've read the FAQ but free monitoring isn't particularly valuable to a lot of people and it is definitely not as valuable as this blog post implies. I'd like to go back to my core question. If I already submitted a request for compensation, but now I'm learning I won't qualify for the full amount, am I still able to send that letter to opt-out of the class action despite having already made the request for the settlement's compensation? I'd much rather have the option to sue Equifax in small claims than be roped into a class action settlement for a couple dollars.
FTC Staff
August 01, 2019

En respuesta a por ken

You may find information about that on www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com in the FAQs (frequently asked questions).

Lee
August 02, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

Why do you keep dodging the question and deflecting. Just answer it.
FTC Staff
August 27, 2019

En respuesta a por Lee

We want to provide up to date information to the readers, so it's best to refer people to a source - like www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com - where they can get current information.

Don't Slowpoke…
August 19, 2019

En respuesta a por ken

Ken, the article explains what to do if you have lost or paid out any money for protection, under those conditions you can recoup money paid out and get the 125.00 .
An interested person
August 01, 2019

En respuesta a por FTC Staff

Why would anyone want free "credit monitoring" from the company that Lost The Info in the first place? Seems to give them much to easy a way out. Tells companies "go ahead, and lose the data, it won't cost you much that you aren't already doing." Equifax already monitors everyone's credit as part of its normal business practices.
FTC Staff
September 03, 2019

En respuesta a por An interested person

FAQ #8 states that Settlement Class Members may submit a claim to enroll in at least four years of three-bureau credit monitoring services, provided by Experian, at no cost. Go to www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com to learn more.

Ayrtoncar
August 01, 2019

En respuesta a por T_Roy

I’m not sure why you think not disclosing this will “cost many people”. It says that people who already filed a claim for cash can switch it to credit monitoring.