$30M Equifax Settlement Ends Class Action Lawsuits Over Inquiry Dispute Investigations

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Equifax Information Services has agreed to a $30 million class action settlement that resolves four lawsuits that alleged the credit-reporting agency unlawfully failed to conduct reasonable investigations of credit file inquiry disputes, maintain reasonable procedures for inquiry disputes or remove disputed inquiries from consumers’ credit files. 

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The Equifax dispute class action settlement received preliminary approval from the court on August 5, 2026. Eligible for the settlement are all residents of the United States and its territories for whom Equifax’s records reflect that the company received a mailed letter disputing one or more hard inquiries between October 4, 2016 and March 27, 2026, whose inquiry dispute was coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383) by Equifax, and to whom the company sent a document containing “Cons Comm 664” (meaning that “inquiries are a factual record of file access”). This group of individuals is referred to in court documents as the “certified group.” 

Also eligible for the settlement are all residents of the United States and its territories for whom Equifax’s records reflect that the company received one or more disputes of a hard inquiry between August 31, 2021 and March 27, 2026. This group of consumers is referred to in court documents as the “general dispute group.” 

The Equifax settlement also covers a “subclass” of all individuals with a New York address to whom, at any time from November 27, 2017 through September 10, 2024, Equifax sent a document containing “Cons Comm 664” in response to a mailed dispute of one or more hard inquiries, which Equifax coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383).

The court-approved Equifax dispute settlement website can be found at EquifaxDisputeClassAction.com. 

The settlement website states that there are roughly three million individuals eligible for the Equifax class action settlement. 

Class members in the “certified group” who file a valid, timely claim form can receive a pro rata (proportional) cash payout estimated to be roughly $300 from the $30 million settlement fund. The distribution plan for the settlement gives priority to individuals in the “certified group” because, according to the settlement website, “they are in a stronger position and face less risk if the case were to go forward.” 

Members of the New York subclass who file a valid, timely claim form can receive an estimated $400 cash payment. Individuals in the New York subclass will also receive priority for settlement payments because, per the website, “they have an additional claim that other Settlement Class Members do not.” 

Class members in the “general dispute group” who file a valid, timely claim form can receive an estimated $100 cash payment from the class action settlement.

Related Reading: FCRA Credit Report Lawsuits 

The total amount each class member receives through the settlement may be higher or lower than the estimated amounts and will depend on the total number of valid claims filed, among other factors. 

Class members can head to this page and enter the claim number and PIN found on their copy of the settlement notice to file an Equifax settlement claim form online and/or check which settlement group they are a part of. Alternatively, class members can download a PDF claim form to print, complete and file by mail to the settlement administrator.

Equifax inquiry dispute settlement claim forms must be filed online or by mail by November 29, 2026. 

The court will determine whether to grant final approval to the Equifax class action settlement following a hearing on December 10, 2026. Settlement money will begin to be made available after the deal has received final approval and any appeals are resolved.

The Equifax class action settlement resolves four lawsuits—Hines v. Equifax Information Services LLC, Rivera v. Equifax Information Services LLC, Oblack v. Equifax Information Services LLC, and Neubauer v. Equifax Information Services LLC—that alleged the credit-reporting agency, after consumers submitted disputes that their credit reports were obtained without a permissible purpose, unlawfully failed to contact the companies that requested the reports or remove the “hard inquiries” being disputed. Instead, the suits alleged, Equifax mailed letters to some consumers that stated, in part, “Inquiries are a factual record of file access. If you believe this was unauthorized, please contact the creditor,” or other similar language.

The plaintiffs alleged Equifax violated the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and similar New York and New Jersey state laws. 

Did you know that some class action settlements require no proof to submit a claim? Check out the latest open class action settlements.