Equifax Announces Credit Score Class Action Settlement: Here’s How To Apply For Your Portion If You Were Impacted

Eligible consumers can now officially submit claims for their share of a $2.2 million class-action settlement resolving claims that Equifax violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by generating damaging duplicate collection items on thousands of credit reports.

The strict deadline to participate in the settlement is September 1, 2026.

The lawsuit, Bradberry v. Equifax, stems from a software error occurring between August and September 2022. During this window, Equifax mistakenly duplicated negative collection accounts for certain individuals. Affected consumers alleged that the automated reporting flaw artificially inflated their reported debt load, tanked their credit scores, and led to severe financial consequences, such as mortgage and credit denials.

Eligibility and Payout Details

Court documents indicate the settlement class is strictly capped at 37,651 identified individuals nationwide.

• Cash Compensation: Class members who submit a valid claim can receive a cash payout up to $600. Final individual amounts will depend on total participation rates and court-approved legal fees.
• Automatic Benefits: All 37,651 affected individuals automatically receive six months of “Equifax Complete” credit monitoring, which includes credit score tracking and up to $500,000 in identity theft insurance. This benefit activates even if they choose not to file a cash claim.
• Exclusions: This case is entirely separate from the 2017 Equifax Data Breach settlement, for which all active claim windows closed in January 2024.

How to File a Claim

The settlement administrator has launched an official claims portal at duplicateaccountfcrasettlement.com. Eligible class members should have received a personalized postcard or email notification containing a unique settlement member ID number and PIN.

To file a claim, class members must:

1. Visit the official Equifax Credit Reporting Settlement Website.
2. Log in using their unique Notice ID or Member ID number.
3. Verify their personal information and select a preferred payment method (PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, virtual prepaid card, or paper check).
4. Submit the form online before the September 1, 2026 cutoff.

Alternative paper claim forms are available for download on the portal for those who prefer to submit their application via traditional mail.

Next Steps

Equifax has denied any wrongdoing or liability, stating they agreed to the terms to avoid the expense of prolonged litigation. A final fairness approval hearing is scheduled before a federal judge on October 6, 2026. If the court grants final approval and no subsequent appeals are filed, the settlement administrator will begin distributing cash payments and activating credit monitoring services shortly after the hearing date.

Click here to be taken to the claims portal.