$30M Equifax hard inquiry dispute class action settlement

Equifax agreed to pay $30 million to resolve a class action lawsuit claiming it failed to properly investigate disputes of hard inquiries on the credit reports of consumers nationwide.

The Equifax settlement benefits individuals in the United States and its territories who, according to Equifax’s records, disputed one or more hard inquiries on their credit reports with Equifax between Oct. 4, 2016, and March 27, 2026, and who fall into one of two defined groups.

The Certified Group includes individuals who mailed Equifax a letter disputing one or more hard inquiries between Oct. 4, 2016, and March 27, 2026, whose dispute Equifax coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383), and who received a document from Equifax containing “Cons Comm 664,” a statement that “inquiries are a factual record of file access.”

The General Dispute Group includes individuals who, according to Equifax’s records, disputed one or more hard inquiries with Equifax between Aug. 31, 2021, and March 27, 2026.

The settlement also includes a New York subclass of people who had a New York address and received a “Cons Comm 664” letter from Equifax between Nov. 27, 2017, and Sept. 10, 2024, after mailing a dispute over one or more hard inquiries that Equifax coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383).

The settlement class includes approximately 3 million people, including approximately 1 million people in the Certified Group and approximately 35,000 people in the New York subclass.

According to plaintiffs in the class action lawsuits, Equifax did not contact the companies that requested consumers’ credit reports and did not remove hard inquiries that consumers disputed as unauthorized, in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and similar New York and New Jersey state laws. Equifax instead sent some consumers letters stating that inquiries are a factual record of file access.

Equifax, one of the three major U.S. credit reporting agencies, has not admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to the class action settlement to resolve four class action lawsuits filed against it in New York, Georgia, New Jersey and Oregon.

Under the terms of the Equifax settlement, class members who submit a valid claim will receive a pro rata share of the settlement fund after the deduction of attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses, service awards and administration costs.

Payment amounts depend on which group a class member belongs to. Class members in the Certified Group are expected to receive approximately $300, while class members in the General Dispute Group and New York Subclass are expected to receive approximately $100 and $400, respectively. These estimates are based on typical claims rates in similar cases, and the actual payment amounts may be lower or higher.

Payments will be sent by paper check unless class members choose an electronic payment method. If enough money remains in the settlement fund after the first round of payments, class members who cashed their initial payment may receive a second payment of at least $10.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Nov. 20, 2026.

The final approval hearing for the Equifax settlement is scheduled for Dec. 10, 2026.

To receive class action settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form by Nov. 29, 2026.

Who’s Eligible

The Equifax class action settlement benefits all persons residing in the United States and its territories who fall into one of two groups. The Certified Group includes individuals for whom Equifax’s records reflect that (i) Equifax received a mailed letter disputing one or more hard inquiries between Oct. 4, 2016, and March 27, 2026; (ii) Equifax coded the inquiry dispute as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383); and (iii) Equifax sent the individual a document containing “Cons Comm 664,” meaning a statement that “inquiries are a factual record of file access.” The General Dispute Group includes individuals for whom Equifax’s records reflect that Equifax received one or more disputes of a hard inquiry between Aug. 31, 2021, and March 27, 2026.

The settlement also resolves the New York FCRA claims of the New York subclass, which includes people who, between Nov. 27, 2017, and Sept. 10, 2024, had a New York address and received a document from Equifax containing “Cons Comm 664,” meaning a letter that includes the language “inquiries are a factual record of file access” in response to a mailed dispute of one or more hard inquiries that Equifax coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383).

Potential Award

From $100 to $400

Proof of Purchase

None

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

11/29/2026

Case Name

Hines v. Equifax Information Services LLC, Case No. 1:19-cv-06701, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Final Hearing

12/10/2026

Settlement Website

EquifaxDisputeClassAction.com

Claims Administrator

Hines v. Equifax
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 16
West Point, PA 19486
[email protected]
833-244-4150

Class Counsel

James A. Francis
John Soumilas
Lauren KW Brennan
FRANCIS MAILMAN SOUMILAS P.C.

Robert S. Sola
ROBERT S. SOLA P.C.

James Feagle
SKAAR & FEAGLE LLP

Micah S. Adkins
THE ADKINS FIRM P.C.

Defense Counsel

Zachary A. McEntyre
KING & SPALDING LLP

Ben W. Thorpe
BONDURANT MIXSON & ELMORE LLP