Estimated payment of about $100
Available only to a valid claimant whose Equifax record shows a qualifying hard-inquiry dispute during the general-group period. The final amount may differ.
Equifax Hard-Inquiry Dispute Settlement: Who Qualifies?
Updated September 26, 2026
- Defendant
- Equifax Information Services LLC
- Status
- Open to claims
- Potential payout
- Estimated payments vary by group, approximately $100 to $400 before final claim totals
- Claim deadline
- November 29, 2026
- Settlement fund
- $30 million
- Proof required
- No claim form proof for basic payout
Overview
- Settlement fund
- $30 million, with no return of unused funds to Equifax
- Claim deadline
- November 29, 2026
- Estimated payments
- About $100, $300, or $400 depending on group, subject to final calculations
- Court
- E.D.N.Y., Hines v. Equifax, No. 1:19-cv-06701
Equifax Information Services LLC, a consumer reporting agency that maintains credit files used by lenders and other businesses, agreed to a $30 million proposed settlement concerning how it handled disputes about hard inquiries. A hard inquiry is a record created when a company accesses a credit report for a credit application or another permitted purpose. The plaintiffs allege that Equifax did not reasonably investigate certain disputes or remove inquiries as required. Equifax denies wrongdoing and liability. The settlement combines claims from Hines v. Equifax and related cases in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. It covers a broad general dispute group, a more specific certified group tied to mailed disputes and Equifax response code "Cons Comm 664," and a New York subclass. Estimated payments differ by group and remain subject to valid claim totals, settlement expenses, court approval, and the distribution formula. A valid claim must be filed by November 29, 2026. The official claim form asks the claimant to certify under penalty of perjury that the claimant disputed an inquiry and experienced an economic loss, privacy loss, other negative consequence, or a credit denial connected to the disputed inquiry. No payment is guaranteed, and the court has not made a final liability finding.
Who qualifies
- General dispute group: Equifax records show it received one or more disputes of a hard inquiry from you between August 31, 2021 and March 27, 2026.
- Certified group: Equifax records show it received a mailed hard-inquiry dispute between October 4, 2016 and March 27, 2026, coded it as "not mine" or "unauthorized," and sent a response containing "Cons Comm 664."
- New York subclass: You meet the certified-group criteria, had a New York address, and received the specified response to a mailed dispute between November 27, 2017 and September 10, 2024.
- Claim certification: You must truthfully certify a negative consequence, economic loss, privacy loss, or credit denial connected to the disputed inquiry.
What you could receive
Estimated payment of about $300
Tied to specified mailed disputes, Equifax dispute codes, and the Cons Comm 664 response. Equifax records and a valid claim control eligibility.
Estimated payment of about $400
Applies to qualifying New York consumers within the narrower date and response criteria. The amount is estimated, not guaranteed.
The settlement creates a $30 million non-reversionary fund. The agreement's distribution method assigns different shares to the settlement groups, so the official notice estimates approximately $100 for a valid general-dispute claim, $300 for a valid certified-group claim, and $400 for a valid New York-subclass claim. These are estimates rather than promised checks. Administrative costs, court-approved fees and expenses, service awards, the number of valid claims, and a claimant's group determine the final amount. A claimant who falls within more than one group should follow the official form and administrator guidance; this article does not assume that estimates can be stacked.
How to file your claim
- Use the claim number and PIN from the settlement notice to open the official online claim form, or use the official paper form.
- Complete every required section and check at least one certification box describing the negative consequence or credit denial you experienced.
- Sign under penalty of perjury. The official form does not require receipts, but the certification must be truthful and complete.
- Submit online, by email, or by mail so the administrator receives or accepts the claim by November 29, 2026 under the official instructions.
Official settlement site: Equifax Dispute Class Action. Class Action Pulse is not the settlement administrator or a law firm — always verify eligibility, deadlines, and payout details through the official source above.
Free eligibility check
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Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is a hard inquiry?
It is a credit-file record showing that a business accessed a consumer report, commonly after a credit application. The cases concern disputes asserting that certain inquiries were not authorized or did not have a proper purpose.
Is the estimated payment guaranteed?
No. The estimates depend on group membership, valid claim totals, court-approved deductions, final approval, and the settlement becoming effective.
Does every Equifax customer qualify?
No. Equifax records must show a qualifying hard-inquiry dispute within the applicable period and the claimant must satisfy the official claim requirements.
Did the court find that Equifax violated the law?
The court certified claims for class treatment, but the settlement resolves the litigation without a final trial finding that Equifax violated the FCRA or state law. Equifax continues to deny the allegations.
What happens if I do nothing?
You will not receive a settlement payment. If the settlement becomes final and you did not validly exclude yourself, the release can prevent later claims against the released parties about the covered hard-inquiry dispute conduct.
Is Class Action Pulse administering the settlement?
No. Class Action Pulse is not a law firm or settlement administrator and cannot guarantee eligibility or payment. Follow the official settlement site.