After data breach, credit bureau gives free monitoring help
QUESTION: Is it true that if I enroll in the free Equifax protection program that I can’t be part of a class action lawsuit?
ANSWER: In what may be one of the most damaging data breaches to date, Equifax — one of the big three credit bureaus — announced that 143 million U.S.-based consumers may be affected by a data breach that occurred between May and July of this year.
What makes this breach so damaging is that the most sensitive personal information including Social Security numbers, birth dates and home addresses was part of the breach.
Equifax TrustID Premier
In an effort to provide some level of protection to impacted consumers, Equifax has launched a special website (https://equifaxsecurity2017.com) to explain what has happened and to offer their ID theft and credit monitoring service for free to anyone that wants it.
Many have pointed out the irony of going to the organization that couldn’t keep its data secure to protect you from further damage.
Such “free” services typically only last for a year, which doesn’t really do you any good in the long run since you can’t change your Social Security number very easily.
The “Terms of Use” for TrustID Premier has a pretty common arbitration clause that includes “a waiver of the ability to bring or participate in a class action, class arbitration, or other representative action.” (You can read the entire statement at https:// goo.gl/1ZtvgD.)
That clause had made people wonder if it keeps you from participating in a class action.
However, Equifax has updated its