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⚖️ Equifax FCRA Violations — 15 U.S.C. § 1681

Equifax Violated Your Rights —
Here's What It Costs Them

Equifax has paid hundreds of millions in settlements for inaccurate credit reporting. If they violated your rights, you may be owed $100–$1,000 per willful violation plus punitive damages and attorney fees.

$380M 2022 CFPB/FTC Settlement
$100–$1,000 Per Willful Violation
147M Consumers Affected — 2017 Breach
Calculate Your Damages →
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FCRA Violations by Equifax

Most Common Equifax FCRA Violations

Each willful violation entitles you to $100–$1,000 in statutory damages under 15 U.S.C. § 1681n — and violations stack.

  • ✗
    Failed to correct errors within 30 days of dispute
    15 U.S.C. § 1681i — Duty to reinvestigate disputed information
    $100–$1,000
  • ✗
    Mixed your credit file with another consumer's file
    15 U.S.C. § 1681e — Reasonable procedures for accuracy; mixed-file errors
    $100–$1,000
  • ✗
    Continued reporting discharged bankruptcy debts as still owed
    15 U.S.C. § 1681c — Obsolete and prohibited information in consumer reports
    $100–$1,000
  • ✗
    Reported inaccurate balances or payment history
    15 U.S.C. § 1681e(b) — Maximum possible accuracy of consumer reports
    $100–$1,000
  • ✗
    Failed to use reasonable accuracy procedures for reporting
    15 U.S.C. § 1681e(b) — Duty to follow reasonable procedures
    $100–$1,000
  • ✗
    Failed to provide complete dispute results to the consumer
    15 U.S.C. § 1681i(a)(6) — Notice of results of reinvestigation
    $100–$1,000
  • ✗
    Sold consumer debt to collectors after receiving an identity theft notice
    15 U.S.C. § 1681c-2 — Block of information resulting from identity theft
    $100–$1,000
  • ✗
    Reported outdated negative items older than 7 years
    15 U.S.C. § 1681c(a) — Time limit on adverse information reporting
    $100–$1,000
Landmark Equifax Lawsuits

Notable Equifax Cases & Settlements

These cases show what courts and regulators have held Equifax accountable for — and the scale of potential damages.

2022
$380 Million
Equifax — CFPB & FTC Settlement

Equifax agreed to pay $380 million to settle allegations it reported millions of inaccurate credit scores to lenders — scores that were lower than they should have been — harming consumers seeking credit, mortgages, and auto loans.

2019
$700 Million
Equifax Data Breach Settlement — FTC, CFPB, 50 AGs

The largest data breach settlement in U.S. history at the time. Equifax exposed personal information of 147 million consumers in 2017. The $700M settlement covered the FTC, CFPB, and all 50 state attorneys general, providing credit monitoring and cash payments to affected consumers.

2013
$1.6 Million
Judy Thomas v. Equifax — Mixed File Verdict

An Oregon jury awarded Judy Thomas $1.62 million after Equifax repeatedly mixed her credit file with another consumer's, continued reporting inaccurate information after multiple disputes, and failed to correct the errors despite clear documentation — a landmark mixed-file verdict under the FCRA.

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How to Dispute Equifax Credit Report Errors

Disputing correctly and documenting everything is the foundation of any successful FCRA claim against Equifax.

  1. 1
    Pull Your Equifax Credit Report

    Get your free Equifax report at AnnualCreditReport.com. Highlight every inaccurate, outdated, or unrecognized entry. Note the dates each item first appeared.

  2. 2
    Dispute Online — Keep Your Confirmation Number

    File online at equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ and screenshot every step with a timestamp.

  3. 3
    Send a Certified Mail Dispute — Create a Paper Trail

    Mail your dispute letter to: Equifax Information Services LLC, P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374-0256. Use USPS certified mail with return receipt. Keep the green card.

  4. 4
    Dispute by Phone (Optional)

    Call Equifax at 1-866-349-5191. Phone calls alone are not ideal for documentation — always supplement with certified mail and/or online disputes.

  5. 5
    Track the 30-Day Investigation Deadline

    Equifax has 30 days from receipt of your dispute to complete its investigation under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i. If they miss that deadline or fail to correct a verified error, you have a documented FCRA violation. Contact a consumer rights attorney immediately.

Important: Dispute Both Ways

Always dispute by certified mail AND online for maximum documentation. The certified mail timestamp is critical evidence that the 30-day investigation clock started. A missed deadline is itself a violation worth $100–$1,000.

Frequently Asked Questions

Equifax FCRA Violations — Common Questions

To sue Equifax, first document every violation: pull your credit reports, send disputes by certified mail, and save all response letters. Then consult a consumer rights attorney — most handle FCRA cases on contingency with no upfront cost. Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681n, each willful violation entitles you to $100–$1,000 in statutory damages plus attorney fees. You can file in federal district court. The statute of limitations is 2 years from discovery of the violation.
Equifax has been involved in several major settlements. In 2022, Equifax reached a $380 million settlement with the CFPB and FTC for reporting millions of inaccurate credit scores to lenders. In 2019, Equifax agreed to a $700 million settlement with the FTC, CFPB, and 50 state attorneys general over the 2017 data breach that exposed personal information of 147 million consumers — the largest data breach settlement in U.S. history at the time.
Under 15 U.S.C. § 1681i, Equifax must complete its investigation of your dispute within 30 days of receiving it (or 45 days in certain circumstances, such as when you provide additional information). If Equifax fails to complete the investigation within that window, it is a separate FCRA violation worth $100–$1,000 in statutory damages for each willful failure.
If Equifax ignores your dispute or fails to complete its investigation within 30 days, you have grounds to sue under the FCRA. Each failure to investigate is a violation worth $100–$1,000 in statutory damages plus potential punitive damages and attorney fees. Document everything: use certified mail with return receipt, keep your tracking numbers and all correspondence. Consult a consumer rights attorney — the FCRA's fee-shifting provision means Equifax pays your attorney fees if you win.
Next Step

Document Your Equifax Violations — Calculate Your Damages

Use our free FCRA Damages Meter to check every Equifax violation that applies to you and see your potential statutory recovery — $100 to $1,000 per willful violation — in real time.

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