Rep. Lindsey LaPointe Encourages Residents to Seek Financial Claims Following Equifax Breach Settlement

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, D-Chicago, is informing consumers about the Equifax breach settlement that will allow them to check if they were impacted by the historic 2017 data breach and to file a claim to receive restitution from the incident.

“It is unconscionable that one of the largest consumer reporting agencies in the world allowed the largest data breach in history, which affected almost half the population of the United States,” LaPointe said. “Consumers may not even be aware that they have been impacted by the breach, and they should check to see if they can recover some form of credit monitoring or payment.”

Nearly 150 million people’s credit was compromised by the largest data breach Equifax ever encountered in the summer of 2017. To remedy the breach, the Consumer Restitution Fund was created to offer assistance to consumers prevent future data breaches, easily freeze their credit and file a claim to receive $125 from Equifax. LaPointe is encouraging residents to visit www.EquifaxBreachSettlement.com to determine potential eligibility for restitution and details on the settlement.

“More than 5 million Illinoisans’ information was compromised following this breach, which went unnoticed for over two months,” LaPointe said. “Consumers should never doubt that their information is unsecure by the organizations they trust to handle them. I strongly encourage residents to check on the status of a previous claim or file a new one to take precautionary steps to protect themselves.”

LaPointe represents the 19th District, which covers portions of Chicago’s Big Oaks, Dunning, Gladstone Park, Jefferson Park, Portage Park, Union Ridge and West Portage Park neighborhoods, and River Grove, Elmwood Park, Norridge and Harwood Heights.