Make Money

If you opted for the $125 cash settlement following the Equifax data breach, check your email.

A message I received over the weekend from "Equifax Breach Settlement Administrator" asked that I verify that I had "some form of credit monitoring" at the time I applied for the $125 compensation, and that I "will continue to have the credit monitoring in place for a minimum of six months." I was given until mid-October to verify that's the case.

This took me by surprise, but it shouldn't have. Consumers affected by the Equifax breach were offered two options: cash compensation of up to $125, or free credit monitoring. I already have credit monitoring through a credit card benefit, so I chose the cash — as did an apparently overwhelming number of other people, causing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to warn that people who did so were likely to receive less than $125, given the limited amount of money put away to pay out these claims.

But in order to request the cash payout, affected consumers had to verify they already had some form of credit monitoring in place. Now it seems the administrator in charge of overseeing the Equifax settlement is emailing people who requested the cash payment to ensure they indeed already have credit monitoring. The verification process is quick and simple — I only had to give the name of the company that provides my credit monitoring. I still may not get the full $125, but because I already have credit monitoring, any amount at all is better than nothing.

Long story short: If you're trying to get cash from the Equifax settlement, keep an eye out for this email. If you miss it, you might miss your shot at any cash at all.