Equifax hard inquiry dispute settlement
Hines v. Equifax Information Services LLC (with Rivera, Oblack and Neubauer v. Equifax Information Services LLC)
Also known as Equifax hard inquiry settlement; Equifax dispute settlement; Equifax $30 million settlement; Rivera v. Equifax; Oblack v. Equifax
The lawsuit claimed Equifax did not properly investigate or remove disputed hard inquiries on credit files.
Copied from the official notice. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- You could get
- About $100 About $400 in the New York Subclass.
Source
“Claiming Class Members in the General Dispute Group will receive approximately $100”
From the administrator site: Official settlement website home page (legal notice). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- You need
- No receipt needed Needs the code from your notice Claim Number and PIN from your mailed or email notice (to file online) Some paperwork: describes the claim form only
Source
“Login below using the Claim Number and PIN which are located on your Mailed or Email Notice. ... If you have not received a Mailed or Email Notice with a pre-assigned Claim Number but believe that you are a Settlement Class Member of this Lawsuit, please contact us.”
From the administrator site: Official online claim form login (Step 1 of 3). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- Who can file
- Disputed a hard inquiry with Equifax, 2016 to 2026
Source
“If you received notice, according to Equifax’s records, you are a member of the Settlement Class. ... All persons residing in the United States and its Territories for whom (a) Equifax’s records reflect that (i) Equifax received a mailed letter disputing one or more hard inquiries between October 4, 2016 and March 27, 2026, and (ii) whose inquiry dispute was coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383) by Equifax, and (iii) to whom Equifax sent a document containing “Cons Comm 664” (i.e., a statement that “inquiries are a factual record of file access”) (the “Certified Group”); or (b) Equifax’s records reflect that Equifax received one or more dispute of a hard inquiry between August 31, 2021 and March 27, 2026 (the “General Dispute Group”).”
From the administrator site: Official settlement website home page (legal notice). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S.
Source
“All persons residing in the United States and its Territories for whom (a) Equifax’s records reflect that (i) Equifax received a mailed letter disputing one or more hard inquiries between October 4, 2016 and March 27, 2026, and (ii) whose inquiry dispute was coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383) by Equifax, and (iii) to whom Equifax sent a document containing “Cons Comm 664” (i.e., a statement that “inquiries are a factual record of file access”) (the “Certified Group”); or (b) Equifax’s records reflect that Equifax received one or more dispute of a hard inquiry between August 31, 2021 and March 27, 2026 (the “General Dispute Group”).”
From the administrator site: Official settlement website home page (legal notice). Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
- Time to file
- About 4 minutes
Source
Our estimate of how long the official claim form takes. The notice does not say.
From the official site: equifaxdisputeclassaction.com. Last compared Nov 7, 2026.
Free. The official site never charges.
Quick answers
How much is the Equifax hard inquiry dispute settlement payout?
About $100. About $400 in the New York Subclass.
Where is the Equifax hard inquiry dispute settlement claim form?
On the official site, www.equifaxdisputeclassaction.com. Filing is free. The last day to file is Nov 29, 2026.
When will the Equifax hard inquiry dispute settlement pay?
Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval and any appeals are over.
The final approval hearing is set for Dec 10, 2026.
Is the Equifax hard inquiry dispute settlement legit?
The settlement administrator (the company that handles claims) is Continental DataLogix, and the official site is www.equifaxdisputeclassaction.com. Real notices point there; if a link in a message goes anywhere else, do not use it.
The official site never asks you to pay to file.
Compare yourself to the official class definition
You may be included if Equifax's records show it received your dispute of a hard inquiry between August 31, 2021 and March 27, 2026.
You may be included if Equifax's records show your mailed dispute, Oct 4, 2016 to Mar 27, 2026, was coded "not mine" or "unauthorized."
It covers people residing in the United States and its Territories. A mailed dispute also needs Equifax's "factual record" reply.
Check each condition yourself. The boxes are only for you; nothing is sent or stored.
All persons residing in the United States and its Territories for whom (a) Equifax’s records reflect that (i) Equifax received a mailed letter disputing one or more hard inquiries between October 4, 2016 and March 27, 2026, and (ii) whose inquiry dispute was coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383) by Equifax, and (iii) to whom Equifax sent a document containing “Cons Comm 664” (i.e., a statement that “inquiries are a factual record of file access”) (the “Certified Group”); or (b) Equifax’s records reflect that Equifax received one or more dispute of a hard inquiry between August 31, 2021 and March 27, 2026 (the “General Dispute Group”).
From the administrator site: Official settlement website home page (legal notice)
This checklist is for guidance only and can be wrong. Only the court's definition decides. Read the official wording before you file.
Official payout table
The amounts the settlement itself sets. We do not work out a personal amount.
| Option and condition | Amount |
|---|---|
| General Dispute GroupEstimate; can change with the number of claims | $100 |
| Certified GroupEstimate; can change with the number of claims | $300 |
| New York SubclassEstimate; can change with the number of claims | $400 |
Estimates by Class Counsel; actual shared among everyone who files payments depend on how many people claim and may be lower or higher.
Based upon typical claims rates for similar cases, Class Counsel estimates that Claiming Class Members in the Certified Group will receive approximately $300, Claiming Class Members in the General Dispute Group will receive approximately $100, and Claiming Class Members in the New York Subclass will receive approximately $400. These estimates are based upon the typical claims rates in similar cases – the actual payment amounts will depend on the actual claims rates in this case and may be lower or higher.
From the administrator site: Official FAQ page
Estimates can change with the number of valid claims and court deductions. Guidance only.
How to file
-
Find the code from your notice
- Claim Number and PIN from your mailed or email notice (to file online)
-
Gather what you need
No proof of purchase is required.
- Check at least one harm box and sign under penalty of perjury
-
File online, or by mail
At www.equifaxdisputeclassaction.com, by Nov 29, 2026. Filing is free.
Or mail a paper claim form to:Hines v. Equifax, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 16, West Point, PA 19486
The deadline note says: “The paper form, sent by mail or email, must be "returned no later than November 29, 2026"; the documents do not say whether a mailed form must be postmarked or received by then.” -
Save your confirmation
Keep your confirmation number or email. You do not need to file again.
Confirm with the administrator before you act.
After you file
Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval and any appeals are over.
The final approval hearing is set for Dec 10, 2026.
For context: First payments were issued 52 to 875 days after final approval, based on 15 settlements. Half were paid within 119 days. 1 of the 15 waited on appeals after approval.
Also ending this week
Related settlements
Case details
- Case
- Hines v. Equifax Information Services LLC (with Rivera, Oblack and Neubauer v. Equifax Information Services LLC)
- Court
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- Case number
- 1:19-cv-06701 (E.D.N.Y.)
- Administrator
- Continental DataLogix
- Official site
- www.equifaxdisputeclassaction.com
- Settlement fund
- $30,000,000
- Full payout terms
- Estimated about $100, $300 or $400, by groupA pro rata share that depends on your group. Class Counsel estimates approximately $100 (General Dispute Group), approximately $300 (Certified Group) and approximately $400 (New York Subclass); actual amounts may be lower or higher.
- Effort
- Easy, about 4 minutes
Other dates
- Opt-out (exclusion) deadline
- (ahead) source document
- Objection deadline
- (ahead) source document
- Final approval hearing
- (ahead) source document
The court’s exact words
All persons residing in the United States and its Territories for whom (a) Equifax’s records reflect that (i) Equifax received a mailed letter disputing one or more hard inquiries between October 4, 2016 and March 27, 2026, and (ii) whose inquiry dispute was coded as “not mine” (001) or “unauthorized” (383) by Equifax, and (iii) to whom Equifax sent a document containing “Cons Comm 664” (i.e., a statement that “inquiries are a factual record of file access”) (the “Certified Group”); or (b) Equifax’s records reflect that Equifax received one or more dispute of a hard inquiry between August 31, 2021 and March 27, 2026 (the “General Dispute Group”).
Quoted from the official notice. Read the notice for the full definition.
Our notes: The settlement covers people in the United States and its Territories whose hard-inquiry disputes Equifax received: a Certified Group (mailed disputes from October 4, 2016 to March 27, 2026, coded 'not mine' or 'unauthorized', answered with a letter saying inquiries are a factual record of file access) and a General Dispute Group (any hard-inquiry dispute from August 31, 2021 to March 27, 2026), plus a New York Subclass within the Certified Group. Per the site, people who received notice are members according to Equifax's records, and the Claim Number and PIN show which group a person is in. Read the notice for the full definitions.
Sources and checks (5)
Every fact people act on was copied from the official source and compared with it. How we check
- Official settlement website home page (legal notice) administrator site
- Official FAQ page administrator site
- Official online claim form login (Step 1 of 3) administrator site
- Official paper claim form (PDF on official site) administrator site
- Class Settlement Agreement and Release (PDF on official site) court record
What changedLast change Oct 25, 2026
- Corrected who-may-be-included after an independent check: the mailed-dispute group (Oct 4, 2016 to Mar 27, 2026) also requires that Equifax coded the dispute "not mine" or "unauthorized" and sent its "factual record" reply; it is based on Equifax's records. source document
- Page created. Claims open until November 29, 2026. source document
Questions
I already filed. What now?
Keep your confirmation number or email. You do not need to file again. Payment can only happen after the court gives final approval; once it does, the payment status page shows what is known.
Opting out
To leave the settlement and keep your right to sue on your own, follow the official notice by Nov 20, 2026. If you opt out, you get no payment. Opting out and objecting have separate rules; we cannot tell you which is right for you.