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Equifax Hard Inquiry Settlement: Claim by Nov. 29

By CalculateBenefits Editorial Team · Mark Phaneuf, Publisher
AI-assisted source check: November 3, 2026. What these dates mean.

Ever disputed a hard inquiry on your Equifax credit report? A $30 million settlement may pay some people who did. It is only for people Equifax found in its records and sent a notice by mail or email. If you got one, file with the Claim Number and PIN on it by November 29, 2026.

The notice is what counts. The official site says, "If you received notice, according to Equifax's records, you are a member of the Settlement Class." This is not the Equifax credit-score settlement. That is a different case with a later deadline, explained below.

What is the Equifax hard inquiry settlement about?

A hard inquiry is a line on your credit report. It shows that a company pulled your report, often after you applied for a loan or a card. The CFPB says hard inquiries "will impact your credit score."

The main case is called Hines v. Equifax Information Services. It is in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. This deal also settles three other cases about the same issue.

People who sued say they told Equifax their credit report was pulled without a valid reason. They say Equifax did not check with the company that pulled the report. They also say Equifax did not take the inquiry off. Some people got a letter back. It said, in part, "Inquiries are a factual record of file access."

Equifax denies it did anything wrong. No court has decided who is right.

Who can file a claim?

Only people in the settlement can file, and Equifax's records decide who that is. The site says about three million people are in it. There are three groups:

• Certified Group: People whose mailed letter disputing a hard inquiry reached Equifax between October 4, 2016, and March 27, 2026. Equifax coded the dispute as "not mine" or "unauthorized." Then it sent them a letter saying "inquiries are a factual record of file access." About one million people are in this group.
• General Dispute Group: People with one or more hard inquiry disputes that Equifax received between August 31, 2021, and March 27, 2026.
• New York Subclass: People in the Certified Group with a New York address who got that letter between November 27, 2017, and September 10, 2024. About 35,000 people are in it. Some may have gotten a notice about this part of the case in August or November 2025.

Each group is based on what "Equifax's records reflect." If you got a notice, you can see your group by logging in on the official claim page. Use the Claim Number and PIN from that notice.

What if I think I belong but got no notice?

Contact the claims team. The claim page says: "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."

• Call toll-free: (833) 244-4150
• Email: [email protected]
• Mail: Hines v. Equifax, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 16, West Point, PA 19486

Give your name, phone number, mailing address and email. The site asks for all four. Lost your notice? Reach out the same way and ask what to do.

Please do not call Equifax or the court. The site says, "Please do not contact Equifax or the Court for information."

How much could the payments be?

No one knows yet. It depends on the group and on how many people file. The official site gives these estimates, and it says actual amounts "may be lower or higher":

• Certified Group: The payment "is expected to be approximately $300."
• General Dispute Group: Class Counsel estimates people in this group who file a valid claim "will receive approximately $100."
• New York Subclass: The payment "is expected to be approximately $400."

These are estimates, not promises. The site says: "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."

Here is what else is known:

• Total fund: Equifax agreed to pay $30 million.
• Costs come out of it: The fund also pays to run the settlement. The lawyers will ask for $10 million in fees and up to $260,000 for costs. The four people who sued may get up to $60,000 in all. The court decides.
• How it is split: Each person with a valid claim gets a "pro rata share." That means the money is divided based on how many valid claims come in. The plan pays more to the Certified Group and the New York Subclass.

Do I need receipts or proof?

What matters most is the Claim Number and PIN from your notice. Type them "exactly as they appear on your Mailed or Email Notice," the site says. A sample notice on the site shows where to find them.

The form has rules, too. It says "you must complete all parts, check at least one box in Section III, and sign under oath." Only check a box if it is true for you.

None of the site's pages we read asks for receipts. If you still have your old dispute letter or Equifax's reply, keep it in a safe place.

What is the deadline?

File by November 29, 2026. The claim page says the form "must be submitted no later than November 29, 2026."

Three other dates matter only if you want out or want to complain:

• Opt out (leave the deal): Your written request is due by November 20, 2026. If you opt out, you get no payment.
• Object: Your objection is due by November 20, 2026.
• Ask to speak at the hearing: You must also object by November 20, 2026. Your Notice of Intention to Appear must arrive by November 26, 2026.

Doing nothing means no money. People who do nothing also give up the right to sue Equifax over these claims.

How do I file?

1. Type the address yourself: EquifaxDisputeClassAction.com.
2. Click "File A Claim."
3. Enter the Claim Number and PIN from your notice.
4. Fill in every part. Check only the boxes that are true. Sign the form.
5. Pick how to get paid. One choice is an electronic payment. If you skip it, a paper check goes to the address on your form.

Moved since then? Update your address on the claim form.

When will payments go out?

Not before the court gives final approval. A hearing is set for December 10, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in federal court in Brooklyn. The site says it "may be virtual or moved to a different date or time without additional notice."

Payments go out "only after the Court grants Final Approval to the Settlement and after any appeals are resolved," the site says. Appeals can take time. Check the official site for news.

Is this the same as the Equifax credit-score settlement?

No. These are two different cases. Please do not mix them up.

• This one, about hard inquiry disputes: Hines v. Equifax. It is for people Equifax's records show disputed a hard inquiry. Claims are due November 29, 2026, at EquifaxDisputeClassAction.com.
• The other one, about a credit-score error: In re Equifax Fair Credit Reporting Act Litigation. It is about a coding issue Equifax had from March 17 to April 8, 2022. Its claim deadline is December 28, 2026. It has its own website.

Each one sends its own notice. Use the website named in the notice you got. Find the credit-score settlement on our settlements page.

What if I see a hard inquiry I don't know about now?

A new dispute today falls after the March 27, 2026, cutoff in the group rules. Still, it is worth fixing. The CFPB says, "You have the right to dispute errors on your credit report."

Start with the credit reporting company, such as Equifax. Explain in writing what is wrong and why. If it may be identity theft, the CFPB points people to IdentityTheft.gov. Our guide to medical debt and your credit report covers more credit report rules.

Is this real or a scam?

The settlement is real. A federal court in New York is in charge of it. The claims site is EquifaxDisputeClassAction.com.

• File only on the official site. Type the address yourself.
• Never pay anyone to help you get this. About the lawyers the court picked, the site says, "You will not be charged for these attorneys."
• Got an email about this deal? Don't click its links. The FTC says to reach a company with "a phone number or website you know is real."
• Don't give your Claim Number and PIN to someone who calls or texts you out of the blue.

CalculateBenefits is an independent site. We are not Equifax, the court, a law firm or the claims team. We cannot file for you or check your claim. This is not legal advice.

Report a scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Are there other ways I may be able to get paid?

Maybe. Our settlements page lists claims that are open now. Paid a fee at an ATM that was not your bank's? See the ATM fee settlement. Got a check or email about an FTC refund? Learn how to tell if it is real. It is also worth a few minutes to search for unclaimed money.

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