Consumers Seeking $125 From Equifax Warned About Fake Websites

(Bloomberg) -- Consumers are looking forward to $125 settlement checks from Equifax Inc. stemming from a data breach two years ago. Hackers, however, are using the claims as another opportunity to steal their personal information.

“Beware of fake websites claiming to be the Equifax settlement claims website,” the Federal Trade Commission warned Twitter users Monday morning. The tweet directed consumers to the commission’s Equifax page, where users can learn more about the breach, find out if their information was exposed and file a claim.

In September 2017, credit-rating company Equifax announced a data breach that exposed personal information for more than 140 million people, including Social Security numbers and birth dates. Last week, the commission and Equifax reached a $700 million settlement agreement, allowing affected consumers to file claims for free credit monitoring or a $125 payment -- but also giving fraudsters a whole new avenue for thievery.

--With assistance from Jenny Surane.

To contact the reporter on this story: Elizabeth Rembert in New York at erembert@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael J. Moore at mmoore55@bloomberg.net, Daniel Taub

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