A settlement with Equifax in the largest data breach enforcement action in history will bring $1 million into state coffers to protect consumers against future security risks, says Alaska Attorney General Kevin Clarkson.
The settlement, announced on July 22, was reached by a coalition of 50 attorneys general from 48 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, at the conclusion of an investigation into a massive 2017 data breach.
The investigation found that Equifax failure to maintain a reasonable security system, enabling hackers to expose the data of 56 percent of American adults, including social security numbers, names, dates of birth, addresses, credit card numbers and driver license numbers.
Clarkson called the $1 million settlement to Alaska “a step in the right direction.”
Under terms of the settlement, Equifax agreed to provide a single Consumer Restitution Fund of up to $425 million, with $300 million dedicated to consumer redress, and to take steps to assist consumers experiencing identity theft issues or who had their identities stolen.
To receive email updates regarding the launch of the Equifax Settlement Breach online registry, consumers can sign up at investor.equifax.com/news-and-events/news/2019/07-22-2019-125543228. Consumers can also call 833-759-2982 for more information.
