Equifax Fair Credit Reporting Settlement: Up to $600 for Duplicate Collection Accounts
Equifax agreed to a $2.2 million class action settlement over reporting the same collection account multiple times. The claim window closed on September 1, 2026. The final approval hearing is set for October 6, 2026, and payments follow only after approval becomes final.
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Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The class action Bradberry v. Equifax Information Services LLC alleges Equifax violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by reporting the same collection account multiple times on consumers' credit reports — duplicate tradelines that can drag down credit scores. The class covers consumers who received a "Duplicate Reporting Letter" from Equifax in August or September 2022 informing them of potential duplicate collection accounts on their files — roughly 37,000 people. Equifax denies wrongdoing but agreed to a $2.2 million settlement.
Case Details
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Case No. 1:22-cv-04754-MLB (Bradberry v. Equifax Information Services LLC). Settlement administrator: Angeion Group.
Current Status
How to File — and What You Need Before You Start
You do not need a lawyer and you do not pay anything. Claims go directly to the court-appointed administrator. Anyone who asks you for a fee to file, or to “check your status”, is not the administrator.
The official, court-authorized settlement website is DuplicateAccountFCRASettlement.com — type that address into your browser yourself rather than following a link from an email or a text message.
The case is Bradberry v. Equifax Information Services LLC, No. 1:22-CV-04754-MLB in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The court-appointed administrator is Angeion Group.
The online claim form asks for a Notice ID and a PIN. Both are printed on the notice you were sent. If you no longer have it, use the contact option on the official settlement website and ask the administrator to reissue them — the form cannot be submitted without them.
The claim deadline was September 1, 2026 and has passed. The exclusion and objection deadlines fell on the same day; the final approval hearing is set for October 6, 2026. The steps above describe how the claim process worked while it was open.
Settlement Insight is not the administrator and has no access to their claimant records, so we cannot look up your ID or check your claim for you.
Who Is Affected & Can You Join?
You are in the class if you received a Duplicate Reporting Letter from Equifax in August or September 2022 about potential duplicate collection accounts. To file a claim you need the Notice ID beginning with "EQB" plus the PIN from the settlement notice mailed to you in 2026, and you must affirm you were harmed by the duplicate reporting. Without that mailed notice you are most likely not a class member — the class is limited to the ~37,000 letter recipients.
Is There a Payout?
Case Timeline
- 1
August–September 2022: Duplicate Reporting Letters
Equifax mails letters informing consumers of potential duplicate collection accounts on their credit files. Receiving this letter is what defines the settlement class.
- 2
2022: Class action filed in Georgia
Bradberry v. Equifax Information Services LLC is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (Case No. 1:22-cv-04754-MLB), alleging FCRA violations from duplicate collection-account reporting.
- 3
May 2026: Preliminary approval & notices
The court grants preliminary approval of the $2.2M settlement. Angeion Group mails settlement notices containing the Notice ID ("EQB…") and PIN needed to file a claim.
- 4
September 1, 2026: Claim deadline
Last day to file a claim at DuplicateAccountFCRASettlement.com using your Notice ID and PIN.
- 5
October 6, 2026: Final approval hearing
The court holds the final fairness hearing (objections are due the same date). If approved and no appeals follow, cash payments are distributed afterwards — realistically late 2026 or early 2027.
Scam & Misinformation Warnings
Whenever a brand lawsuit goes viral, scam sites and bad actors follow. Watch for these red flags:
Only the official portal — DuplicateAccountFCRASettlement.com
Claims are filed only at the official Angeion-run portal with your EQB Notice ID and PIN. "Claim helper" sites that ask for your SSN or a fee to "file for you" are not legitimate.
Nobody calls you about this settlement
The administrator will not phone you asking for bank logins, your full SSN, or a fee to release your money. Unsolicited calls referencing this settlement are scams.
Don't confuse this with the 2017 Equifax data breach settlement
That separate, much larger breach program is long past its claim phase. This settlement covers only duplicate collection-account reporting for the ~37,000 letter recipients — a different case entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will I actually receive?
Up to $600, but the real amount depends on how many of the ~37,000 class members file valid claims against the $2.2 million fund after fees. All class members additionally get six months of Equifax Complete credit monitoring — even without filing a claim.
Do I need documents to prove harm?
No documents — you must affirm you were harmed by the duplicate reporting and file with the Notice ID and PIN from your mailed notice. The affirmation is made under penalty of perjury, so only claim if it is true.
I never got a letter — can I still join?
Most likely no. The class is defined by the Duplicate Reporting Letters Equifax sent in August–September 2022, and filing requires the Notice ID (starting "EQB") from the 2026 settlement notice. If you believe you qualify but lost the notice, contact the administrator: Bradberry v. Equifax, c/o Settlement Administrator, 1650 Arch St, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
When will payments arrive?
After the October 6, 2026 final approval hearing, and only once approval is final and any appeals are resolved — realistically late 2026 to early 2027.
Is this the same as the Equifax data breach settlement?
No. The 2017 data breach settlement was a separate program. This case (Bradberry v. Equifax) is about the same collection account being reported multiple times on credit reports, in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.