Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement • Hacker News Board

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#101

Post by stanmancan » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 7:50 PM UTC

harryh wrote: post #86

soulofmischief wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's like when websites say I've opted into such and such just by visiting the website. It's a stretch to call something opt-in when it's unavoidable in modern life.

It's not like that at all. When you take out a loan or credit card you sign a legal document agreeing to all of the various terms. You don't sign anything when visiting a website.

I think the important part of the parent post is

     "It's a stretch to call something opt-in when it's unavoidable in modern life."

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#102

Post by mikeash » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 7:52 PM UTC

harryh wrote: post #83

tony wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I want a way to legally opt out of other such companies collecting and aggregating private data about me. Compare a desire to legally opt out (after checking a box, agreeing to a privacy policy you never read, having your data from 10 years ago - with a chain of custody/dispersal that's probably untenable, if not impossible, to map by now - synthesized by a third party) to GDPR's concept of consent: "The key point…

Equifax tracking is opt-in. It's a term on any loan or credit card you take out.

It’s opt in, in the sense that you can refrain from participating in the modern financial system if you want to avoid it.

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#103

Post by trollied » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 7:53 PM UTC

lkrubner wrote: post #92

I'm feeling a bit cynical, and I wonder if this will bring real changes? I happen to have a good friend at ReliaQuest, so I know that, after the data theft, Equifax hired ReliaQuest, and has slowly expanded that contract, giving more and more responsibility to ReliaQuest. My friend is an awesome engineer and ReliaQuest is a very good outfit, but still, I'm frustrated by the idea that the CEO of Equifax can simply out…

No. A CEO runs every aspect of a business. While it might be a bad call outsourcing everything, they obviously want expertise rather than having to either rely on their current team that fucked up (which would be viewed as negative), or take some time to hire new people. Hiring new people takes time & isn’t reactionary. Everyone will want them to be seen to be doing something. Hiring an external company is possibly the best short term thing they could do.

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#104

Post by mikeash » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 7:56 PM UTC

swalsh wrote: post #69

soulofmischief wrote: post #44

I don't want money. I don't want free service. I don't want any compensation. I want Equifax as a company to be dissolved for incompetency with private data, and I want a way to legally opt out of other such companies collecting and aggregating private data about me.

"I want a way to legally opt out of other such companies collecting and aggregating private data about me." The problem is this also means you will be completely opting out of the credit system. No more morgtgages, no more credit cards, no more car loans. I'm afraid it's kind of a necessary evil.

It’s a convenient evil.

Finance isn’t the only area that uses reputation judge people. I imagine we’ve all been asked for references when applying for a job or an apartment. Jobs and apartments manage to get by without a centralized score.

Mortgages predate credit scores by centuries. It’s demonstrably not necessary.

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#105

Post by ed312 » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 7:59 PM UTC

mikeash wrote: post #104

swalsh wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I want a way to legally opt out of other such companies collecting and aggregating private data about me." The problem is this also means you will be completely opting out of the credit system. No more morgtgages, no more credit cards, no more car loans. I'm afraid it's kind of a necessary evil.

It’s a convenient evil. Finance isn’t the only area that uses reputation judge people. I imagine we’ve all been asked for references when applying for a job or an apartment. Jobs and apartments manage to get by without a centralized score. Mortgages predate credit scores by centuries. It’s demonstrably not necessary.

Many, if not all medium to large companies do in fact pull a limited credit report as part of the screening process. Also, there is far more regulation on mortgages these days. E.g. I can get a massive home loan from a banker I've never met before because of credit bureaus.

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#106

Post by simpss » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 8:01 PM UTC

harryh wrote: post #83

tony wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I want a way to legally opt out of other such companies collecting and aggregating private data about me. Compare a desire to legally opt out (after checking a box, agreeing to a privacy policy you never read, having your data from 10 years ago - with a chain of custody/dispersal that's probably untenable, if not impossible, to map by now - synthesized by a third party) to GDPR's concept of consent: "The key point…

Equifax tracking is opt-in. It's a term on any loan or credit card you take out.

GDPR "opt-in" consent definition also says it must be possible to "opt-out" and still receive the service.

If the data is required for providing the service, no consent is needed, but you must be able to clearly show that the data is indeed an absolute requirement to provide the service.

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#107

Post by cbau » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 8:01 PM UTC

jammygit wrote: post #96

By comparison, here's somebody who sued them in small claims court and won $8000: https://blog.legalist.com/i-won-8-000-from-equifax-in-small-... an update about winning the appeal afterwards (edit: apparently they got it reduced to $5500): https://blog.legalist.com/i-fought-equifaxs-lawyer-in-court-...

Really interesting! Does submitting a claim here prevent you from suing Equifax in small claims court? It seems possible that a $5000 may be worth my time.

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#108

Post by thedanbob » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 8:04 PM UTC

Spellman wrote: post #87

swalsh wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"I want a way to legally opt out of other such companies collecting and aggregating private data about me." The problem is this also means you will be completely opting out of the credit system. No more morgtgages, no more credit cards, no more car loans. I'm afraid it's kind of a necessary evil.

Technically you can still get loans and credit. It's just a lot harder and requires more underwriting and proof instead of having a single, handy Credit Score number attached to you from various agencies.

I wonder. When I bought my first house it was a very simple process because my finances were very simple. For the second, which I’m still in the process of finalizing, it’s been an absolute nightmare. Both my wife and I have credit scores above 800, but add just a few unusual financial elements to the mix and the underwriters start having aneurysms. Take away those nice shiny credit scores and I imagine many banks would flat out refuse to touch us.

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#109

Post by espeed » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 8:06 PM UTC

simonsarris wrote: post #2

It would become a legendary case study if this site turned out to be an information phishing site. (This one is legit but I expect it to happen someday. I'm surprised it hasn't already.) After all this site links to the law firm JND, but nowhere does JND mention this site. So any of us could have made this site. Use the form below to find out if your information was impacted and if you are a class member. Last Name _…

Re: Submit Your Claim in the Equifax Breach Settlement

#110

Post by harryh » Thu, Jul 25, 2019, 8:08 PM UTC

simpss wrote: post #106

harryh wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Equifax tracking is opt-in. It's a term on any loan or credit card you take out.

GDPR "opt-in" consent definition also says it must be possible to "opt-out" and still receive the service. If the data is required for providing the service, no consent is needed, but you must be able to clearly show that the data is indeed an absolute requirement to provide the service.

I'm comfortable with the idea that "if you take out a loan, but don't pay us back, we're going to tell other people that you're a bigger credit risk" is an absolute requirement to provide the service.

It's certainly a requirement if you don't want the interest rates on loans to be much higher.