Victims Of Equifax Data Breach Now Being Stripped Of Legal Rights

Victims Of Equifax Data Breach Now Being Stripped Of Legal Rights

It keeps getting better and better.

First, we learn that Equifax had a massive security breach putting the social security numbers of 143 million people at risk. And now we find out that Equifax is secretively stripping victims of the breach of their legal rights.

Equifax set up a website that allows users to check whether or not their information was included in their recent cyber breach.

But as the Washington Post reports, the legal language on this website “potentially restricts your legal rights” by essentially forcing users into an arbitration clause if they use this service.

Here is the legal language:

AGREEMENT TO RESOLVE ALL DISPUTES BY BINDING INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION. PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE SECTION CAREFULLY BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS BY REQUIRING ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES (EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW) AND A WAIVER OF THE ABILITY TO BRING OR PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION, CLASS ARBITRATION, OR OTHER REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. ARBITRATION PROVIDES A QUICK AND COST EFFECTIVE MECHANISM FOR RESOLVING DISPUTES, BUT YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IT ALSO LIMITS YOUR RIGHTS TO DISCOVERY AND APPEAL.

Corporations use arbitration clauses to strip consumers of their legal rights and minimize their own legal exposure.

Read the full Washington Post report here.