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.
Not only does submitting a claim prevent you from suing Equifax, the only way to preserve your right to sue is to actively exclude yourself from the settlement. See FAQs 19 and 23.
It appears that rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure binds even unnamed parties of a class action suit, unless they exclude themselves from an eligible suit.