CUSTOMERS affected by a massive U-Haul data breach could get their share of a $5 million settlement – and no proof is needed.
Residents in California who used the national moving and storage company in 2022 and 2023 whose data was potentially compromised could get up to $100.
National moving and storage company U-Haul were caught up in two cyber attacks in 2022 and 2023[/caption]
The two cyber attacks allegedly compromised costumer names and licence details[/caption]
According to the U-Haul data breach class action lawsuit, the moving and storage company failed to protect consumer information from two data breaches in 2022 and 2023.
The cyber attacks allegedly compromised consumer names and driver’s license numbers.
U-Haul hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing. The company has agreed to pay $5.085 million to resolve the U-Haul data breach class action lawsuit.
Under the terms of the U-Haul settlement, class members can receive a pro rata monetary payment.
These payments are estimated to be around $100 per claimant.
However, actual payment amounts may be higher or lower depending on the number of valid claims filed.
Class members must submit a valid claim form by October 15, 2024, to receive UHaul settlement benefits.
PAYMENT PLUS
Eligible U-Haul customers can score a payment of around $100.
However, this may increase or decrease depending on the amount remaining in the settlement fund after handing out money for class representative service awards, attorneys’ fees, and administration expenses.
To qualify for the direct payment, Americans must have resided in California between November 5, 2021, and April 5, 2022, or around December 5, 2023 – when the data breaches occurred.
Eligible participants must have also received a Notice of Recent Security Incident letter informing them of the alleged data breaches.
Eligible members of the settlement only have a few months to claim their free money.
A final approval hearing for the payout has been scheduled for October 23.
It is unclear when the payments will hit claimants’ bank accounts.
Officials have advised all individuals who are a part of the settlement to “be patient.”
According to the Harvard Business Review, data breaches spiked last year as many companies started using cloud configuration.
More than 60 per cent of the world’s corporate data is estimated to be stored in the cloud.
In 2023, over 80 per cent of data breaches involved data stored in the cloud.
Companies unintentionally misuse the cloud, allowing “excessively permissive cloud access, having unrestricted ports, and use unsecured backups.”
Meanwhile, a nutrition and energy bar company is dishing out payments from a $12 million settlement.
And Americans are running out of time to claim hundreds of dollars from a class action settlement involving a moving company.
What’s a class-action settlement?
Class action lawsuits offer groups of people, or ‘classes,’ a way to band together in court.
These suits are often brought by one or a few people who allege a company or other entity has wronged a large group of people.
When a suit becomes a class action, it extends to all “class members,” or people who may have similar complaints to those who filed the suit.
Companies often settle class actions – offering payment to class members who typically waive their right to pursue further legal action by accepting money.
These payout agreements frequently include statements by the defendant denying wrongdoing. Companies tend to settle class actions to avoid the costs of further litigation.
Pollution, discrimination, or false advertising are a few examples of what can land a class action on a company’s doorstep.
