THOUSANDS of Americans need to keep an eye on their schedules as they may need to take action within days regarding a one-time payment.
More than 279,063 individuals were affected by a data breach targeting CGM, a Georgia-based company that provides services to wireless and broadband telecommunications companies.
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The company agreed to a $1.5 million settlement to resolve allegations made in a class action lawsuit alleging it failed to protect sensitive consumer data.
In agreeing to the settlement, CGM did not admit any wrongdoing.
A lawsuit filed in Atlanta alleged that 279,063 people had their data compromised in a cyberattack against CGM systems between December 15 and December 28, 2022.
The compromised data included names, driver’s license or state identification numbers, as well as social security numbers.
“CGM did not take adequate measures to safeguard the PII (private information) of Plaintiffs and proposed Class Members,” said the lawsuit claimed.
This allegedly included “failure to implement industry standards for data security and failure to adequately train employees on cybersecurity protocols, resulting in the data breach.”
It further stated that the company “failed to notify and alert data breach victims about the unauthorized disclosure of their PII by June 7, 2023.”
CGM discovered the breach on or about December 28, 2022, the complaint noted.
As a result of these alleged failures, the victims “suffered widespread injuries and damages,” according to the lawsuit demanding financial relief and other compensation.
COMPENSATION
Following the preliminary settlement, which is still subject to court approval, victims of the breach can request a one-time payment.
Affected individuals may receive up to $4,400 under the terms of the settlement.
Those who have documented data breach-related losses can receive up to $400 for normal losses, as well as $20 per hour for up to four hours of lost time.
Up to $4,000 will be rewarded for extraordinary losses.
Meanwhile, those without documented losses can receive a payment of around $20, although that number can vary depending on how many claims there are.
Additionally, all settlement victims can get three years of credit monitoring as well as identity theft protection.
All eligible applicants should have received a notice of the December 2022 data breach from CGM informing them that they may have been affected by it.
What is a class action settlement?
Class action lawsuits offer groups of people, or “classes,” a way to come together in court.
These lawsuits are often filed by one or a few people who allege that a company or other entity has harmed a large group of people.
When a lawsuit becomes a class action, it extends to all “class members,” or people who may have similar claims to those who filed the lawsuit.
Companies often settle class actions – offering payment to class members who typically waive their right to pursue legal action by accepting money.
These payment agreements often include statements from the defendant denying wrongdoing. Companies tend to settle class actions to avoid the costs of further litigation.
Pollution, discrimination or false advertising are some examples of what can lead to a class action lawsuit at a company’s door.
However, they must take action to claim their money or maintain their legal rights.
IMPORTANT DATES
There are some important dates that applicants need to be aware of.
Firstly, there are only six days left to object to the deal or cancel payments.
This action must be taken by June 27th.
Those who opt out will retain their legal rights to pursue legal action in the future regarding the same class action claims, but will forfeit their settlement payment.
All claim forms must be submitted by August 26, 2024, when a final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled.
Complaint forms can be sent here.
Meanwhile, drivers could be eligible for a $1,300 payout from a $130,000 class action settlement.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
