CAN I FILE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT?

CLASS ACTION LAW FIRM HANDLING CLAIMS INVOLVING STOLEN PRIVATE INFORMATION

You might be amazed to know how many different companies have your name and other personal information stored in their digital database. You trust those companies to keep your personal details secure because they make up your identity. When companies or organizations fail to keep their records safe, a dangerous data breach could expose you to the threat of fraud and identity theft.

The data breach lawyers at Colson Hicks Eidson understand how worrisome a security breach can be. We can help with your data breach. lawsuit and have years of experience fighting class action cases on behalf of hundreds or thousands of victims. Our office is near Miami, but we accept cases nationwide and internationally as well. In one class action fraud case, we were able to secure $170 million in settlement money on behalf of the victims.

WHAT IS A SECURITY BREACH? DATA BREACH DEFINITION

A data breach happens at any time an individual’s name and any other personal information are exposed to the risk of theft or fraud. In the modern age of technology and automated computer systems, this mostly means an incident where someone electronically steals information from a supposedly secure electronic database for the purposes of publication or sale. Identity theft, credit card fraud, and tax fraud are common consequences of data breaches.

Data breach statistics show a total of nearly 800 serious security breaches occurred in the U.S. in 2015, exposing nearly 170 million personal records to theft. However, those numbers are probably just the very tip of the iceberg, because some companies try to correct security breaches internally without ever reporting them. Many companies fear losing profits if customers find out their personal information has not been kept secure. Some estimate that over 70 percent of organizations have experienced a successful cyberattack.

COMMON TYPES OF DATA BREACHES

A data breach can involve any kind of leaked personal information. The most common method used to access this information is an outside security breach, also known as a hack. Hackers are generally after personal information, such as:

  • Credit card information
  • Financial account information
  • Social Security numbers (SSNs)
  • Personal and business addresses
  • Email addresses
  • Phone numbers
  • Driver’s license numbers


All sorts of companies and organizations may have information like this in digital files. For example, your bank, place of work, and internet provider all have your personal details stored somewhere on a server. Even the local pizza place has at least some personal data on you if you have ever paid them with a credit card or signed up for a free rewards program.

Most of everything is stored online nowadays. Therefore, companies have an obligation to take all possible measures to protect your personal information from exposure. If companies are negligent or careless in doing so, you may be able to hold them accountable for any damages you suffer as a result of your compromised personal information.

RECENT DATA BREACHES

Over the past few years, several high-profile data breaches have been widely covered by the news. Recent data breaches include:

  • AOL Breach (2005). The first big security breach only occurred just over a decade ago and involved nothing more than email addresses. An AOL employee stole 92 million email addresses and screen names from his employer and sold them to businesses who began clogging inboxes worldwide with spam emails. Just like many early breaches, this was a low-tech, inside job.
  • National Archives and Records Administration (2009). This breach was the result of an accidental leak. It occurred when government workers sent from a hard drive to a third party for repair before wiping it. This breach exposed hundreds of thousands of veterans’ Social Security numbers and other details.
  • Global Payments (2012). Still the most massive financial breach in history, this security breach involved Global Payments, a company that was responsible for processing millions of credit card transactions for major companies. The breach occurred as the result of an outside hack. More than $100 million in settlements was paid to companies after this incident.
  • Target (2014). More than 70 million people had their credit card numbers and other personal information stolen in this breach. This resulted from the use of altered sales terminals.
  • Yahoo (2014). Perhaps one of the largest breaches made public in the history, the September 2016 revelation confirmed that 500 million user accounts were stolen from Yahoo in 2014. The stolen data may include names, emails, phone numbers, hashed passwords, and security questions and answers, but not financial information, according to Yahoo. It is believed that state-sponsored actors are to blame for this massive hack.
  • Securus Technologies (2015). Securus Technologies is a leading provider of phone services for prisons and jails in the United States. In 2015, an anonymous hacker obtained and leaked records of over 70 million phone calls as well as recordings of those calls. The hack revealed that the company recorded attorney-client calls in violation of prisoners’ constitutional rights.
  • U.S. Voter Database (2015). Poor database configuration resulted in the exposure of the information of more than 190 million voters on the internet. Discovered by accident, this breach is still under investigation.
  • Ashley Madison (2015). The hacking of the extramarital affair website Ashley Madison made headlines for months. A group of hackers exposed millions of registered users’ information on the internet in an effort to force the site to close down. The website previously offered a service that would supposedly wipe a user’s entire profile; the hack proved that this was not the case.
  • 21st Century Oncology (2016). In March, the nation’s largest radiation oncology provider revealed that 2.2 million confidential medical records had been accessed by an unauthorized third party. Attorneys working on lawsuits against the company have received thousands of inquiries from patients worried about identity theft and other misuses of their records. Litigation is still ongoing.
  • Twitter (2020). The Twitter data breach of 2020 was significant, and one of the most brazen online attacks in US history. This attack was so significant because hackers were able to breach the accounts of many high profile individuals, such as Barack Obama, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, Bill Gates, Elon Musk, and more. Hackers were able to scam individuals out of $121,000 worth of Bitcoin. Though this is a relatively low amount of money, this breach show just how vulnerable even the most high profile individuals in the country are.
  • Marriott (2020). At the end of March, 2020, the hotel chain Marriott disclosed a security breach that impacted more than 5.2 million of their guests. Those affected were mainly individuals who used the company’s loyalty app. Hackers obtained login credentials of Marriott employees who had access to customer information. Marriott was also the victim of a breach in 2018 that affected up to 500 million guests.
  • Zoom (2020). As the COVID-19 pandemic raged across the United States in 2020, many businesses, schools, and other organizations turned to Zoom in an effort to remain connected. However, the video conferencing platform became popular amongst cybercriminals as well. Within a short time span, Zoom became vulnerable to various security threats. In the first week of April, it was announced that 500,000 stolen Zoom passwords were available for sale on the dark web.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY INFORMATION HAS BEEN COMPROMISED?

Hackers use stolen and compromised personal information in a variety of ways. Some of the main indicators that your information may have been compromised include the following:

  • An unauthorized charge or charge to a credit card or bank account.
  • Collection notices or calls for debts that you do not have.
  • Errors on your credit report, including soft or hard inquiries from businesses that you do not recognize.
  • Being denied credit, even though your credit is good.
  • Your electronically filed tax return being rejected by the IRS.
  • Receiving mail for an unknown credit card or store charge account.
  • Being required to prove your identity to the IRS or bank to complete transactions or tax returns.


These are just a few of the indicators that a person’s data has been breached. If you believe at your data has been compromised, you should freeze your credit, notify your bank and credit card companies, and speak to a skilled data breach attorney about your rights as soon as possible.

RESPONDING TO A DATA BREACH

If you find out that a breach of security exposed your personal information, you should take steps to protect your identity and finances. You should consider what information has been compromised when responding to a data breach and act quickly to prevent further theft, which includes:

  • Social Security Number (SSN) – Do not give any further information to anyone who calls and claims to be from a real organization, like the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), even if they have your SSN. You should monitor your credit report and consider placing a freeze or fraud alert on your accounts in case of potential identity theft.
  • Credit Card Number – Call the card company immediately to cancel the card and request a new one. Keep a close eye on your transactions also, and work with the fraud department to remove false charges.
  • Bank Account Info – Call your bank to close your account and open a new one. Then, keep checking on your transactions and report any fraudulent withdrawals.
  • Driver’s License Number – Contact the Department of Motor Vehicles to report the theft. They may issue you a replacement license. You should also monitor your credit report to make sure no one is impersonating you.
  • Email, Passwords, or Login Info – If possible, change your passwords and usernames. If you use the same password for multiple sites, change them all.


If your personal information was exposed as a result of a security breach at a company or organization, you may be entitled to compensation from the company breached for any damages that occur as a result. A qualified data breach class action attorney can help you hold these companies accountable for their security negligence.

LEARN MORE ABOUT A DATA BREACH CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN A FREE CONSULTATION

Data breach law is a brand new area of practice in our cyber age, which makes each data breach lawsuit unique. If someone compromised your personal information, you need lawyers on your side who have a reputation for trailblazing leadership. The legal team at Colson Hicks Eidson has fought and won many cases that were among the first of their kind. For example, our attorneys represented a recent Florida class action that resulted in a $100 million settlement.

Your personal information is important, so you can hold companies accountable if they are negligent in maintaining their security measures. Our data breach lawyers have an office in Florida. However, we accept cases from across the United States and internationally. If a security breach exposed your personal information, contact our class action lawyers for a free consultation. We will explain how you could join a data breach class action lawsuit against the compromised company.

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At Colson Hicks Eidson, we are committed to providing our clients with the best possible legal representation in litigation. With our experienced attorneys, in-depth knowledge of the law, and commitment to our clients’ success, we are the go-to firm for complex civil litigation matters. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
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