Advance Stores Company Inc., which conducts business as automotive parts retailer Advance Auto Parts, has agreed to a class action settlement with current and former employees that were victims of data breaches. Eligible class members might qualify for cash compensation, as well as free credit repair and monitoring services caused by the data breaches.
The class action settlement derives from an online phishing attack that took place in 2016. Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit assert the phishing attack revealed the personal information of numerous current and former employees. Lead plaintiffs in the class action settlement with Advance Auto Parts claim the online attacker persuaded an Advance Auto Parts employee to deliver employee personal information over the course of several months during 2016.
Plaintiffs also allege Advance Auto Parts did not adequately protect employee personal information that included bank and credit card numbers. Advance Stores Company has denied the allegations and the class action settlement does not require the company to admit fault in the case.
What You Need To Know
A judge in the Advance Auto Part class action settlement has ruled that eligible class members include all current and former Advance Auto Parts employees who discovered personal information exposed because of the 2016 phishing attack. According to the class action settlement website for the case at www.WhiteheadvASCSettlement.com, the potential monetary award for class members varies. However, the website states that “All Class Members qualify for free identity protection services provided by AllClear ID. Class Members have been automatically enrolled in AllClear Identity Repair, which provides repair and restoration service in case of identity theft. Class Members have the option of signing up for AllClear Credit Monitoring, a service that includes a $1 million identity theft insurance policy.”
To file a claim, eligible class members must print, complete, and mail a claim form to the settlement administrator. Class members that request cash compensation must enroll in the AllClear Credit Monitoring program and submit a claim that includes the company’s identity theft insurance policy. If you want to submit a tax refund claim, you have to present copies of your tax paperwork that pertains to the alleged tax scam. The deadline to file a claim form is June 30, 2017.
Formally called Jordan Whitehead v. Advance Stores Company Inc., Case No. 5:16-cv-250-Orl-37PRL, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the class action settlement case is scheduled for a final hearing on May 15, 2017. Jay P. Lechner of Whittel & Melton LLC represents the class counsel, with Emmet J. Schwartzman and Michael B. Miller handling the legal defense for Advance Stores Company Inc.
