THIS is the last chance for Americans to cash in on the $1.375 million Automation Personnel Services (APS) settlement deal.
The staffing agency has agreed to pay almost $1.4 million to settle a class action lawsuit over claims that a 2020 date breach led to employee and job applicant information being leaked.
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According to the lawsuit, APS failed to protect the data it held securely enough from cyberattacks.
The data breach allegedly allowed sensitive information, including Social Security numbers and bank account information, into the hands of cyberattackers.
Anyone whose personal information was potentially compromised in the November 2020 date breach, announced by APS in March 2021, is eligible to file a claim report.
The company has not admitted any wrongdoing, but has agreed to pay the $1.375 sum to settle out of court.
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Under the terms of the settlement, claimants can receive up to $5,000 each as reimbursement for losses related to the data breach.
This could include bank fees, credit monitoring services and fraudulent charges.
Documentation of out-of-pocket losses, such as receipts, bills or bank statements, will be needed to back up claims.
Class members can also claim for up to four hours of lost time compensation at a rate of $20 per hour
All members are eligible to receive one year of free credit monitoring from Identity Theft Guard Solutions.
The deadline to file a claim form is December 24, 2024.
The final approval hearing for the settlement will be on February 6, 2025.
Claims are submitted under penalty of perjury, so must only be filed by people who qualify.
False claims also damage other eligible class members.
The class action lawsuit was initially filed by Tereas Madkin, who claimed APS had been negligent by failing to protect its employees and customers’ private information by allowing a data breach to occur.
It was filed in the Circuit Court for Jefferson County, Alabama on July 29, 2021.
APS is a staffing agency with more than 40 locations and 37,000 employees.
It collects and stores sensitive personal information from those trying to find employment through the company.
The lawsuit states: “During the screening and vetting process, APS collects from and maintains sensitive personal identifying information (PII) for each associate and/or applicant.
“The information collected and maintained includes […] social security number, driver’s license number, bank account information, date of birth, email address, cell phone number and home address.”
Madkin says her and others’ PII was accessed through an unencrypted system at APS and allegedly offered for sale on a popular hacker forum in November, 2020.
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