I got my settlement!!!

[444 Magnum]

Oh happy day! My settlement came in yesterday!

For those of you who don't know, I got hacked two-three years ago. Cell phone was hijacked. CC passwords changed and taken over. All kinds of mischief.

The CC companies still won't tell me how much they lost. The thieves didn't know my passwords or the answers to any of the security questions, but because they appeared to be using my phone, they were given access to everything.

Thank the Lord (seriously) they didn't get into my checking accounts.

We were away from home for a few days when it happened. Phone went dead. I got home and had all kinds of messages on email about changed passwords etc. That's when the fun began...

Turns out there was a breach at the credit reporting agency and thousands of people were hacked. I was notified of the class action lawsuit and decided to participate. I was told to document the expenses and difficulties the breach caused me.

I just got the prepaid settlement debit card today and I'm trying to decide what to buy! A new pistol? Something for the truck? Maybe for the wife?

I guess maybe I should check the balance on the card and that will help me decide...wait, what? $32.22...??? This can't be right...it took me over a month to get my phone number back...all those calls...time off work trying to fix the mess (I'm self-employed--no work, no pay). $32.22!!! That won't even fill up my truck!

I wonder how many millions the lawyers made off this???

This would be a good time for some lawyer jokes if it's not against the forum rules. Maybe they'll distract me.

Sorry, Caj, nothing personal.

What do ya'll think...is this a travesty of justice or what?

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Good God. What a horror story. I was hacked last year but changed all my phones & banks & servers. No problems since.

 

[mtgianni]

More of an education in the realities of class action lawsuits.

 

[lihpster]

I was involved in a class action suit against BP. They were apparently over charging card users by a small amount. Now I think I'd filled up at BP maybe twice? And hadn't noticed a problem. I would have never known except for the notice of the class action. I maybe lost $5 and exactly no sleep or worries. I wasn't required to do anything but sign on to the suit. Final outcome? I got about $190. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose even if you win. Sorry to hear about your case. That sucks.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Hope the perps are doing time.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[DWalt]

I get legal notices at least monthly informing me that I am eligible to be a participant in some class action securities litigation. I usually just throw the notices away as it is not worth the effort just to help some lawyer to make another few million while I am likely to get nothing more than a token amount, if anything.

 

[schutz5]

I got my same settlement the other day.
$6.27
You made out like a bandit,seriously!!

 

[NYlakesider]

I get legal notices at least monthly informing me that I am eligible to be a participant in some class action securities litigation. I usually just throw the notices away as it is not worth the effort just to help some lawyer to make another few million while I am likely to get nothing more than a token amount, if anything.

BINGO!

I was involved in a couple years back, basically got chump change and the lawyers went out and bought bigger yachts and Mercedes-Benz, cars. The only one that I saw that did well was because of the asbestos legal action. My MIL got serious money for her husbands death and blew it all in a few years.

Now I just look at who or what is suing, say a few choice words and throw it in the circular file. (AKA paper shredder)

 

[M29since14]

Rule Number One: The lawyers always get paid FIRST.

I've never participated in a class action suit. It seems automatic to me that "paying" for stuff with one's cell phone could at least be problematic, but my son doesn't seem to think so! What do I know?!

That thirty bucks might buy you a box of .45s, on sale.

 

[Baxter6551]

I have my credit frozen currently with the three credit bureaus (or so I hope anyway) due to a letter received from Wilson Combat about 6 mos ago that their website where I had made purchases was hacked. I don't anticipate needing any credit checks soon so I'm just leaving frozen. Hopefully that will prevent any issues.
I did have my credit card hacked during a business trip to Houston like 15-16 years ago. They canceled the charges and sent me a new card. I asked BofA if they were going to investigate and they said no. I was able to identify the suspect (coffee shop waitress) with a few phone calls tracking the purchases made and retracing my steps because BofA said someone must have had the card in hand to get the CCV code off the back. Called my Houston PD buddy and she got arrested.

 

[chief38]

Class action lawsuits are ALL ABOUT the Law Firms getting rich - not about the actual people who got screwed! They always were - nothing new.

That said, just do the math......

The Law firm takes 1/3 of the settlement & then the hundreds or thousands of people who participate in the class action get 2/3 divided by the masses. I once received a settlement from a company and got .13 cents! The envelope and stamp cost more - lol. I no longer bother even filing the claims.

 

[444 Magnum]

Hope the perps are doing time.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

The phone company was showing that my account had been closed and the number re-assigned. The phone number, IIRC, was "pinging" in the Philippines. The phone company had to "capture" it and re-assign it back to me.

It took a lot of calls and "let me talk to your manager" speeches to get someone competent and actually make it happen. I didn't want to loose the number because it's on my business signs, cards, letterhead, and customers have known it for years.

The crooks were obviously advanced to pull off something like this. They got the phone number, credit card info, and other basic information from the credit reporting agency. Once they hijacked my telephone number, they called two CC companies and, with basic knowledge of me, were able to change my passwords and go on a shopping spree.

I was out of town and my phone had been turned off (by them), so they had a couple of days and nice credit limits to purchase items. The purchases (that I was told about) took place in FLA at department stores.

I don't know if arrests in FLA were made or not.

The OP isn't so much about the hack, as the insulting $32.22 that I just received. Additionally, I received credit monitoring from the hacked credit reporting agency for a year or two. Big whoop. I won't be wasting any future time or energy responding to class action suits that only benefit the lawyers.

Granted, I wasn't responsible for any of the credit card charges. My loss was in time, frustration, and potentially lost business (I'll never know).

I was very happy (thankful) that they didn't have any banking information.

My checking account got hit a year later by thieves stealing checks from mailboxes and altering the dollar amounts. They just used white-out and crudely changed the dollar amount. The checks were photo'd and deposited via a phone app, so a live teller never saw them and they went through. I was reimbursed the stolen money but, again, it cost me time and the hassle.

Technology can be great, and not so great when used improperly. If these deadbeats would put their talents to legitimate pursuits, they could probably make a good living and contribute to society.

 

[glenwolde]

Every time I get one of those notifications about being included in "The Class" I look for the "opt-out" instructions and opt-out.

Most of the time class-action lawsuits are just a money-maker for the attorneys. Shame on the judges for approving these scams. I won't be a party to them.

If everybody opted-out they would stop. Of course the real problem is you're automatically opted-in. The law will never get changed. The laws are all written by lawyers.

 

[GaryS]

Class action law suits make millions fo law firms while the victims get chump change.

 

[GaryS]

Judges are lawyers. Never forget that. They belong to the same bar associations, play golf, have worked for the same law firms.

Remember, in the halls of justice the only justice is in the halls.

Every time I get one of those notifications about being included in "The Class" I look for the "opt-out" instructions and opt-out.

Most of the time class-action lawsuits are just a money-maker for the attorneys. Shame on the judges for approving these scams. I won't be a party to them.

If everybody opted-out they would stop. Of course the real problem is you're automatically opted-in. The law will never get changed. The laws are all written by lawyers.

 

[NYlakesider]

Class action lawsuits are ALL ABOUT the Law Firms getting rich - not about the actual people who got screwed! They always were - nothing new.

That said, just do the math......

The Law firm takes 1/3 of the settlement & then the hundreds or thousands of people who participate in the class action get 2/3 divided by the masses. I once received a settlement from a company and got .13 cents! The envelope and stamp cost more - lol. I no longer bother even filing the claims.

The way it was explained to me and there is a good chance my info was wrong.

Not only does the law firm get that 1/3 part as settlement but every second they spent in bringing the suit and all the filed legal work (forms and paperwork) ate up a lot more of the settlement. If that is indeed the case it explains why it takes so long its in their best interests to work real slow.

 

[Pisgah]

If you have a legitimate cause of action, NEVER JOIN A CLASS ACTION SUIT. By so doing you forever waive your individual right to sue -- and, yes, what you receive in a class-action will be a small fraction of what you might have won as an individual.

There are numerous reasons you might want to join in a class-action suit -- but getting full compensation for your damages is not one of them.

 

[sceva]

The way it was explained to me and there is a good chance my info was wrong.

Not only does the law firm get that 1/3 part as settlement but every second they spent in bringing the suit and all the filed legal work (forms and paperwork) ate up a lot more of the settlement. If that is indeed the case it explains why it takes so long its in their best interests to work real slow.

THIS; The 33% is normal BUT it is PLUS expenses. and there will be a LOT of expenses that will add up to another nice chunk.

 

[oregondave]

That is pitiful! I have a good attorney and years back I told him I have limited funds but would he answer two questions for $500.00 for me? He stated " Sure Dave, what's the second question "

 

[jeffrefrig]

My MIL died of mesothelioma about 6 years ago. Before she even started any treatments a few lawyers came out of nowhere and offered their services. My SIL was the oldest and chose a lawyer, etc., and quite a few decent checks started coming in. (Too bad they had to be split 5 ways!) There must be some super secret info tunnel from the hospital to the local Bar association hide out.