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AT&T Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Security Failures Led to Release of Social Security Numbers, Customer Data on Dark Web
Failure to monitor its systems properly resulted in five year delay before customers were notified of AT&T security failures, lawsuit claims.
Another AT&T class action lawsuit has been filed over a massive data breach, which exposed tens of millions of customers’ names, social security numbers and other personal data to the Dark Web, leaving them vulnerable to identity theft by hackers.
The AT&T data breach occurred in 2021, when the hacker group Shiny Hunters claimed to have capitalized on AT&T security failures and were attempting to sell a database containing sensitive information. While AT&T originally denied the data breach, the company finally admitted to the theft on March 30, after a hacker known as “Major Nelson” released the contents of the database on the Dark Web for free.
According to AT&T, the exposed data dates back to 2019 and earlier. However, the company has yet to identify the source of the unauthorized access or provide details about the AT&T security failures that resulted in the release of customer’s social security numbers and other sensitive personal information.
Since then, a growing number of AT&T data breach class action lawsuits have been filed on behalf of all customers, and it is also expected the company will face individual lawsuits on behalf of specific consumers whose data was exposed.
AT&T Data Breach Lawsuit
Lawyers are reviewing lawsuits for individuals who had their personal information stolen due to the AT&T data breach.
Learn More About this Lawsuit SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATIONA recent complaint (PDF) was filed by Mildred and James Kinchen on April 24, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The lawsuit names AT&T Mobility LLC and AT&T Inc., as defendants, seeking class action status on behalf of themselves and other customers left vulnerable by the security failures.
According to the lawsuit, the California couple were wireless cellular telephone customers who have used AT&T’s services for personal use. Since the data breach was revealed, exposing their social security numbers and other financial data on the Dark Web, the couple indicates that they have had to take numerous actions to protect their financial security, including changes to bank accounts, changing of passwords, checking their credit score, and additional efforts to protect against hackers who now have their information.
The AT&T class action indicates that the security failures that resulted in the data breach have been known for years, but the company failed to take quick action to protect consumers’ identities.
“As a result of Defendants’ inability to properly secure Plaintiffs’ and the Class Members’ private Personal Information, data thieves were able to access and obtain the Personal Information of Plaintiffs and Class Members as early as 2019,” the Kinchen’s lawsuit states. ”For nearly five years, AT&T had knowledge of this threat and did not meaningfully act upon it until it publicly announced the veracity of the threat actor’s claims in March 2024 and told individual customers about the vulnerability as late as mid-April 2024.”
The complaint accuses AT&T of failing to properly monitor its computer network and systems, otherwise the data breach would have been discovered earlier, or the company would have been able to prevent it.
The lawsuit presents claims of negligence, negligence per se, breach of implied contract, unjust enrichment, and violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law and Consumer Privacy Act.
More than a dozen similar AT&T class action lawsuits over the data breach have already been filed, each raising similar allegations and seeking damages for different categories of customers. In addition, lawyers expect a number of individual claims to be pursued as well, seeking additional financial compensation for those who had their social security number or other sensitive information published.
Petition to Consolidate AT&T Data Breach Lawsuits
Given common questions of fact and law raised in complaints now being filed throughout the federal court system, a motion to transfer (PDF) was filed with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) earlier this month, requesting claims filed throughout the federal district court system be consolidated for pretrial proceedings before one judge as part of an AT&T data breach lawsuit MDL (multidistrict litigation).
The motion requests the litigation be consolidated in the Northern District of Texas, where the majority of complaints have been filed. According to the motion, eleven lawsuits are currently filed in the Northern District of Texas, while only one has been filed in the Western District of Oklahoma. This was before the Kinchens’ lawsuit was filed in Northern California.
The petition argues that due to the extensive nature of the data breach and the likelihood of the litigation to grow in the coming months and years, it is appropriate to centralize the claims to streamline the process, prevent inconsistent rulings, and facilitate the proceedings for both the court and the involved parties.
The JPML is scheduled to hear oral arguments on the motion at an upcoming hearing session scheduled for May 30, 2024, at the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. Courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. If the panel decides to consolidate the AT&T class action lawsuits, complaints filed throughout the federal court system will all be transferred to one judge for pretrial proceedings, to reduce duplicative discovery into common issues in the cases, avoid conflicting orders and serve the convenience of common witnesses, parties and the judicial system.
Find Out If You Qualify For a AT&T Data Breach Settlement
104 Comments
DarronApril 28, 2024 at 8:36 pm
I've had to freeze my credit with all 3 credit agencies to protect myself since Chase bank alerted me that my s.s.# was exposed on the dark web from an at&t data breech.
ChristopherApril 28, 2024 at 8:13 pm
Just found out my at&t account had been hacked and since have had several more of my online accounts taken over by hackers! Don't even know what all has been stolen yet
LisaApril 28, 2024 at 11:25 am
I have been with AT&T for over 20 years I have cell phone and tv and internet with them and I also had an iPad tell phone number I also had a mother number with them
LeoApril 28, 2024 at 9:10 am
Several accounts were closed
JosephApril 28, 2024 at 9:02 am
I was concerned about my ss being shared and Identity theft
BillyApril 28, 2024 at 8:15 am
Was not notified until Feb of 2024 when I questioned them about security breach
ConstanceApril 28, 2024 at 3:37 am
Activity on dark web
WilbertApril 28, 2024 at 3:24 am
I was informed by Experian credit that my social security number was on the dark website from AT&T leak
RondaApril 28, 2024 at 2:37 am
Canceled debit card, fraudulent charges, debits trying to be made several times a day. I have gotten so many new cards. Att valus my privacy at $47. Not even worth writing the paperwork up. It's an insult fir all you go through. First all the chaos and confusion, your time to sort out what is and what's not happening. Then to straighten it out. Fix the problems it created. The consumer is left to [Show More]Canceled debit card, fraudulent charges, debits trying to be made several times a day. I have gotten so many new cards. Att valus my privacy at $47. Not even worth writing the paperwork up. It's an insult fir all you go through. First all the chaos and confusion, your time to sort out what is and what's not happening. Then to straighten it out. Fix the problems it created. The consumer is left to figure it out by themselves. All the trips and phone calls to the bank. $47 won't even begin to fix all that. Cards cancelled...it's a Saturday night can't get money out of the bank card don't work, fraud prevention, a safety feature the bank has for you. Your gas hand sitting on empty. You cant access your money. Its troublesome, a royal painGets a little scary. You wish you could get hold of the folks trying to thieve for a living instead of working. It's horrendous to say the least. Your own security on your system tells you someone in Decatur is using your phone number in Decatur Al. And all your information is on the dark web.
CharleneApril 28, 2024 at 2:11 am
I cannot afford to have any data breached.
TaraApril 28, 2024 at 12:58 am
Unacceptable
PatriciaApril 27, 2024 at 11:42 pm
Don't like you lack.of security
GeorgeApril 27, 2024 at 11:37 pm
I am filing on behalf of my mother, whos name this at&t account, that i personally pay for. I believe her personal info, may have been compromised.
DavidApril 27, 2024 at 7:42 pm
I’m not happy about this we trust you to keep are information safe now I don’t know if I can trust this filling it out
Seconda MApril 27, 2024 at 5:16 pm
I’ve been a customer for years
TaylorApril 27, 2024 at 4:45 pm
I feel that the company is responsible for this service to go through with this transaction and started services anyway. They know the card information was not not mine, for this service. They also knew this was fraud. I let them be aware of the matter at hand.
GeneApril 27, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Want to know if I could have been effected
SherrilynApril 27, 2024 at 3:10 pm
I had att mail it was hacked to so I left Att all together
FeliceApril 27, 2024 at 8:29 am
I am a former & current Att customer for several years. Would like to join case action suit, concerns for my social security being exposed.
CynthiaApril 27, 2024 at 8:11 am
AT&T never contacted me about the data breach during my time with the company. My bill continues to go up each month. Each time I called about my bill I always got a different response from different workers about the amount of my bills. I was taking advantage by this company. I decided to leave AT&T due to mishandling of my account. Subscriptions orders was on my account that I never request.
DORISApril 27, 2024 at 5:25 am
I received email from at&a saying my info was part of the breach and my password needed to be changed.
GuadalupeApril 27, 2024 at 4:32 am
I pray I will be helped with situation. Today 04/26/2024 I was able to see where I could file a ATT CLAIM. I pray for you guiden to me. I don't how to help myself. 😢
StevenApril 27, 2024 at 3:00 am
I’m sick and tired of every time I have a problem with AT&T I only talk to a foreign person that I can barely understand. I also don’t have good service with them like I used to. I have used AT&T since 2012. I also use auto pay with my debit card number on file and at least 3 times now that there were purchases made without my consent. I had to cancel my debit and change my pin after receiving a n[Show More]I’m sick and tired of every time I have a problem with AT&T I only talk to a foreign person that I can barely understand. I also don’t have good service with them like I used to. I have used AT&T since 2012. I also use auto pay with my debit card number on file and at least 3 times now that there were purchases made without my consent. I had to cancel my debit and change my pin after receiving a new card. I will not be using auto pay anymore. I’m not saying it’s because of AT&T but no one else has my card number.
CharleneApril 27, 2024 at 2:32 am
Stole my id on a dark web useing my social security number
PatrickApril 27, 2024 at 12:38 am
Myself with AT&T was Taken.
JaniceApril 27, 2024 at 12:19 am
My SSN, phone number and email address were compromised and found on the dark web after this breach.
BeverleyApril 26, 2024 at 11:56 pm
I can't believe this happened again. I had it happen with Target and another company.
CindaApril 26, 2024 at 11:22 pm
My personal data was compromised in 2021. I was repeatedly receiving unemployment information, as I was employed so, I contacted Texas Work Force to report the issue and also made a police report. It wasn’t until February of 2024, when I was laid off that I needed to file for unemployment and and discovered that someone had tried to file for unemployment using my personal information.
MichaelApril 26, 2024 at 10:42 pm
About a year ago someone got in my phone had to change my info
GwenApril 26, 2024 at 10:37 pm
Just very frightening
MaryannApril 26, 2024 at 10:21 pm
I have had AT&T for years and noticed I had been hacked. It impacted my credit score bad. Had accounts opened in my name.
BarbaraApril 26, 2024 at 9:37 pm
What is about I was never notified there was a breach with my personal information
KarenApril 26, 2024 at 9:20 pm
This breach gave someone access to my information to apply for a credit card and I had to act quickly before it was mailed to this person. I also had a landline with AT& T for many years. So, my information was still in the system and could be accessed.
JeannetteApril 26, 2024 at 8:28 pm
Had information breached on dark web
JosephApril 26, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Had fraud on cards
CarolApril 26, 2024 at 7:01 pm
I had AT&T doing that time
JaniceApril 26, 2024 at 6:15 pm
Been a customer for about 20 years
VanessaApril 26, 2024 at 5:38 pm
This is ridiculous
PauletteApril 26, 2024 at 5:29 pm
Very disappointed in this I always thought my personal info would be protected
KathyApril 26, 2024 at 5:14 pm
Esperanto has notified me that all personal information has shown up on Deep dark web. I’ve been a customer since late nineties throughout now with SBC and AT&T It’s shows my information showing up on T-Mobile and other sites Loans taken out in 2019 in Bay Area but since been in Bakersfield Ca since 2012
RhondaApril 26, 2024 at 5:09 pm
Credit impacted
ToriApril 26, 2024 at 4:41 pm
I’m not sure if my social got used
PaulApril 26, 2024 at 4:18 pm
Having my SSN out there compromised is very unsettling. I trused these large companies to keep my information safe. Now I have to be fearful of potential consequences.
ShirleyApril 26, 2024 at 3:51 pm
I'm afraid someone out there has all of my information,it will be hard on me if they do
TamecaApril 26, 2024 at 3:08 pm
I like ATT why would they do something like that
HoraceApril 26, 2024 at 2:36 pm
I retired from AT&T. In 1985.
WillieApril 26, 2024 at 2:26 pm
Data breach
ShadokhtApril 26, 2024 at 2:24 pm
We've had random transactions charged to our account since this happened.
JocelynApril 26, 2024 at 2:13 pm
The hold morning couldn't make or receive calls. Not cool at all . Couldn't even make emergency calls.
SamanthaApril 26, 2024 at 2:08 pm
Been a customer for several years would like to know if my data was breeched
CherylApril 26, 2024 at 1:53 pm
I have had to change my bank card several times and had to wait to pay my bills late
EduardoApril 26, 2024 at 1:50 pm
Have a few questions about there neglect
PeggyApril 26, 2024 at 1:37 pm
My social security number is out on the dark web.
MichaelApril 26, 2024 at 1:33 pm
My credit card has been hacked 3 times in the last 2 years
PamelaApril 26, 2024 at 1:32 pm
my credit and personal information has been tampered with. credit report messed with
SusieApril 26, 2024 at 1:29 pm
Got a notification that my information is on the black web.
DonnaApril 26, 2024 at 1:28 pm
Same problem
DawnApril 26, 2024 at 1:23 pm
I've found on my phone a data breach for February 2024 it said AT&T had released it I never had AT&T I've only had Verizon and spectrum
AmyApril 26, 2024 at 1:17 pm
Someone hacked my Facebook about 3 times and then there's 2 different times 1 Time When I called them somebody, they said somebody paid my bill and changed my address to New York and I lived in Missouri.
MattieApril 26, 2024 at 1:16 pm
AT&T continued having problems with they're services and we need to be safe with this company.
Antario D.April 26, 2024 at 1:05 pm
AT&T always having problems like this and they a better security.
GregApril 26, 2024 at 12:58 pm
On Easter weekend, I was also impacted by a social media hack that disabled all social media accounts.
EdnaApril 26, 2024 at 12:58 pm
We shouldn’t be afraid to use our phones and make any payment the phone provider needs to be more careful when storing data information from their customers
JoyApril 26, 2024 at 12:53 pm
AT&T contacted me to let me know that all of my information was leaked. I have those documents from them. It has affected above all my credit score and I can’t find out if anyone has used my information or not.
BennyApril 26, 2024 at 12:51 pm
My phone number was hacked and my email
WendellApril 26, 2024 at 12:44 pm
I received alert or a breach with At&T
DavidApril 26, 2024 at 12:37 pm
I received a notification from Credit Karma. That my information was found on the dark web.
MoniqueApril 26, 2024 at 12:24 pm
I've been having numbers call me saying I've called or texted them but I haven't
ErinApril 26, 2024 at 12:19 pm
Not very happy information was breached
GregoryApril 26, 2024 at 11:50 am
Recieved 2 emails regarding bit coin purchases totaling $1800 through PayPal.. I am not a PayPal subscriber
PreciousApril 26, 2024 at 11:41 am
I don’t know if I was affected but I need to know.
DorothyApril 26, 2024 at 11:34 am
Someone was able to go into my personal account.
VeneciaApril 26, 2024 at 11:33 am
I was notified that my information was found on the dark web from my identity protection company my phone number address and social security number
MelissaApril 26, 2024 at 11:26 am
AT&T and Direct TV services I had they had stated they were putting in fiber Optic in which never happened!!
TraceyApril 26, 2024 at 11:25 am
Received a text message from AT&t about my social security number and information was leaked on the dark web...
DeniseApril 26, 2024 at 11:22 am
Please be careful out here
BeverlyApril 26, 2024 at 11:20 am
Effected my credit score
LisaApril 26, 2024 at 11:11 am
They would order stuff online. And take it out of my bank Had to me two are three times Has to get newcards every times I I was so up set .
DianeApril 26, 2024 at 11:02 am
Concerned with my personal information
PEARLINAApril 26, 2024 at 10:54 am
Don't know what was done but I do get a lot of unknown calls fro. Lenders some scammers
ValerieApril 26, 2024 at 10:51 am
I want to be included in this lawsuit
AndreApril 26, 2024 at 10:50 am
I received an email that my personal information was compromised and was at risk .
JessicaApril 26, 2024 at 10:44 am
My Microsoft defender notified me that my information was sold on the dark web
MaryApril 26, 2024 at 10:33 am
They i was take date and cellphone sometimes it would be call so.eone it would just It would drop the calls and I could not hardly even talk on the phone because the phone would always dislike go off and my minutes would run out and my data and I didn't use it very much because every time I try to hate the fun would always shut off or something would happen
CarolynApril 26, 2024 at 10:29 am
Was notified about it, and was very upset.This has hurt my credit,and personal information.
KaylaApril 26, 2024 at 10:25 am
Have data breach
marcyApril 26, 2024 at 10:21 am
They stole all of my information And had my A.c.p turned off !!!
RomeyApril 26, 2024 at 10:14 am
Data breach
AngelaApril 26, 2024 at 10:01 am
ATT ,T mobile,Verizon all of them have done this to me my private information there is nothing safe anymore and att and T mobile,have done it over and over,at least 5 times to me back to back and never have notified me of it I have had to find out other ways,which is ridiculous.
TinaApril 26, 2024 at 9:35 am
Bill keep going up and poor seu
CynthiaApril 26, 2024 at 9:28 am
At&t could and should have attempted to credit their customers for the breach. They also should have done same whe customers were left recently with out service. All customers got was an apology email.
DemarcoApril 26, 2024 at 8:20 am
I feel like it’s crazy that when I get this service now I’m getting alerts on my credit report saying my info is on the dark web.
DustinApril 26, 2024 at 4:49 am
I want compensation
RebaApril 26, 2024 at 1:45 am
My information was found on the dark web.
marcApril 26, 2024 at 1:23 am
they seem like they don’t really care. They said they will send me this email which has never happened I got loans popping up on my emails everywhere that I’m not doing my credit score has gone down.
SymyrsApril 25, 2024 at 11:58 pm
Some one applied for sprint in my name and several states
MeishaApril 25, 2024 at 10:10 pm
I was notified that my SSN and personal information was found on the dark web due to the ATT breach and the other phone number i have with ATT also got the same message.
EddieApril 25, 2024 at 9:03 pm
This has been a headache!! Kept getting notifications about my information being out where it doesn’t Belong!! Very stressful when your not sure what to do!!
Carolyn RApril 25, 2024 at 6:40 pm
My credit has been compromised as well as my phone . . Not to mention all the phone call with fraudulent intent! Also constant texts with fraudulent intent !
WandaApril 25, 2024 at 6:18 pm
Do I have a case I have been a AT&T customer since 2015. I did get a email from at&t saying I maybe at risk.
JohnnyApril 25, 2024 at 6:12 pm
My social security number was on the black web
SandraApril 25, 2024 at 6:09 pm
My ss number was compromised
DeloresApril 25, 2024 at 5:03 pm
Banking account got breached a couple of times getting bills to my address that are in my father's or my family members named and they have their own residents born countries trying to make purchases at hair shops et cetera.
JamesApril 25, 2024 at 4:37 pm
I’ve had to get financial security and Norton life lock for added security because all my information is on the dark web