VERIFY often fact-checks settlement notices so our readers know whether they are legitimate or fraudulent.
Some people, including a VERIFY journalist, received emails in December notifying them about a ParkMobile class action settlement due to a data breach. ParkMobile is a mobile parking payment app that is used in many U.S. states.
Google Trends data show many people online are wondering if the ParkMobile data breach settlement is legitimate.
THE QUESTION
Is the ParkMobile data breach settlement real?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Yes, the ParkMobile data breach settlement is real.
WHAT WE FOUND
ParkMobile customers who were notified about the parking app’s 2021 data breach could receive up to $25 as part of a proposed class action settlement.
The parking payment app company agreed to a $32.8 million settlement following a 2021 lawsuit alleging it failed to protect people’s personal information, court records show. ParkMobile denied any wrongdoing or liability, an official settlement website says.
ParkMobile also acknowledged the settlement and linked out to the official website on Dec. 5.
A class action lawsuit was filed in Georgia about two months after ParkMobile confirmed a “cybersecurity incident” linked to a third-party software in March 2021. The lawsuit alleges that about 21 million users’ personal information was compromised in the data breach.
According to ParkMobile, the leaked information included license plate numbers, email addresses, phone numbers and mailing addresses, as well as encrypted passwords but not the encryption keys required to read them. Users’ credit card numbers were not leaked, the company said.
Who qualifies for the settlement
Anyone who received a notice from ParkMobile about the 2021 data security incident is eligible to submit a claim, according to the official website. People who are eligible also should have received an emailed notice about the class action settlement.
If you are still unsure about whether you’re eligible for the settlement, you can contact the Settlement Administrator at 1-866-944-4062.
According to the official website, $9 million of the proposed settlement has been set aside for cash payments to people affected by the data breach. The amount of money each person can receive is capped at $25, the website says.
People who don’t submit claims for cash payments will receive $1 credits from ParkMobile via email.
How to submit a claim
People who are eligible for the settlement must submit a claim by Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the settlement website says.
You can submit a claim online using the ID and confirmation code on your mailed or emailed notice. If you don’t have the notice ID and confirmation code, you can look up your login by entering your name and email address.
You can also print out a claim form here and mail it postmarked no later than March 5 to this address: ParkMobile Data Security Incident, Attn: Claim Forms, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
It’s unclear exactly when people who are eligible for the settlement could receive their payments.
The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for March 13, 2025. If the court officially approves the settlement, payments could be sent sometime after that date.
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