Breach, aisle 3.
Trader Joe’s customers could be eligible for a payout, but time is running out.
The payday comes courtesy of a class action lawsuit alleging the company violated the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act by printing too many digits of customers’ credit card numbers on certain receipts, thereby compromising security.
As a result, Trader Joe’s Co. agreed to pay a $7.4 million settlement.
Customers eligible for a slice of the settlement should receive an email or postcard containing a claim identification number.
Those who submit a claim will lose their right to sue Trader Joe’s on the claims of the lawsuit and any claims related to the grocery store printing too much information on receipts within the relevant time period.
The deadline to submit a valid claim or opt out is Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
Final court approval is scheduled for August 10, 2026.
If a class member excludes themselves or opts out by June 9, they’ll be allowed to continue pursuing those claims in the future.
The class action lawsuit in question claimed that during a specific period in 2019, certain Trader Joe’s stores printed receipts displaying both the first 6 and last 4 digits of customers’ card numbers, increasing the risk of identity theft.
Under federal rules, businesses are prohibited from printing more than the last five digits of a card number on receipts.
Trader Joe’s denies the allegations and any wrongdoing or liability, insisting that it was a small minority of transactions that resulted in the receipts with card digits in some stores. Still, the company has agreed to the settlement terms and amount to close the case.
Customers who made a purchase with a credit or debit card between March 5, 2019, and July 19, 2019, may be eligible to claim an estimated $102.45.
The class does not include all Trader Joe’s store locations or all transactions made during that time.
There are an estimated 757,663 unique card numbers in the class, which is the same number of eligible class members.
Each eligible member who submits a valid claim can receive an estimated payment of $102.45.
However, the actual amount may vary depending on the number of valid claims submitted and the final costs for settlement administration, attorneys’ fees and expenses, as well as an incentive award to the class representative.
Remaining funds will either be distributed in a second round of payments or donated to the Identity Theft Resource Center.
The suit was instituted by Palm Beach Gardens Trader Joe’s customer Brian Keim, who was the first to allege that Trader Joe’s stores printed too many digits of his credit card number on the printed receipt.
Kelm initially filed the case in Florida, but because Trader Joe’s is headquartered in Monrovia, CA, the case was transferred to the Central District of California.
Speaking of dubious dough, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts has agreed to a $1.6 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit over a November 2024 data breach, which allegedly exposed private consumer information.
Meanwhile, Fidelity Investments acquiesced to paying a $2.5 million class-action settlement in May, following claims it failed to prevent a 2024 breach that compromised the sensitive information of roughly 770,000 customers and individuals.
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