You may have ignored a recent email notice about a Plaid class action settlement. The email subject, which read, “Notice of Class Action Settlement – In re Plaid Inc. Privacy Litigation” did seem scammy and likely ended up in your spam as it did for many. But, the email was actually a legitimate notice from the Plaid settlement administrator.
The $58 settlement that Plaid agreed to in August stems from allegations that the company obtained more information from users than needed to have. Plaid was also accused of using login pages similar to banks, which caused users to believe that they were logging in at their banks’ sites and not directly with Plaid. In reality, they were providing their usernames and passwords directly to Plaid. In the settlement, Plaid claims no wrongdoing and insists that they were clear about their policies.
The settlement affects over 5,500 apps and an estimated 98 million users. Those affected likely used Plaid’s service between January 1, 2013 and November 19, 2021. If you have been recognized as an affected user, you may have received the settlement notice and can enter your Notice ID and Confirmation Code https://www.plaidsettlement.com/index.php to view more information on the settlement and discover your options (including filing a claim or opting out of the settlement).
Key dates for the Plaid settlement
- March 4, 2022: Requests for Exclusion From the Settlement Must Be Postmarked By This Date
- March 4, 2022: Objections to the Settlement Must Be Filed with the Court by this Date or Postmarked By This Date if Mailed
- March 4, 2022: Notice of Intent to Appear at the Fairness Hearing Must Be Postmarked By This Date
- April 28, 2022: Claim Forms Must Be Submitted Online By This Date or Postmarked By This Date if Mailed
- May 12, 2022: Fairness Hearing (at 1:00 p.m. PT)