The Everi Facta Settlement, or Every Facta Settlement as some persons call it, is not a scam. Everi has agreed to pay $14 million to resolve claims that they printed too much information on debit card receipts in violation of federal law. The settlement benefits consumers who received credit or debit card receipts from Everi which contained four digits in a field labeled “BIN” between Feb. 16, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2019.
Plaintiffs in the Everi class action lawsuit challenged the company’s practices of printing information on credit and debit card receipts. Allegedly, Everi printed both the first and last four digits of the payment card number – more than the information allowed under federal law.
“The printing of the receipt invaded Plaintiffs’ privacy as it disclosed her private card account information to the casino employee who handed her the receipt on Defendant’s behalf and additionally was likely exposed, on information and belief, to other patrons and/or surveillance cameras recording high-definition video footage of the point-of-sale at which such receipt was provided to Plaintiff,” the Everi debit card receipts class action lawsuit contended.
According to the Everi class action, the company’s actions violated the federal Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). FACTA standardizes the amount of information that venders can include on electronically printed receipts in order to protect Americans from identity theft.
Under FACTA, electronically printed credit and debit card receipts can include only the last five digits of a payment card number. No information about the card’s expiration date can be printed on a receipt. Violations of these regulations could result in legal damages of up to $1,000.
Plaintiffs in the Everi class action lawsuit argued that the company knew the requirements of FACTA but chose to print too much information on credit and debit card receipts. As a result, plaintiffs and other consumers were allegedly exposed to the risk of identity theft.
Everi has not admitted any wrongdoing but has agreed to resolve the claims against them by funding a settlement of $14 million.
Under the terms of the settlement, Class Members can recover cash payments estimated to be between $40 and $60. Payment amounts will be distributed on a proportional basis but will depend on the number of claims filed and the net settlement fund after deductions of fees, expenses, and service awards.
In order to benefit from the Everi debit card receipts class action settlement, Class Members must file a valid claim form by Feb. 1, 2021. No proof of purchase is required to benefit from the settlement.
Class Members who received a claim number and confirmation code via mail or email can submit a claim form online. Individuals who didn’t receive these via personalized notice or who can’t find their notice can print a claim form from the settlement website, fill it out, and mail it to the settlement administrator.
The deadline for exclusion and objection is Oct. 19, 2020. The final approval hearing for the Everi debit card receipts settlement is scheduled for Nov. 30, 2020.
Who’s Eligible
Individuals who received credit or debit card receipts from Everi which contained four digits in a field labeled “BIN” between Feb. 16, 2016 and Dec. 31, 2019.
Potential Award
Payments between $40 and $60.
Payment amounts will be distributed on a proportional basis but will depend on the number of claims filed and the net settlement fund after deductions of fees, expenses, and service awards.
Proof of Purchase
N/A
Claim Form
CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »
Class Members can update their claim forms on the settlement website before the claim deadline.
NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.
Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.
Claim Form Deadline
2/1/2021
Case Name
Donahue, et al. v. Everi Holdings Inc., et al., Case No. 2018-CH-15419, in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois
Final Hearing
11/30/2020
Settlement Website
www.EveriFACTASettlement.com
Claims Administrator
Everi FACTA Settlement Administrator
1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103
info@everifactasettlement.com
1-833-969-1221
Class Counsel
Frank S. Hedin
HEDIN HALL LLP
Scott D. Owens
SCOTT D. OWENS PA
Defense Counsel
Sara F. Holladay-Tobias
Emily Y. Rottmann
David L. Hartsell
MCGUIREWOODS LLP
Online Threat Alerts Security Tips
Pay the safest way
Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.
Guard your personal information
In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.
Be careful of the information you share
Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with
Know who you’re dealing with
Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.
Check your accounts
Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.
Don’t believe promises of easy money
If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.
Do not open email from people you don’t know
If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.
Think before you click
If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.
Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond
If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.
Be careful with links and new website addresses
Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.
Secure your personal information
Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.
Stay informed on the latest cyber threats
Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.
Use Strong Passwords
Strong passwords are critical to online security.
Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs
Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.
Update the operating systems on your electronic devices
Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.
What if You Got Scammed?
Stop Contact With The Scammer
Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.
Secure Your Finances
- Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
- Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
Check Your Computer
If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.
Change Your Account Passwords
Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.
Report The Scam
Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.
Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:
- Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
- Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
- Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.
How To Recognize a Phishing Scam
Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.
Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:
Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might
- say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
- claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
- say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
- include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
- want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
- say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
- offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real
About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)
Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.
By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.
With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.
Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.
Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).