The FADV Settlement is not a scam. If between August 17, 2012 to November 20, 2020, First Advantage provided a background report about you to a potential employer without first having the employer certify that you had authorized the report, and provide a signed form from you authorizing the report you may be included as a class member in this settlement.
First Advantage Credit Cases Settlement
Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Mateo
JCCP No. 4961
Below is the timeline for the Settlement.
- Mail the Notice - January 19, 2021
- Deadline to use discount codes - Two years from the date the Court issues final settlement approval.
- Deadline to submit an Exclusion - March 20, 2021
- Deadline to file an Objection - March 20, 2021
- Final Approval Hearing - May 3, 2021
FADV Settlement FAQs
Am I a class member?
If First Advantage’s records indicate you are a class member, you will be sent a notice.
How do I know if I am a class member?
You are a class member if First Advantage’s records indicate that, between August 17, 2012 to November 20, 2020, First Advantage provided a background report about you to a potential employer without first having the employer certify that you had authorized the report and provided a signed form from you authorizing the report.
Do I get anything as a result of the settlement?
Yes. The class settlement provides you with: (1) a $15 discount on Instant Check and a $15 discount on Resume Check; and (2) nine free full file disclosures under ¶ 5.3 of the Settlement Agreement.
How do I use these discount codes?
If you are a class member, the notice mailed or emailed to you will contain the discount codes.
Do these discount codes expire?
Yes, the discount codes expire two years from the date the Court issues final approval of the settlement.
How do I get a free full file disclosure under ¶ 5.3 of the Settlement Agreement?
Please visit https://fadv.com/candidates/ for information on how to obtain your full file disclosure.
Are there any limits on my nine free full file disclosures?
Yes, this benefit expires three years from the date the Court issues final approval of the settlement. Additionally, you may obtain only one free full file disclosure per quarter.
Does First Advantage need to do anything differently because of the settlement?
Yes, as part of the settlement, First Advantage has agreed to certify:
- That its clickthrough certification includes and will include a past-tense certification regarding user disclosure and authorization obligations on all employment platforms;
- That it has made and will make available on its website sample disclosure and authorization forms;
- That it includes and will include sample disclosure and authorization forms in its new client information materials; and
- That its compliance process includes and will include random audits for compliance with user disclosure and authorization obligations.
How do I opt out?
Class Members may opt out of the Agreement by mailing via First Class U.S. Mail to the Settlement Administrator a Request for Exclusion. Any such Request for Exclusion must by fully completed, sent to the Settlement Administrator via First Class U.S. Mail, and postmarked not more than sixty (6) calendar days after the postmark date of the inital mailing of the Notice of Class Action Settlement. To be a valid Request for Exclusion, a Class Member must sign it and provide his or her name (and former names, if any), current address, current telephone number, and the last four digits of his or her Social Security number. Any Request for Exclusion that does not include all of the required information or that is not submitted in a timely manner will be deemed null, void, and ineffective.
How do I object?
Only Class Members who do not opt out of the Agreement shall be entitled to object to the terms of the Agreement. Any objection must be sent to the Settlement Administrator via First Class U.S Mail and must be postmarked no later than sixty (60) calendar days after the first postmark date of the inital mailing of the Notice of Class Action Settlement. An objection shall be deemed to be submitted as of the postmarked date. The written objection must be signed and contain: (1) the name and case number of this lawsuit, First Advantage Credit Cases, Superior Court for the County of San Mateo, JCCP No, 4961; (2) the full name, any former names, current address, and telephone number of the Class Member making the objection; (3) the last four digits of the Social Security number of the Class Member making the objection; (4) the specific reason(s) for the objection; and (5) any and all evidence and supporting papers (including, without limitation, all briefs, written evidence, and declarations) for the Court to consider. Class Members who submit an objection remain bound by this Agreement.
How can I get more information?
You may contact the Administrator.
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).