Trader Joe's eligible shoppers are part of a class action settlement in which the company agreed to pay 7.4 million dollars to resolve claims that some store receipts displayed too many card digits. The suit was brought by Brian Keim and alleged violations of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act related to printed receipts.
The settlement covers an estimated 757,663 unique card numbers and proposes a pro rata payment estimated at 102.45 dollars per valid claim, per the settlement notice. Trader Joe's denies wrongdoing and said not all stores or transactions printed the first six and last four digits.
The 7.4 million dollar fund will pay settlement administration costs, attorneys' fees and expenses, a service award to the class representative, and the remainder to class members. The settlement documents set administration costs up to 977,000 dollars, attorneys' fees up to 2,466,666.67 dollars, attorneys' expenses up to 65,000 dollars, and a service award up to 10,000 dollars, leaving an estimated 3,881,333.33 dollars for payments to class members.
Eligibility Claim Process And Timing
Class membership requires that the person was the account holder of a credit or debit card used at a Trader Joe's store and received a receipt formatted to show the first six and last four digits of the card number during the period at issue. The class does not include all stores or all transactions, and members who are uncertain can consult the settlement website or call the settlement administrator.
Claim forms may be submitted online using a Class ID and PIN from the settlement notice, or by mailing a printed form to the Keim v. Trader Joe's Settlement Administrator address listed in the notice. Payouts may be made by electronic deposit or by check, with checks valid for 180 days. The settlement administrator will donate any unclaimed funds after initial distributions to the Identity Theft Resource Center as a cy pres award.
The settlement website and notices set the procedural deadlines and a fairness hearing. The settlement administrator will distribute payments within 45 days after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval, and, as reported by USA TODAY, checks may be issued within 10 business days after final approval if there are no appeals. Individuals who wish to opt out, object, or attend the fairness hearing must follow the procedures outlined in the settlement materials.
