Cash App, Block class action claims data breach exposed data of 8.2 million users

Cash App, Block class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Michelle Salinas and Raymel Washington filed a class action lawsuit against Block, Inc. and Cash App Investing, LLC. 
• Why: Salinas and Washington claim Block and Cash App failed to protect their customer’s private information during a December 2021 data breach. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court. 

Cash App and Block failed to safeguard the information of their customers during a December 2021 data breach, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiffs Michelle Salinas and Raymel Washington claim Cash App and Block’s alleged failure to secure their accounts led to “the unauthorized public release of the personally identifiable information of 8.2 million current and former Cash App Investing customers.” 

The data breach compromised the security of the financial accounts, including Cash App Investing portfolios, of affected customers, they allege.

“The security of Defendants’ customers’ Private Information is accordingly of the utmost importance,” states the Block and Cash App class action.  

Salinas and Washington claim that even one instance of their private information being misused or improperly accessed by cybercriminals can “lead to substantial financial losses.” 

“These costs will not only impact Defendants’ bottom line but, more importantly, the millions of Cash App Investing users whose Private Information is now in the hands of cybercriminals,” the Block and Cash App class action states. 

Cash App, Block class action alleges former employee downloaded info without authorization

The data breach came to light after Block disclosed that one of its former employees had downloaded the private information of Cash App investors without being authorized to do so, according to the Cash App and Block class action. 

While alleging that the exact reason for the data breach “remain unclear,” the plaintiffs argue “there is no doubt that Defendants failed to adequately protect Plaintiffs’ and Class members’ Private Information.” 

Salinas and Washington claim Cash App and Block are guilty of breach of contract and negligence and in violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law and the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act, among other things. 

They demand a jury trial and request declaratory and injunctive relief along with an award of actual, compensatory and statutory damages for themselves and all class members. 

Salinas and Washington want to represent a nationwide class of consumers who had their information compromised in the data breach, along with subclasses from California, Illinois and Texas. 

A similar class action lawsuit was filed against R.R. Donnelly earlier this month over claims the printing company was negligent in protecting the data of its customers during a 2021 data breach. 

Have you had your personal information compromised as the result of the Cash App and Block data breach? Let us know in the comments! 

The plaintiffs are represented by Dennis Stewart, Daniel E. Gustafson, David A. Goodwin and Mary M. Nikolai of Gustafson Gluek PLLC; Nicholas A. Migliaccio and Jason S. Rathod of Migliaccio & Rathod LLP; Gary S. Graifman and Melissa R. Emert of Kantrowitz Goldhamer & Graifman PC; and Scott. D Hirsch of Scott Hirsch Law Group.

The Block and Cash App class action lawsuit is Salinas, et al. v. Block, Inc., et al., Case No. 4:22-cv-04823, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

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