H&R Block class action alleges negligence in data breach

H&R Block class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: William Buehring filed a class action lawsuit against HRB Tax Group Inc., which does business as H&R Block. 
• Why: Buehring claims H&R Block failed to properly secure and safeguard the sensitive information of its customers during a May 2024 data breach. 
• Where: The class action lawsuit was filed in Missouri federal court. 

A new class action lawsuit alleges H&R Block failed to properly secure and safeguard the sensitive information of its customers during a May 2024 data breach. 

Plaintiff William Buehring’s class action lawsuit claims the financial services company failed to implement “adequate” and “reasonable” cyber-security procedures and protocols necessary to protect the information of its customers from a “foreseeable” and “preventable” cyber-attack. 

Buehring further argues H&R Block’s customers entrusted their sensitive personal information to the company on the “mutual understanding” it would be protected against disclosure. 

“Plaintiff and the Class Members have taken reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of their (personally identifiable information) and would not have entrusted it to Defendant absent a promise to safeguard that information,” the H&R Block class action says. 

Buehring wants to represent a nationwide class and Illinois subclass of H&R Block customers whose personally identifiable information was accessed and/or acquired by an unauthorized party as a result of the data breach. 

H&R Block data breach victims at ‘imminent’ risk of identity theft, fraud, class action alleges

Buehring claims H&R Block customers affected by the data breach are now at a “heightened” and “imminent” risk of identity theft and fraud as a result of the incident. 

“Plaintiff and Class Members must now and in the future closely monitor their financial accounts to guard against identity theft,” the H&R Block data breach class action says. 

Buehring claims H&R Block is guilty of negligence, negligence per se, unjust enrichment and breach of implied contract, and of violating the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act. 

He demands a jury trial and requests declaratory and injunctive relief and an award of  actual, nominal, consequential and punitive damages for himself and all class members. 

The Federal Trade Commission sent an administrative complaint to H&R Block in February 2024 over concerns it deceptively markets its products as free when many customers are not eligible for them and creates unnecessary obstacles for those who want to downgrade to less costly services. 

Were you affected by the H&R Block data breach? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by John F. Garvey, Colleen Garvey, Ellen Thomas, J. Gerard Stranch, IV and Grayson Wells of Stranch Jennings & Garvey, PLLC; and Mariya Weekes of Milberg Coleman Bryson Phillips Grossman, PLLC. 

The H&R Block class action lawsuit is Buehring, et al. v. HRB Tax Group Inc., Case No. 4:25-cv-00009, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

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