Verizon class action alleges massive data breach affects 63,000 employees

Verizon data breach class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Carlson Malacon filed a class action lawsuit against Verizon Communications Inc.
• Why: Malacon claims negligence on behalf of Verizon led to a September 2023 data breach that affected 63,000 of the telecom company’s workers. 
• Where: The plaintiff filed the class action lawsuit in California federal court. 

Verizon bears responsibility for harm caused to its workers during a “preventable” September 2023 data breach that exposed the personal information of 63,000 employees, a new class action lawsuit alleges. 

Plaintiff Carlson Malacon’s class action lawsuit claims Verizon failed to put “adequate and reasonable measures” in place to ensure its electronic systems were protected, failed to take adequate steps to stop and prevent the data breach and failed to timely detect the breach, among other things. 

“Now that their Personal Information has been hacked, Plaintiff and Breach Victims are at imminent risk of identity theft,” the class action states. 

Malacon wants to represent a nationwide class of individuals whose personal information was compromised during the September 2023 data breach, including those who received a notice about the incident. 

Class action says Verizon did not discover data breach for ‘nearly three months’

Malacon argues Verizon did not discover the data breach until “nearly three months” after the incident, then waited until earlier this month to reveal it in a notice filed with the Maine attorney general. 

“Plaintiff and Breach Victims must now and in the future, spend time to more closely monitor their credit reports, financial accounts, phone lists, and online accounts to guard against identity theft,” the Verizon class action states. 

Malacon claims Verizon is guilty of invasion of privacy, breach of implied contract, breach of confidence, breach of fiduciary duties, negligence per se and negligence. 

The plaintiff is demanding a jury trial and is requesting declaratory and injunctive relief, along with an award of actual, statutory and punitive damages for himself and all class members. 

Cellco Partnership, which does business as Verizon, agreed to pay $100 million earlier this year to end claims it misled customers by not disclosing certain fees in its postpaid wireless plans. 

Were you affected by the Verizon data breach? Let us know in the comments.

The plaintiff is represented by Kaveh Elihu and Saima Ali Gipson of the Employee Justice Legal Group PC. 

The Verizon data breach class action lawsuit is Malacon v. Verizon Communications Inc., et al.,  Case No. 2:24-cv-01431, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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