Hotel Guests Eligible for $4,000 Payout from Data Breach Settlement

According to The Sun, Certain guests who stayed at luxury hotels owned by Fontainebleau Florida Hotel LLC may qualify for a one-time payment worth thousands of dollars. The opportunity comes after a class-action lawsuit was filed against the company, which owns hotels in both Las Vegas and Miami, alleging that a data breach in 2022 exposed customers’ personal information, including Social Security numbers and financial details.

Data Breach and Lawsuit Claims

According to the lawsuit, unauthorized access to Fontainebleau’s systems in 2022 led to a security breach that compromised the data of many hotel guests. Plaintiffs in the case allege that Fontainebleau could have prevented the breach with more robust cybersecurity measures. While the company did not admit to any wrongdoing, it agreed to a settlement to resolve the claims and avoid extended legal costs.

Settlement Process and Claim Deadline

The settlement awaits court approval, but Fontainebleau guests impacted by the data breach only have until October 31, 2024, to file a claim. Here’s what eligible claimants need to know:

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for a payout, claimants must have been directly affected by the 2022 breach. Guests who received a notification by email or mail, detailing a breach occurring between August 30 and September 2, 2022, are eligible to apply for the settlement.

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Claimants will need to provide documentation of out-of-pocket expenses associated with the breach, such as:

• Bills
• Bank statements
• Credit reports
• Invoices
• Receipts
• Tax documents

Filing a Claim

Eligible guests should have received a postcard with a unique Claimant Login, which they can use to submit their claim on the settlement website. Claims may also be downloaded as a PDF and mailed to the class administrator. If eligible claimants did not receive their Claimant Login, they can contact the class administrator at 866-742-4955 for assistance.

The deadline for filing claims is October 31, 2024. The window for exclusions and objections ended on September 16.

Payment Details for Eligible Guests

Compensation will vary depending on the documented expenses each claimant verifies:

• General Expenses: A maximum reimbursement of $1,000 for verified losses, including bank fees, credit costs, communication charges, and travel expenses.
• Lost Time: Claimants may receive $25 per hour for up to four hours to account for time lost dealing with the breach.
• Fraud and Identity Theft: Guests who suffered identity theft or fraud as a direct result of the breach could receive a higher payment of up to $4,000.

Additionally, all eligible claimants will receive two years of credit monitoring and identity theft protection. As part of the settlement, Fontainebleau also pledged to enhance its cybersecurity practices.

Next Steps and Payment Timeline

The final court approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for December 9, 2024. If approved, eligible claimants can expect to receive their payouts shortly afterward, along with the promised credit monitoring and identity protection services.