How Safe Is Your Online Data? We’re still in what could be considered the age of data breaches, but unauthorized access by hackers isn’t the only way your data can be mishandled. If you buy anything online, the companies you shop with may not be properly handling your information, all for the sake of targeted advertising. More on that below. Speaking of advertising, attorneys have set their sights on Instagram influencers and the companies that pay them to market certain goods – specifically, for potentially misleading users by not disclosing that their posts are paid ads and making false claims about the products they are advertising. We round out this issue with more data privacy concerns for those who play the Monopoly Go! mobile game, as well as the latest in class action settlements – including several covering individuals who sold a home that was listed on a multiple listing service anywhere in the U.S. during a certain date range and paid a commission to any real estate brokerage in connection with the home sale. Keep reading for the latest. - Ty Armstrong, Writer/Community Manager | The latest data privacy concern for many online shoppers is that the sites they visit may be using tracking software from PayPal to collect data about users and share it with the online payment platform, even if the user doesn’t use PayPal at all. Specifically, the tool could potentially be used to track which products users view and purchase , matching that data with personal information from their accounts. On our online shopping hub page, you’ll find several ongoing investigations – and the latest of them have to do with this PayPal tracking software. Head to this page to learn more about how the software may affect those who shop on UnderArmour.com, Soccer.com, Fanatics.com and more, and how shoppers may be able to take action. | Real Estate Broker Commission Settlements: File a Claim If you sold a home that was listed on a multiple listing service (MLS) anywhere in the U.S. during a certain date range and paid a commission to any real estate brokerage in connection with the home sale, you may be entitled to money from proposed class action settlements. New settlements worth over $110 million have been reached to settle claims that Compass, Real Brokerage, Realty ONE, @properties, Douglas Elliman, Redfin, Engel & Völkers, HomeSmart, and United Real Estate implemented anticompetitive and illegal rules that required home sellers to pay commissions to the buyer’s agent or broker—essentially raising the total commissions sellers had to pay. The current value of all settlements with these and other defendants is over $730 million. Head over to this page for more details and a link to the official settlement site where you can check out the eligible date ranges and file your claim. Make sure to get yours in by the deadline, which is May 9, 2025. | New Data Breach Investigations | | Got a data breach notice? Don’t throw it out – and check out our full list of ongoing investigations here. You may be able to help get a class action lawsuit started. | | | Our settlements page is always being updated. Have you checked to see if you're covered by any open settlements? You can also check out the latest settlements as they happen by following us on Twitter. | Latest Settlements - Cash App – Data Breach
You may be included in this settlement if you are a current or former Cash App customer who was affected by a recent data breach. - Carvin Software – Data Breach
This settlement covers those whose personal information may have been compromised in the Carvin Software data breach between February 22, 2023 and March 9, 2023. - Toyota Camry HVAC (California)
This settlement covers current and former 2012-2015 Toyota Camry XV50 owners and lessees in California. | | | To view a complete list of settlements and to find out how you can file a claim, click here. | |
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| ~ In Other News ~ Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are looking into whether class action lawsuits can be filed against certain companies and influencers for potentially misleading consumers by promoting products on Instagram without following advertising disclosure regulations outlined by the Federal Trade Commission. Specifically, the attorneys believe certain brands, including Fashion Nova, may be paying or otherwise compensating influencers, celebrities, models or other personalities to mention their products on Instagram without clearly indicating that they’re being paid to do so. They suspect that these undisclosed ads could violate certain laws that require social media influencers to disclose when they have a financial relationship with the brand they’re promoting. It’s also possible that consumers may have paid higher prices due to the potentially misleading advertising and that the influencers may be making false representation about the products themselves. Head to this page for the details. | While you’re happily collecting rent in the Monopoly Go! mobile game, attorneys suspect the app may be collecting your data at the same time. The attorneys have reason to believe that the mobile board game app may be using tracking software to secretly log players’ in-game activities and transmit the data – along with certain personal information – to Facebook for advertising purposes. This suspected data-sharing practice may violate a federal privacy law known as the Video Privacy Protection Act. So, if you downloaded Monopoly Go!, made an in-app purchase within the past two years and had a Facebook account at the time, you may be able to join others taking action. Learn more. | ~ Forward to a friend ~
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