Mercer University Data Breach Class Action Settlement

• Individuals who received a data breach notification letter from Mercer University.
  
  
• Those whose personal and financial information may have been accessed in the breach between Feb. 12 and 24, 2023.

To claim compensation, class members must provide documentation of data breach-related losses, including:

• Bank and credit card statements
• Receipts for fraud-related expenses
• Invoices for credit monitoring or identity theft services
• Tax documents or IRS communications

Mercer University has agreed to settle claims that it failed to protect sensitive student and employee information from a 2023 data breach.

According to the class action lawsuit, Mercer University did not have adequate cybersecurity measures in place, allowing hackers to access Social Security numbers and other private data. Plaintiffs claim Mercer could have prevented the breach by implementing stronger security protocols. Instead, the breach left students, staff, and faculty members vulnerable to identity theft and financial fraud.

Mercer University, a private university with campuses in Macon, Atlanta, and Savannah, Georgia, has not admitted wrongdoing but agreed to a settlement to resolve the case.

Under the terms of the settlement, Class members can receive up to $450 for ordinary losses, including:

• Communication expenses (e.g., phone calls or mailing costs).
• Credit expenses, such as credit monitoring and reports.
• Professional fees related to fraud resolution.
• Reimbursement for fraudulent charges on affected accounts.
• Compensation for lost time (up to five hours at $20 per hour).

Those who suffered extraordinary losses due to identity theft or fraud linked to the data breach may receive up to $5,500 in reimbursement for financial damages. All class members are eligible for two years of free credit monitoring and identity resolution services to help protect against potential fraud.