Are You Eligible for the Trader Joe's Class Action Settlement?
You may be able to claim $100.
Images By Tang Ming Tung/Getty
Did you pay with a credit or debit card at Trader Joe’s in 2019? If so, you may be eligible for compensation. The company is settling a class-action suit over misprinted receipts — and it’s paying out over $7 million.
Why was Trader Joe’s sued?
Businesses that accept credit or debit card transactions are supposed to truncate the card numbers printed on receipts. The reasoning is that complete card numbers are personal information, so if a receipt falls into the wrong hands, shortening the number should reduce the risk of identity theft or fraud.
However, in a 2020 lawsuit filed in California, a plaintiff named Brian Keim, “on behalf of himself and other similarly situated individuals,” alleged that Trader Joe’s violated this regulation.
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act limits information printed on receipts to the last five digits of the card number and the expiration date. The lawsuit says that certain Trader Joe’s locations “printed ten digits – the first six and last four – of customers’ sixteen-digit card numbers on their receipts.”
In the settlement notice, Trader Joe’s denies the plaintiff’s allegations and “vigorously denies any and all liability or wrongdoing whatsoever.” It adds that “only a small minority of transactions involved such receipts.” Still, it concluded that a settlement was the best course of action (though it notes that by settling it is not conceding “the truth or validity of any of the claims against it”).
Was anyone’s identity stolen as a result of Trader Joe’s printing mistake?
According to Trader Joe’s, no.
“It has been more than five years since Plaintiff sued Trader Joe’s," it says in the settlement notice. "No person has reported to Trader Joe’s identity theft based on the conduct alleged in this case."
How much is Trader Joe’s paying out?
The company and its insurer have agreed to pay out $7.4 million to those whose card information was not properly obscured on a Trader Joe’s receipt between March 5, 2019 and July 19, 2019.
It’s currently estimated that each person affected by the error is eligible to receive $102.45, though that number could change depending on how many people file a valid claim.
Who can claim a settlement payout?
“If you made a purchase at a Trader Joe’s store using a credit card or debit card between March 5, 2019 and July 19, 2019, you may be entitled to benefits under a class action settlement,” the settlement notice explains.
To be included in the settlement, you must submit a valid claim by June 9, 2026. You can also choose to opt out of the settlement by the same deadline.
You can find additional information on the settlement website or call its toll-free number: 1-888-444-7415.
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