You may be eligible for a fairly large settlement payout if you have a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) “My Account,” as well as other accounts on government websites.
The federal government will be paying out millions in order to settle a class-action lawsuit that involves thousands of Canadians who hold government accounts, and you could be one of them if your sensitive information has been compromised or stolen.
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The Class-Action
The lawsuit concerns an incident where hackers targeted government accounts over several months in 2020. Reportedly, this was primarily to apply for financial aid through the victims’ names during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 47,000 people had their sensitive information compromised during those months. This includes social insurance numbers and bank account details.
According to KPMG, the law firm working on the settlement, “The lawsuit alleges that inadequate safeguards allowed unauthorized third parties to access confidential personal and financial information in Government of Canada Online Accounts, including CRA ‘My Account,’ My Service Canada accounts, and other accounts accessed using GCKey.”
“In some cases, fraudulent applications for benefits were made. The Government of Canada denies any wrongdoing.”
Who Is Eligible?
You are an eligible Class Member if your personal or financial information in a Government of Canada Online Account was compromised. Specifically, if it was “disclosed to a third party without authorization between March 1, 2020, and December 31, 2020.”
These accounts include Canada Revenue Agency accounts, My Service Canada accounts, and any other Government of Canada online accounts accessed using GCKey.
If you’re not sure if you’re included, you can visit the Eligibility Page for more information.
How Much Can I Receive?
Your compensation amount depends on what you’re claiming. The claim structure looks like this:
- Access Claims: Up to $80 for time spent addressing issues related to unauthorized access.
- Fraud Claims: Up to $200 for time spent addressing fraudulent use of personal information.
- Special Compensation Fund: Up to $5,000 for out-of-pocket expenses related to the breach (e.g., unreimbursed fraud losses, identity theft costs).
There is currently no listed claim deadline. As of now, nothing is needed from you if you intend on participating in the settlement. The court must first approve the proposed settlement, and then you will be notified about how to apply for compensation.
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