Court to Notify Customers Who Shopped at Schnucks with a Credit or Debit Card That They May Be Eligible for Payments from a Class Action Settlement

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A notification program is underway, as approved by the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, to alert customers of Schnuck Markets, Inc. ("Schnucks") that a Settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit about a security breach that occurred between December 9, 2012 and March 30, 2013.

On March 30, 2013, Schnucks announced that its computer systems had been compromised by an individual or group of individuals who had planted a malicious computer code on its systems (the "Security Incident").  The Security Incident involved the insertion of malicious computer code that targeted data in the magnetic stripe of credit and debit cards swiped at 79 Schnucks stores. A list of the 79 stores is available at www.SchnucksCardClaims.com.

The lawsuit claims that Schnucks was responsible for the Security Incident because Schnucks did not take appropriate care to protect its payment card systems from hacking.  Schnucks denies all of the claims and says it did not do anything wrong.  The case is known as McGann, et al. v. Schnuck Markets, Inc., Case No. 1322-CC00800, Division 2.

The Settlement Class includes all individuals who used a credit or debit card at a Schnucks store between December 9, 2012 and March 30, 2013.

The Settlement provides three types of payments to people who submit valid claims.

1. Reimbursement of up to $200 for out-of-pocket expenses and documented lost time that resulted from the Security Incident.  This payment type provides reimbursement related to 14 categories of out-of-pocket expenses and lost time including unreimbursed bank fees, card reissuance fees, overdraft fees, postage and credit reports. The Detailed Notice available at the website has the complete list of categories.
2. $10 for each credit or debit card that had fraudulent charges as a result of the Security Incident, even though those charges were reversed or credited back to the cardholder's account.
3. Reimbursement of up to $10,000 for extraordinary unreimbursed monetary losses which were more likely than not caused by the Security Incident.

Depending on the number of valid claims, some payments may be reduced.

Notices will be emailed or mailed to known potential Class Members, and Notices are scheduled to appear via local newspapers and radio programming within the affected Schnuck Market areas leading up to a hearing on January 13, 2015, when the Court will consider whether to grant final approval of the Settlement.

Those affected by this Settlement can submit a claim requesting benefits or they can ask to be excluded from, or object to, the Settlement and its terms.  The deadline for exclusions and objections is December 9, 2014.  The deadline to submit a Claim Form is December 31, 2014.

The toll-free number, 1-855-382-6393, and the website, www.SchnucksCardClaims.com, are active and Class Members can access the Notice, Claim Form, Settlement Agreement and other documents.  Those affected may also write with questions to: Schnucks Settlement Administrator, c/o GCG, PO BOX 10098, Dublin, OH 43017-6698 or send an email to [email protected].

SOURCE Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, State of Missouri