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Data Breaches Sour Holiday Shopping: Check Your Credit Card Statements

Posted on behalf of Arnold Law Firm in
using credit card onlineAs thousands of consumers are discovering this month, the 2019 holiday season resulted in data breaches with several popular retailers that process purchases through Salesforce Commerce Cloud or Magneto Marketplace — both leading ecommerce platforms. These “e-skimming” breaches appear to be the work of Magecart, a hacking group that steals payment card data through online shopping cart systems during the transaction. The Magecart malware taps into online shopping carts to capture the consumer’s payment information while they complete their purchase. This information is then sold on the dark web, often including security details, such as the card verification value (CVV) number on the back of your credit card. Magecart has been active since 2016, and has become increasingly prolific. When retailers use online shopping carts, but fail to properly vet code provided by popular third-party vendors, it creates a transaction situation that is vulnerable to wide-scale hacking. Compromised retailers have been announcing these e-skimming data breaches and sending notification letters to potentially affected consumers. Retailers who have recently announced a data breach include:
  • Hanna Andersson – Portland-based retailer of Swedish-inspired children’s clothing
  • Evo.com – retailer of outdoor gear and fashion apparel
  • Sweaty Betty – British retailer specializing in women’s activewear
  • Macy’s – luxury department store chain
On January 15, Hanna Andersson notified customers of a nearly two-month data breach involving online transactions from September 19 through November 11, 2019. An unauthorized party had access to card payment information that certain customers entered as they were checking out at the vendor’s website. It is unclear how many customers were affected by the incident.

Online consumers are advised to review their credit card statements regularly for suspicious activity. If you have unauthorized credit card charges that you think are a result of a recent e-skimming data breach, contact the Arnold Law Firm at (916) 777-7777 to discuss your legal options.

Settlement - $3,767,000

Truck Accident

A 20-year-old man who had been married for just 12 days left home on his way to work. He was driving on Pleasant Grove Road in Sutter County in the early morning when he came upon a slow-moving truck. As he pulled out to pass the truck, the truck driver turned left in front of him. The young man attempted to steer back into his lane but his vehicle struck an un-flagged piece of metal extending from the back of the truck. He died in the resulting crash.

Expert witnesses brought in by the Arnold Law Firm proved that the truck, owned and operated by a hauling firm, should never have been on the highway that morning. Specifically, the rear and side turn signals did not work and the rear-view mirror was in a poor state of adjustment at the time of the collision. As a result, the driver, who had failed to properly inspect the vehicle before setting out that morning, couldn’t see the young man’s vehicle as it attempted to pass.

The poor condition of the truck, its lack of maintenance and the manner in which it was operated were found to be substantial factors in causing the collision that killed the young man. The testimony also established that the man had been making a lawful pass at the lawful speed limit and acted reasonably when he attempted to avoid the collision.

The man’s 20-year-old widow was awarded $3,767,000.77, his parents were awarded $185,131 and the family was reimbursed $11,899 in funeral expenses. Though money is a poor substitute for a young man’s life, this verdict demonstrates that drivers who endanger the lives of others will be held accountable for their actions.