Forrestall CPAs Data Breach Lawsuit Investigation
Received an August 2026 breach notice from Forrestall CPAs?
Dapeer Law, P.A. is investigating a potential class action against Forrestall CPAs LLC, a Georgia accounting firm based in Sugar Hill, on behalf of tax and accounting clients whose personal information may have been exposed when an unauthorized party accessed and copied files from the firm's network in late December 2025.
Who may qualify
You may be eligible to participate in a class action if any of the following applies:
- You received a data breach notification letter from Forrestall CPAs dated August 2026.
- Your letter offered a complimentary one-year Epiq Privacy Solutions ID identity-monitoring membership with three-bureau credit monitoring.
- You had personal or financial information held by the firm in its capacity as your accountant, tax preparer, or audit or advisory provider.
- No proof of harm required to consult with counsel. You do not need to have already suffered identity theft to explore your legal options.
- Excluded: individuals who did not receive a breach notice and whose information was not involved in the incident.
Not sure if you qualify?
Send us your notice, we'll confirm your eligibility at no cost.
What happened
Forrestall CPAs LLC, an accounting firm founded in 1978 and located at 4988 West Broad Street in Sugar Hill, Georgia, reports that an unauthorized party accessed its systems between December 22 and December 30, 2025. During that eight-day window, certain files on the firm's network were viewed and copied. The firm states that it secured the affected systems, launched an internal investigation with an independent cybersecurity firm, notified federal law enforcement, and put additional safeguards in place. The public filings do not identify how the intruder gained access.
The firm filed a sample notification letter with the California Attorney General on August 17, 2026 and began mailing letters to affected individuals. The letter states that the involved files contained clients' names along with additional personal information, with the specific data elements varying by individual and listed in each person's own letter. Affected individuals are being offered a complimentary one-year membership in Epiq's Privacy Solutions ID identity-monitoring service, which includes credit monitoring at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, with an enrollment code and deadline printed in the letter. Notice came roughly eight months after the access window closed on December 30, 2025.
Because the firm prepares tax returns and performs audit and advisory work, the client files it holds commonly combine Social Security numbers with income, dependent, employer, and bank account details, which is the combination used to file a fraudulent return or open credit in someone else's name. Whether Forrestall CPAs maintained reasonable safeguards over that data, and whether the length of the notification timeline caused additional harm, are among the issues being evaluated.
What to do if you received a letter
Keep your notice letter
Do not discard it. Your letter contains the enrollment code for the Epiq identity-monitoring membership, and it is the document that identifies which categories of your information were involved. It is also important evidence if you decide to participate in a lawsuit.
Enroll in the free 12-month identity monitoring
Enroll in the Epiq Privacy Solutions ID membership offered in your letter, which includes three-bureau credit monitoring at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, before the deadline printed there. Accepting this benefit does not waive your right to pursue legal action.
Place a fraud alert or credit freeze
Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to place a fraud alert or freeze on your file. Request a free weekly credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com, and use the FTC's IdentityTheft.gov recovery guide. Because the files held by an accounting firm can include tax data, also watch for IRS notices about returns you did not file, file IRS Form 14039, the Identity Theft Affidavit, if a fraudulent return has been filed in your name, and consider requesting an IRS Identity Protection PIN.
Speak with a data breach attorney
Consultations with Dapeer Law are free and confidential. We'll review your notice, explain your options, and advise whether you may be eligible to join a class action.
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Breach timeline
Compensation you may be entitled to
Out-of-pocket expenses
Credit freezes, identity restoration services, and other costs incurred responding to the breach.
Time spent monitoring
Hours spent reviewing accounts, disputing fraudulent charges, and dealing with identity theft issues.
Identity theft & fraud losses
Unreimbursed funds stolen from accounts, unauthorized credit lines, fees paid to resolve fraudulent tax filings, or tax refund fraud tied to the breach.
Statutory damages
Certain state data breach and consumer protection statutes provide for fixed damages regardless of actual loss.
Injunctive relief
Court orders requiring the firm to implement stronger data security practices for the client tax, audit, and advisory files it holds going forward.
Compensation categories depend on applicable state law, the types of data exposed, and documented losses. No recovery is guaranteed.
Common questions
I received a data breach letter from Forrestall CPAs. What should I do? +
Keep the letter, enroll in the free one-year Epiq Privacy Solutions ID membership using the code printed in it, and place a fraud alert or security freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Review your credit reports and financial statements for activity you do not recognize, and because an accounting firm holds tax data, watch for IRS notices about returns you did not file. Report suspected fraud to your bank, to law enforcement, and to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov. Keep copies of all correspondence, then contact a data breach attorney for a free consultation. Enrolling in the monitoring does not waive your right to sue.
Am I eligible to join a class action against Forrestall CPAs? +
If you received the August 2026 breach notice from Forrestall CPAs, you are likely eligible for a free case evaluation. Your letter is the proof that your information was among the files involved. Eligibility depends on your state of residence, the categories of your data that were involved, and any losses or out-of-pocket costs you have incurred, including time spent resolving fraud. Dapeer Law will review your notice at no cost.
How much money could I receive from a class action lawsuit? +
Data breach class action recoveries vary significantly. Settlements typically range from a few hundred dollars for basic out-of-pocket losses to several thousand dollars for documented identity theft, with class size, damages, and negotiation all affecting the final amount. No payout is guaranteed, and this investigation has not yet resulted in a settlement.
What personal information was exposed in the breach? +
The notice letter states that the involved files contained clients' names together with additional personal information, and that the specific data elements vary by individual and are listed in each person's own letter. The firm has not publicly itemized every category involved. Because the firm prepares tax returns and performs audit and advisory work, the files it holds can also include Social Security numbers, income figures, dependent information, employer details, and bank account numbers. Check your individual letter for the categories that apply to you.
Did Forrestall CPAs offer free credit monitoring? +
Yes. Affected individuals are being offered a complimentary one-year membership in Epiq's Privacy Solutions ID identity-monitoring service, which includes credit monitoring at all three bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Your letter contains the enrollment code and the deadline to activate it. Enrollment is separate from, and does not waive, your right to pursue a claim.
How many people were affected by the Forrestall CPAs breach? +
The total number of affected individuals has not been publicly disclosed. The sample letter filed with the California Attorney General does not state a figure, and the firm has not released one. This page will be updated as additional information becomes available.
Is there a deadline to take legal action? +
Yes. Statutes of limitations for data breach claims vary by state and legal theory, typically ranging from one to six years. Waiting can permanently bar your claim. Contact us as soon as possible for a free evaluation.
How do I get a copy of the official breach notice? +
The sample notification letter is posted on the California Attorney General's data breach notification site and is linked in the Sources section below. If you received a letter but no longer have it, Dapeer Law can help you obtain a copy and confirm what it says during your free consultation.
Sources & references
- Official breach notice filing · California Attorney General, Forrestall CPAs notification letter sample (PDF)
- Company · Forrestall CPAs LLC (forrestallcpas.com)
- Credit bureau freezes · Equifax · Experian · TransUnion
- Free weekly credit reports · AnnualCreditReport.com
- Identity theft recovery guide · FTC IdentityTheft.gov
Don't let the deadline decide for you. Submit your claim today.
You only have a limited window to act. Our team will review your notice, explain your options, and tell you whether you may be eligible to recover compensation, at no cost to you.
