ACCC Data Incident Settlement: Up to $3,580 in Cash, or a No-Proof $45 Payment
ACCC Data Incident Class Action Settlement
American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc. (ACCC) agreed to settle a class action lawsuit over a January 2025 cybersecurity incident in which a criminal third party gained unauthorized access to certain employee email accounts, potentially exposing names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, financial account numbers, and payment card information. Class Members can enroll in three years of free credit monitoring and claim either documented out-of-pocket losses (up to $3,500) plus compensation for lost time (up to $80), or a one-time $45 no-proof cash payment, by September 16, 2026.
Settlement fund
Reimbursement-based
Common fund
Top payout
Up to $3,580
Documented losses + lost time, or $45 no-proof payment
Claim deadline
Sep 16, 2026
55 days remaining
You may be owed money
Filing is free and takes a few minutes. Deadline: Sep 16, 2026.
Do you qualify?
You are a Class Member if ALL of the following apply:
- You are a Class Member if you are a U.S. resident whose Personally Identifiable Information (PII) was potentially compromised in the Data Incident ACCC discovered in January 2025, including anyone who received notice about it.
- No proof is required to claim the $45 Alternative Cash Payment; documentation is only needed for the Documented Out-of-Pocket Losses and Compensation for Lost Time benefits.
- Excluded: ACCC and its affiliates, parents, subsidiaries, and any entity in which ACCC has a controlling interest; ACCC's officers, directors, and successors; the judge presiding over the case, along with the judge's staff and immediate family; and anyone found guilty (or who pleads nolo contendere) of causing the Data Incident.
Not sure if you qualify? Call the Settlement Administrator toll-free 24/7 at (833) 421-7260, email info@ACCCSettlement.com, or visit ACCCSettlement.com.
What happened
This lawsuit alleges that, in January 2025, American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc. (ACCC) learned of a cybersecurity incident in which a criminal third party gained unauthorized access to certain of ACCC's employee email accounts (the "Data Incident"). Files in those accounts may have contained personal information, including names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, financial account numbers, and payment card information. The case, Dinkel, et al. v. American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc., Case No. 2581CV02933, is pending in the Superior Court of Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
ACCC denies that it did anything wrong, and the Court has not decided who is right. The parties agreed to settle to avoid the costs, risks, disruptions, and uncertainties of continuing the litigation. ACCC will separately pay for three years of credit monitoring for all Settlement Class Members, documented out-of-pocket loss and lost-time reimbursement or a flat no-proof cash payment, Court-approved attorneys' fees and costs, and Service Awards to the two Class Representatives.
How to file a claim
-
1. Confirm you are eligible
You qualify if you are a U.S. resident whose Private Information was potentially compromised in the January 2025 Data Incident, including anyone who received a notice about it. Excluded individuals include ACCC and its affiliated entities, the presiding judge, and anyone responsible for causing the Data Incident.
-
2. Choose your benefits
All Class Members can enroll in three years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete credit monitoring with $1 million in fraud insurance. You can also claim cash under one of two categories: Category 1 lets you combine reimbursement of documented out-of-pocket losses (up to $3,500) for losses incurred between January 27, 2025 and September 16, 2026, plus compensation for time spent responding to the Data Incident (up to 4 hours at $20 per hour, a maximum of $80). Category 2 is a one-time $45 Alternative Cash Payment with no proof required. You may choose Category 1 or Category 2, not both.
-
3. File online or by mail
Submit the Claim Form online at acccsettlement.com/form/claim by September 16, 2026, or mail a paper Claim Form (postmarked by September 16, 2026) to: ACCC Data Incident Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799.
-
4. Receive your benefits
Cash payments and credit monitoring enrollment are distributed after the Court grants final approval at the October 8, 2026 Final Approval Hearing and any appeals are resolved. The appeal process can take a year or more. No follow-up is required once your Claim Form is submitted.
Key dates
- Aug 17, 2026 Opt-out & objection deadline Soon
- Sep 16, 2026 Claim filing deadline Upcoming
- Oct 8, 2026 Final Fairness Hearing (2:00 p.m. ET, via Zoom) Upcoming
- TBD after final approval Payments issued to claimants Pending
The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for October 8, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time by video teleconference via Zoom. The Zoom link will be posted on the settlement website. The Court may move the hearing, so check ACCCSettlement.com for updates before the hearing.
Where the money is going
This Settlement does not establish a common fund. Instead, ACCC separately pays approved cash claims, three years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete credit monitoring for all enrolled Class Members, Court-approved attorneys' fees and costs, Service Awards, and notice and administration costs.
All amounts listed above are pending and subject to final court approval at the October 8, 2026 Final Approval Hearing. The Court may award less than the amounts requested. Attorneys' fees, Service Awards, and notice and administration costs are paid by ACCC and do not reduce the cash payments or credit monitoring available to Class Members.
Common questions
How much money will I receive?
You can choose one of two cash options. Category 1 lets you combine reimbursement of documented out-of-pocket losses (up to $3,500) with compensation for lost time (up to 4 hours at $20 per hour, a maximum of $80), for losses and time incurred between January 27, 2025 and September 16, 2026. Category 2 is a one-time $45 Alternative Cash Payment with no proof required. You may claim Category 1 or Category 2, not both. All Class Members can also enroll in three years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete credit monitoring with $1 million in fraud insurance.
Do I need to submit proof of purchase?
Documentation is required only for Category 1. You must send documented proof, like bank statements or receipts, showing how much you spent or lost because of the Data Incident; personal notes alone are not enough, though they can support other documentation. You cannot claim expenses already reimbursed by a third party. Category 2 and credit monitoring enrollment require no documentation.
What if I didn’t receive a notice?
The Class is defined as all individuals residing in the United States whose PII was potentially compromised in the Data Incident, including those who received notice from ACCC. If you believe you are a Class Member but did not receive a notice, contact the Settlement Administrator at (833) 421-7260 or info@ACCCSettlement.com to confirm your status before the claim deadline.
Does staying in the class affect my right to sue later?
The Notice does not describe a right to exclude yourself (opt out) from this Settlement; only the rights to submit a claim, object, or do nothing are offered. If you are a Class Member, you are automatically part of the Settlement whether or not you file a claim, and you give up the right to sue, continue to sue, or be part of another lawsuit against ACCC over the claims resolved by this Settlement, unless you file a timely objection by August 17, 2026 (filing an objection does not remove you from the Class). The full release is described in Section VIII of the Settlement Agreement, available at ACCCSettlement.com.
When will payments be sent out?
The Court will hold the Final Approval Hearing on October 8, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time by Zoom. Settlement payments are issued after the Court grants final approval and after any appeals are resolved. The appeal process can take a year or more. No action is required after a valid Claim Form is submitted.
Dapeer Law, P.A.
Consumer class action attorneys based in South Florida. We track settlements so you don’t have to.
Similar open settlements
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Dapeer Law, P.A. is not the administrator of this settlement and is not affiliated with American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc., Simpluris (the Settlement Administrator), or Class Counsel Casondra Turner of Milberg PLLC. The case is Dinkel, et al. v. American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc., Case No. 2581CV02933, pending in the Superior Court of Middlesex County, Massachusetts before TBD - verify before publishing. Class representatives are Veronica Hicks and Justin Dinkel. ACCC denies wrongdoing. This website is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
