Staples Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over ‘Preventable’ March 2026 Cyberattack

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Staples faces a proposed class action lawsuit that alleges the office supplies retailer failed to adequately protect sensitive consumer and employee information in the lead-up to a March 2026 data breach.

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The 41-page data breach lawsuit claims that Staples failed to safeguard the private information in its care from unauthorized access. According to the complaint, a ransomware group known as “CoinbaseCartel” claimed responsibility for the cyberattack on Staples’ network on March 11, 2026.

As a result of the breach, the criminal group obtained more than two terabytes of personal information, which included the names, addresses, dates of birth and/or Social Security numbers, the suit says.

The lawsuit contends that the cyberattack was a “direct and proximate result” of the retailer’s negligent failure to follow recommended cybersecurity procedures, despite representing in its privacy policy that private information would be kept safe.

If Staples had followed proper security guidelines, such as those outlined by the Federal Trade Commission, the breach could have been prevented, and prospective class members might not be facing an “imminent risk of fraud and identity theft,” the case alleges.

“[Staples] was, or should have been, fully aware of the unique type and the significant volume of data on Defendant’s server(s), and, thus, the significant number of individuals who would be harmed by the exposure of the unencrypted data,” the filing states.

The case maintains that the consequences of Staples’ alleged negligence may be long-lasting and severe for those affected. According to the complaint, the extraction of PII, particularly Social Security numbers, can lead to “identity theft and extensive financial fraud,” along with a slew of immediate anxieties, stressors, emotional suffering and other disruptions to a victim’s personal life.

Once in the hands of a cybercriminal, the suit outlines, private information can be used fraudulently to open bank accounts, file tax returns, obtain driver’s licenses or identification cards using the victim’s information, procure government benefits and engage in other misuse that may present legal ramifications for the victim down the line.

Compounding matters is the retailer’s alleged failure to contact individuals with a timely data breach notice and to inquire about whether any consumers suffered potential misuse of their data, the suit claims. This delay, the case says, may hinder a class member’s ability to detect fraud and obscure its origin.

The plaintiff, a Kentucky resident, is a former Staples employee who was required to provide his personal information to the company as a condition of employment. Although the man is no longer associated with Staples, he claims that his information was exposed in the incident and that he now faces an ongoing risk of fraud and identity theft.

The Staples data breach class action lawsuit looks to represent all United States residents whose private information was compromised in the March 2026 data breach and received notice about the incident.

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