Legal Investigation: 2021 T-Mobile Data Breach
Last Updated on June 21, 2023
Investigation Complete
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org have finished their investigation into this matter.
Check back for any potential updates and take a look at our open investigations here. The information on this page is for reference only.
Case Update
- August 2, 2022 – Investigation Closed
- Thank you to everyone who reached out to us in regard to the T-Mobile data breach. At this point, attorneys working with ClassAction.org are no longer accepting claims on behalf of consumers looking to pursue arbitration against T-Mobile. A class action settlement has been reached, however, and is open to those who have not signed up to be part of the mass arbitration. To learn more about that settlement, head on over to our blog.
The information here was posted when this investigation began and remains for reference only. Our open list of investigations can be found here.
At A Glance
- This Alert Affects:
- Anyone whose personal information was exposed as part of the 2021 T-Mobile data breach.
- What’s Going On?
- Attorneys working with ClassAction.org are gathering current and former T-Mobile customers to take action against the company over the 2021 data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of current and former T-Mobile customers.
- What Am I Signing Up For?
- You’re signing up to participate in what’s known as “mass arbitration.” This occurs when hundreds or thousands of consumers bring individual arbitration claims against the same company, at the same time and over the same issue. It is different than traditional class action litigation.
- What Does this Cost?
- It costs nothing to sign up and if attorneys don’t win your claim, you don’t pay.
- What Could I Get?
- While there are no guarantees, it is possible that those who sign up for the mass arbitration could potentially be entitled to hundreds of dollars.
Attorneys working with ClassAction.org would like to speak with anyone whose personal information was exposed in the data breach announced by T-Mobile in August 2021.
Since the breach, attorneys have been working to help make sure T-Mobile is held accountable for failing to properly protect the private information of millions, who are now at a heightened risk for fraud and identity theft.
It has been reported that information as sensitive as Social Security numbers, dates of birth and drivers’ license numbers were stolen in the breach.
If you’ve received notice that your information was compromised in the T-Mobile data breach, you can now join others taking action.
What Am I Signing Up for, Exactly?
You are signing up to take part in what’s known in the legal world as “mass arbitration.” Mass arbitration occurs when hundreds or thousands of consumers bring individual arbitration claims against the same company, at the same time and over the same issue.
Mass arbitration is different than traditional litigation, which involves filing a formal lawsuit with the court and potentially going to trial. In general, arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution in which two parties resolve a disagreement outside of court with a third-party arbitrator, as opposed to a judge or jury, deciding on the matter.
While dozens of proposed class actions were filed following the breach, T-Mobile is arguing that most customers agreed to arbitrate their claims when they agreed to the company’s terms and conditions. This is why some attorneys have decided to handle the breach on a mass arbitration basis.
What Does This Cost?
It costs nothing to sign up. The attorneys handling the mass arbitration will only get paid if they recover money on your behalf, and their payment will come as a percentage of your award. If they don’t win your claim, you don’t pay.
What Could I Get?
While there are no guarantees, it is possible that those who sign up for the mass arbitration could potentially be entitled to hundreds of dollars.
While T-Mobile has offered two years of free identity protection services, attorneys believe this offer is not enough to compensate people whose information was exposed. T-Mobile customers could now be at risk of identity theft and fraud for many years to come, and legal action could help compensate people for the cost of these additional damages.
T-Mobile Data Breach 2021: Was I Affected?
Hackers initially told the media in late August that they had obtained the personal information of over 100 million people from T-Mobile’s servers, but the company itself has so far reported that the data breach, officially announced on August 16, has affected almost 50 million former, current and prospective customers. According to T-Mobile, not all the stolen data files contained the same information.
Here’s a quick summary of the groups T-Mobile says were affected by the breach and what information may have been exposed for each group:
- Current T-Mobile postpaid (monthly) customers:
first and last names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license/ID information, phone numbers, and IMEI and IMSI information (unique identifiers associated with your mobile device and SIM card)
- Former or prospective T-Mobile customers:
first and last names, phone numbers, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license/ID information
- Active and inactive T-Mobile prepaid customers:
names, phone numbers, and account PINs
- Metro by T-Mobile customers:
names
T-Mobile noted that none of the stolen files related to former Sprint prepaid or Boost customers and that there is “no indication” that the exposed information included customers’ financial, credit card, debit or other payment information. According to the company, the vulnerability that allowed the data to be accessed has been fixed.
T-Mobile says it has begun sending communications to those affected by the breach. A dedicated page on T-Mobile’s site has also been set up to provide more information and allow people to sign up for free identity theft protection services.
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