Since October 18, all Desjardins members and clients affected by the 2019 personal information leak can file a claim online and easily receive $90 in compensation.
• Read also: Data theft at Desjardins: $200 million settlement agreement approved
“There are still $200 million available for the group,” recalls Jérémie Longpré, lawyer at Kugler Kandestin, one of the firms that launched a class action against Desjardins.
The lawyer wants to encourage the many people concerned to seek their compensation.
“The claims portal is very well done and very simple. It’s really worth it because it only takes a few minutes to make the complaint and ask for it,” he says.
Since July, people who have received a notice from Desjardins could already file their claim. But since October 18, all those affected by the incident can claim compensation directly online. Remember that more than 9 million Desjardins members or clients were affected by the personal data leak.
$200 million to pay
The banking cooperative agreed, in an out-of-court settlement approved by the Superior Court of Quebec in June, to pay more than $200 million in compensation to its customers and members.
Claimants can claim up to $90 for lost time. No documentation requested. They have until April 20, 2023 to apply. Payment to members will be issued before July 19, 2023, according to the Desjardins Regulation site.
In the event of identity theft, compensation of $1,000 may also be claimed. In this specific case, documents proving the situation are necessary and the claim period will run until October 2025.
Members also have access to the Equifax monitoring service, at Desjardins’ expense, for a period of five years. They have until October 20, 2023 to apply.
The newspaper tested the Desjardins Settlement site: a few pieces of information and five minutes are enough to claim compensation of $90.
Two clicks and here we are in the compensation form. After filling in very basic personal information – first name, last name, address, email and phone number – the options for complaints are offered. You can get up to $90 for loss of time without having to provide proof, or $1,000 for identity theft, with proof this time.
By choosing the “loss of time” option, the plaintiff is entitled to $18 per hour lost, up to a maximum of $90. To get the maximum amount is quite easy. We add the different actions already predefined from a scrolling list: registration with Equifax, search for information, etc. Add a short description and the time allotted to the task. It’s completed.
By choosing the “Identity Theft” option, the portal clearly explains the cases for which the online claim is accepted. Here, it will be necessary to provide more details to obtain $1000: the date of the identity theft, a description, and documents proving the facts. But if this is your case, the process remains quick and easy.
The operation ends with the choice of payment receipt method: by check or Interac transfer. The process was completed smoothly within minutes. If necessary, a telephone line is available. An email and a confirmation number are sent for follow-up.
