MD Drivers Impacted by Uber’s 2018 Data Breach Eligible to Receive Payments
Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today announced that Maryland drivers impacted by Uber’s 2018 data breach are eligible to receive payments as a result of a settlement reached with the Office of Attorney General and Uber. In September 2018, as part of a multi-state action, Attorney General Frosh settled a data breach case with Uber involving the personal information of its drivers. As part of the settlement, Uber agreed to pay $148 million to the states, making it the largest multi-state data breach settlement to date. Maryland’s share of the settlement will provide each eligible Maryland Uber driver with a $100 payment. Eligible drivers are those whose driver’s license numbers were accessed during the 2016 breach. In Maryland, 20,719 Uber drivers are eligible to receive $100 payments. Through July 30th, the claims processor hired by the states will send notices to the affected drivers to file a claim.
“Maryland law requires companies to notify affected consumers and the Office of Attorney General following a data breach,” said Attorney General Frosh. “Uber’s decision to wait a year to send notification endangered the personal information of thousands of its drivers and violated Maryland law.”
Uber learned in November 2016 that hackers had gained access to personal information about its drivers, including the driver’s license information of approximately 600,000 drivers nationwide. Uber did not report the breach until November 2017. Eligible drivers will be contacted by the claims administrator or may get more information by either calling the claims administrator at 866-253-3314 or by visiting the claims administrator’s website: www.UberDriversStateAGSettlement.com. Additional information can also be found here.
Information on how to protect your identity, or what to do in the event of a data breach can be found in the Maryland Office of Attorney General’s Identity Theft Guide. Consumers who believe they may be a victim of identity theft should contact the Attorney General’s Identity Theft Unit by calling (410) 576-6491 or by sending an email to idtheft@oag.state.md.us.
