Montreal, June 16th, 2022 – On June 14th, 2022, the Superior Court of Quebec approved the settlement agreement between Desjardins and the plaintiffs represented by law firms Siskinds Desmeules and Kugler Kandestin after they filed class actions in connection with the privacy breach announced in June 2019.
There is no need to contact Desjardins. Between July 21 and the end of October, affected Desjardins members and clients will receive a message on AccèsD or a letter by mail with a unique reference number. They will need this number to file a claim. Notices will also be published in major Canadian media outlets to ensure that eligible individuals who are no longer Desjardins members or clients are informed of their option to file a claim.
Full details are available at www.desjardinssettlement.com.
How much is the settlement?
The settlement agreement approved by the Superior Court of Quebec allows for a maximum amount of $200,852,500 to be paid out as individual recovery to eligible individuals who file a claim.
Who can make a claim under the settlement agreement?
All individuals affected by the privacy breach announced by Desjardins on June 20, 2019, are included in the settlement agreement, namely:
- People who were, on May 24, 2019:
- Current or former Desjardins banking members
- Current or former clients with a credit card or in-store financing
- Anyone who received a letter informing them of the situation
What kind of claims can be made?
You can file two types of claims under the settlement agreement:
- If you were impacted by the situation announced in June 2019, you can claim up to $90.
- If your identity was stolen after January 1, 2017, you can claim up to $1,000.
Full details are available at www.desjardinssettlement.com.
Should you contact Desjardins to submit a claim now?
No. Eligible individuals will be informed through notices on AccèsD, by mail or in major Canadian media outlets . The notices will state that they can file a claim. Once the claims period opens, eligible individuals can file their claim with RicePoint, the independent administrator (not Desjardins), by going to www.desjardinssettlement.com.
Desjardins Identity Protection
All Desjardins members and clients benefit from the four components of Desjardins Identity Protection, one of the best available protection programs in Canada:
- Protection: Accounts and assets at Desjardins are fully protected against unauthorized transactions.
- Support: If a member or client's identity is stolen, Desjardins can provide individual support through every step of the identity recovery process.
- Reimbursement: Members and clients may be reimbursed up to $50,000 for expenses they incur to recover their identity, such as notary or attorney's fees and lost wages.
- Monitoring: Members and clients can sign up for five years of Equifax credit monitoring free of charge. This service includes daily access to credit scores on Equifax's website, as well as credit report monitoring and alerts of key changes.
People who were, on May 24, 2019, former banking members or former clients with a credit card or in-store financing, as well as anyone who received a letter informing them of the situation, can also sign up for the Equifax service for free. The service includes credit report monitoring, identity theft assistance and insurance to cover some expenses.
Eligible individuals can request their activation code for the Equifax credit monitoring paid for by Desjardins by visiting www.desjardins.com/desjardins-identity-protection. The deadline is December 31, 2023.
For more information (media inquiries only)
Public Relations
514-281-7000, ext. 5553436
media@desjardins.com