Published
May 7, 2026
Updated
August 31, 2026
People who received a data incident notice from Gas Express, doing business as Circle K, may qualify to claim a flat $50 with no proof, or up to $2,000 in documented losses, plus two years of credit monitoring. Claims close September 3, 2026.
What Is the Circle K Data Breach Class Action Settlement?
Did you receive a notice from Circle K telling you that your personal information was exposed in the May 2024 data breach? You may be eligible for up to $2,000 in cash for documented identity theft losses, a flat $50 cash payment with no proof required, and two years of free credit monitoring. The deadline to file is September 3, 2026.The Circle K class action lawsuit, captioned Brittany Canup, et al. v. Gas Express, LLC d/b/a Circle K, Case No. 25EV012357, is pending in the State Court of Fulton County, Georgia. The Circle K data breach lawsuit alleges that during a May 2024 targeted cyberattack on Circle K's computer systems, certain files containing Private Information were accessed. According to court filings, those files may have contained personal information including names and Social Security numbers.
Gas Express, LLC (which does business as Circle K) notified affected individuals and reached a class action settlement to resolve the resulting claims. Class Counsel includes attorneys from Kopelowitz Ostrow P.A.; Siri & Glimstad LLP; Milberg, PLLC; and Laukaitis Law LLC. Circle K denies any wrongdoing and is settling without admitting liability.
Status
Claims Closed
Claim Deadline
September 3, 2026
same date applies to opt-out and objection deadlines
Estimated Payout
$50 or Up to $2,000
$50 alternate cash · or up to $2,000 documented losses · plus 2 years credit monitoring
Proof Required
No for the $50 cash
the $50 alternate cash payment needs no documentation and no ID from a notice · receipts are required only for the separate up-to-$2,000 documented-loss option
Quick Background: Circle K and Gas Express, LLC
Circle K is a global convenience-store and fuel brand owned by Canadian retailer Alimentation Couche-Tard, with a network spanning roughly 14,000-plus locations across about 26 countries and territories. In the United States, the Circle K and affiliated banners account for an estimated 6,800 to 7,300 stores, making it one of the largest convenience-store chains in the country. Gas Express, LLC — the defendant in this case — is an independent Atlanta-based operator that runs a substantial portfolio of Circle K-branded fueling and convenience locations under a franchise relationship with the brand. Importantly, the May 2024 Data Incident affected Gas Express's own computer systems, not the broader Circle K corporate network operated by Alimentation Couche-Tard, so this settlement covers only individuals who received a notice from Gas Express d/b/a Circle K.Free settlement alerts
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30-Second Self-Test: Do I Qualify for the Circle K Settlement?
If you can answer yes to the question below, you are likely a Settlement Class Member.• Did you receive a notice from Circle K (or Gas Express, LLC) telling you that your private information was impacted in the May 2024 data breach? The class is defined as living individuals residing in the United States who were sent such a notice. Class membership is established by Circle K's notice list, so if you received the notice (typically by U.S. mail or email between mid-2024 and 2025), you qualify.
If you answered yes, head to the official Settlement Website to file your claim by September 3, 2026. Excluded from the class are Circle K directors, officers, and agents; governmental entities; and the judge assigned to the case, the judge's immediate family, and court staff.
What Are the Three Circle K Settlement Benefits?
All Settlement Class Members can claim Credit Monitoring plus one of two Cash Payment options. Cash Payment A and Cash Payment B are mutually exclusive (you can claim one or the other, not both). Credit Monitoring stacks with either cash payment.Benefit 1: Credit Monitoring (no proof required). Two years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete, including:
• Monitoring for fraud and identity theft
• Monitoring for unauthorized financial transactions
• Monitoring for personal information associated with high-risk transactions
• $1 million of financial fraud insurance coverage
• Access to fraud resolution agents to help fix any problems that arise
Credit monitoring is a real benefit, and class members who do not currently have ongoing credit monitoring should claim it even if they also claim a cash payment. The $1 million financial fraud insurance is meaningful coverage for identity theft scenarios.
Benefit 2: Cash Payment A — Documented Losses (up to $2,000, proof required). For class members who incurred actual, documented out-of-pocket losses caused by the data breach. Reimbursable expenses include:
• Losses caused by identity theft or fraud
• Fees for credit reports, credit monitoring, or freezing and unfreezing your credit
• Cost to replace your IDs (driver's license, passport, etc.)
• Postage to contact banks by mail
Cash Payment A requires receipts, bills, or other reasonable documentation showing the amount and that the expense was caused by the data breach. Personal certifications, declarations, or affidavits alone are not enough; the documentation requirement is the controlling rule. Losses must have occurred between May 20, 2024 and September 3, 2026, and you cannot claim expenses that were already reimbursed by a third party.
Cash Payment A is capped at $45,000 in aggregate. Once total approved Cash Payment A claims reach $45,000, no further Cash Payment A claims are accepted. Filing early reduces the risk of being shut out by the cap.
Benefit 3: Cash Payment B — Alternate Cash ($50, no proof required). A flat one-time payment of $50.00 with no proof of loss required. Class members simply check the box on the claim form, and the Settlement Administrator processes the payment without requiring documentation.
Cash Payment B is capped at 700 claims (10 percent of the estimated 7,000 Settlement Class Members). Once 700 valid Cash Payment B claims are accepted, no further Cash Payment B claims are processed. Cash Payment B is the most popular option in comparable data breach settlements because it requires no documentation and is paid quickly. Class members who want this option should file early to avoid the cap.
How the Proof Requirement Actually Works (Read This Before You File)
One important nuance about the Circle K settlement: the proof requirement is benefit- specific, not claim-wide. Different benefits have different documentation rules, and class membership itself is established by the notice list rather than by anything the claimant submits.For Cash Payment A (up to $2,000 documented losses): Proof is required no matter how you submit. Receipts, bills, credit report fees, ID replacement charges, and similar documentation must accompany each expense claimed. Per the notice, personal certifications, declarations, or affidavits alone do not constitute reasonable documentation; they may only be used to provide context for other supporting records. Without proper supporting documents, the Settlement Administrator will reject the Cash Payment A claim.
For Cash Payment B ($50 alternate cash): No proof of loss is required, period. You select that option on the Claim Form, the Settlement Administrator validates class membership against the notice list, and the $50 payment is processed.
For Credit Monitoring: No proof required.
If you lost or never received your notice: Class membership is determined by the records of who Circle K (Gas Express) sent a Data Incident notice to, not by anything you provide. If you believe you should be a Settlement Class Member but cannot locate your notice, you can contact the Settlement Administrator through the official Settlement Website (GasExpressDataSettlement.com) for help confirming your class membership before submitting a claim.
How to File a Circle K Data Breach Claim
Two methods are available, both with the same September 3, 2026 deadline.Method 1: Online (recommended for speed). Visit the official Settlement Website at GasExpressDataSettlement.com and follow the instructions to start a claim. Complete the online Claim Form, upload any documentation supporting Cash Payment A losses (if applicable), and select your preferred payment method. Online submissions are typically processed faster than mail submissions.
Method 2: U.S. mail. Download the printable Claim Form from the Settlement Website (or request one from the Settlement Administrator through the official site), complete and sign it, include any documentation supporting Cash Payment A losses, and mail it to the Settlement Administrator at the address listed on the form. Mailed claims must be postmarked no later than September 3, 2026.
If you cannot locate your notice: Class membership is determined by Circle K (Gas Express) records of who was sent a Data Incident notice, not by what you submit. If you think you should be a Settlement Class Member but cannot find your notice, the Settlement Administrator can help confirm whether you are on the notice list before you file a claim. Contact information is published on the official Settlement Website.
Payment method options: The Claim Form lets you choose how you want to be paid if your claim is approved, including electronic options like PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, and virtual prepaid card, or a physical check by U.S. mail. Electronic options are typically delivered faster than a mailed check. Confirm the current list of available payment methods on the Claim Form itself.
Key Circle K Data Breach Settlement Deadlines
• Submit a claim by: September 3, 2026 (online) or postmarked by September 3, 2026 (mail)
• Opt out of the settlement by: September 3, 2026
• Object to the settlement by: September 3, 2026
• Cash Payment A documented losses must have occurred between: May 20, 2024 and September 3, 2026
• Final Approval Hearing: September 18, 2026, in the State Court of Fulton County, Georgia, 185 Central Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
When Will I Receive My Circle K Settlement Payment?
Payments will be issued only after the Court grants final approval at the September 18, 2026 fairness hearing and after any appeals are resolved. Realistic timing depends on whether the settlement faces appeals.• Best case (no appeals): Final approval at the September 18, 2026 hearing, appeals window closes 30 days after, payments distributed in late 2026 or early 2027.
• If appeals are filed: Distribution can be delayed by 12 to 36 months while the appellate court reviews the settlement, the fee award, or the allocation methodology.
Electronic payments (PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Virtual Prepaid Card) are typically processed within days of the Effective Date. Physical checks take longer because of printing, addressing, and U.S. mail delivery.
Watch Out for Caps on the Cash Payments
Two structural caps in the Circle K settlement make timing matter. Class members who wait until the September 3, 2026 deadline risk being shut out by either cap.Cash Payment A cap: $45,000 aggregate. Once approved Cash Payment A claims total $45,000 in aggregate, no additional Cash Payment A claims are accepted. With a $2,000 maximum per claim, this cap accommodates roughly 22 to 30 maximum-value claims, fewer if claimants average above the maximum, more if claimants average below. For class members with substantial documented losses, filing early matters.
Cash Payment B cap: 700 claims (10 percent of class). The flat $50 alternate cash payment is capped at 700 valid claims. With approximately 7,000 Settlement Class Members and the $50 option being structurally attractive (no documentation required, fast payment), the cap is likely to fill quickly. Class members who want the $50 option should file as soon as practical.
Credit Monitoring has no cap. All Settlement Class Members who claim it receive the full two-year CyEx Financial Shield Complete enrollment.
What Happens If I Do Nothing?
If you do nothing, you remain in the Settlement Class (assuming you do not opt out) and will be bound by the Court's decisions, but you will not receive any payment or credit monitoring. You will also give up your right to sue Circle K or Gas Express for legal claims being released by the settlement, including future claims related to the May 2024 data breach.For class members whose information was exposed in the breach, doing nothing is generally not the optimal choice. The $50 Cash Payment B option requires no documentation, no explanation, and only a few minutes to claim. The two years of free credit monitoring is genuinely useful coverage given the Social Security number exposure that may have occurred. Filing both is a practical baseline for most class members.
How to Opt Out or Object to the Settlement
Class members who do not want to be bound by the settlement have two alternatives: opting out (excluding themselves) or objecting (staying in but raising concerns). Both have the same September 3, 2026 deadline.Opting out means giving up the right to receive any settlement benefit but preserving the right to sue Circle K individually for the same claims. Opt-out requests must be in writing, postmarked by September 3, 2026, and mailed to the Settlement Administrator. The request must include the case name, your full contact information, your personal signature, and a clear "Opt-Out Request" statement. Group, class, or mass opt-outs are not permitted.
Objecting means staying in the class (and remaining eligible for benefits) but asking the Court to reject or modify the settlement. Written objections must be filed with the Clerk of Court (State Court of Fulton County) by September 3, 2026, with copies served on Class Counsel and Defendant's Counsel. Objections must include extensive documentation, including a list of class action settlements the objector or counsel has objected to in the past five years, supporting evidence, witness lists, and the objector's personal signature.
Other Active Data Breach Class Action Settlements
Data breach class actions have become increasingly common as cyberattacks continue to target consumer-facing companies. OCA covers related data breach settlements on separate pages, including settlements involving payment processors, retailers, healthcare providers, and other industries. Class members who have received notices from multiple companies about separate data breaches may qualify for separate settlements; filing one claim does not affect eligibility for any others.If you have received notices from other companies about data breaches affecting your personal information, check the OCA database of open class action settlements for any matching cases that may also pay benefits.
Official Settlement Notice
Sources
• Official Settlement Website: GasExpressDataSettlement.com• Brittany Canup, et al. v. Gas Express, LLC d/b/a Circle K, Case No. 25EV012357, State Court of Fulton County, Georgia
• Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement
• Data Incident Settlement Claim Form
• Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General — Data Breach Notification Letters, January 2025 (Gas Express, LLC sample notice on file with the OAG): mass.gov
• Fulton County State Court online docket search (case lookup for 25EV012357): fultoncourt.org
Filing Class Action Settlement Claims
Please submit only truthful information on any Claim. False or fraudulent claims can be rejected and may lead to penalties. If you are not sure whether you qualify, review the eligibility information at GasExpressDataSettlement.com or contact the Settlement Administrator. OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not the Settlement Administrator or a law firm, and we do not process or decide claims.
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Case Title
Brittany Canup, et al. v. Gas Express, LLC d/b/a Circle K
Case Number
25EV012357
Court
State Court of Fulton County, Georgia
Final Approval Hearing
September 18, 2026
185 Central Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
Official Website
Gas Express Data Settlement.com
