Published
July 2, 2026
If you were notified that your information was involved in the January 2024 Schuster Company data incident, you can claim a $50 cash payment or up to $2,500 for documented losses, plus two years of free credit monitoring.
What Is This Settlement About?
Schuster Company ("Schuster") is a refrigerated trucking and freight carrier headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa. According to the settlement notice, a January 2024 cybersecurity incident involving Schuster's computer systems allowed an unauthorized party to potentially access files containing personal information, including names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and driver's license or state identification numbers. Schuster maintains there is no evidence of the misuse, or attempted misuse, of any potentially impacted information.A class action lawsuit, McAlister v. Schuster Company, Case No. 5:25-cv-04015-KEM, followed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Western Division, alleging Schuster failed to adequately safeguard the personal information in its systems. Schuster denies any wrongdoing, and the court has not decided who is right; the parties agreed to a settlement to avoid the costs, risks, and uncertainties of continued litigation.
Eligible class members can now enroll in credit monitoring and file for a cash payment. The claim deadline is September 14, 2026, and the deadline to opt out or object is August 14, 2026. This page explains who qualifies, what you can get, and how to file.
Status
Claims Open
Claim Deadline
September 14, 2026
Estimated Payout
$50 or up to $2,500
$50 alternative cash (no documentation) or up to $2,500 documented losses incl. lost time · plus 2 years of free credit monitoring
Proof Required
Yes
LoginID and PIN from the mailed notice are required to file online · receipts required for the up-to-$2,500 losses option
Who Qualifies?
The settlement class is all individuals residing in the United States whose personal information was compromised in the January 2024 Schuster data incident, including everyone who received a notice of the incident. Schuster's records identify who is in the class, and class members may have received an earlier notice directly from Schuster.Excluded from the class are Schuster's directors and officers; anyone who validly opts out by the deadline; the presiding judge, court staff, and their families; and anyone found by a court to have criminally caused or aided the data incident.
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How Much Can You Get?
All class members can enroll in two years of CyEx Financial Shield credit monitoring, which includes monitoring for fraud or identity theft, unauthorized financial transactions, and personal information tied to high-risk transactions, with access to a fraud resolution agent if anything suspicious turns up.Class members can also choose one of two cash payment options:
Cash Payment A (Out-of-Pocket Losses) — reimbursement of up to $2,500 for actual, documented, unreimbursed out-of-pocket losses related to fraud or identity theft caused by the data incident and incurred between January 23, 2024, and September 14, 2026. Covered expenses can include losses from identity theft or fraud, fees for credit reports or credit freezes, the cost of replacing IDs, and postage to contact banks by mail. You must submit reasonable documentation such as receipts — personal certifications or declarations alone are not enough. Claimants choosing this option may also claim Lost Time Compensation of $20 per hour for up to 4 hours (a maximum of $80) for time reasonably spent addressing issues from the incident, with a detailed description attested under penalty of perjury; the combined total is capped at $2,500.
Cash Payment B (Alternative Cash) — a one-time $50 cash payment that requires no proof or documentation, although the settlement administrator reserves the right to verify identity and class membership to prevent fraud. You can choose only one of the two cash options, not both. If you file for out-of-pocket losses but your documentation falls short, a timely claim is automatically treated as a claim for the $50 alternative payment instead of being rejected.
What Data Was Exposed?
According to the settlement notice, the files potentially accessed in the January 2024 incident may have contained:- Name
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Driver's license or state identification number
Not every affected individual necessarily had all of these categories exposed. Schuster says there is no evidence that any potentially impacted information has been misused.
How to File a Claim
The deadline to file is September 14, 2026. File online at the official settlement website, Schuster Data Incident.com, which the notice describes as the fastest way to submit a claim. To start the online claim form you must log in with the LoginID and PIN printed on the notice that was sent to you. You can also download a printable Claim Form from the website and submit it, with any supporting documentation, by mail; mailed claims must be postmarked by September 14, 2026.On the Claim Form, choose to enroll in credit monitoring and select Cash Payment A (documented losses, with optional lost-time compensation) or Cash Payment B (the $50 alternative payment) — you cannot claim both cash options. If you cannot locate your LoginID and PIN, you can request them from the settlement administrator through the official settlement website by providing your full name and mailing address.
Key Deadlines
- File a claim: September 14, 2026
- Exclude yourself (opt out): August 14, 2026
- Object to the settlement: August 14, 2026
- Final approval hearing: September 28, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. Central Time
If you do nothing, you remain in the class and give up your right to sue Schuster over the data incident, but you will not receive any benefit unless you file a claim by the deadline. Settlement benefits are distributed after the court grants final approval and after any appeals are resolved.
Attorneys' Fees and Service Awards
The court has appointed Strauss Borrelli PLLC as class counsel. Class counsel will ask the court to approve up to $140,000 in attorneys' fees and litigation costs, and service awards of $3,000 for each of the class representatives, all paid by Schuster. Class members are not charged for class counsel's services.Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for the Schuster data breach settlement?
You qualify if you are a U.S. resident whose personal information was compromised in the January 2024 Schuster Company data incident, including anyone who received a notice of the incident from Schuster.
How much money can I get from the Schuster settlement?
You can choose one of two cash options: up to $2,500 in reimbursement for documented out-of-pocket losses tied to the breach (which can include $20 per hour for up to 4 hours of lost time), or a one-time $50 alternative cash payment that requires no documentation. All class members can also enroll in two years of free CyEx Financial Shield credit monitoring.
What is the deadline to file a Schuster claim?
Claims must be submitted online or postmarked by September 14, 2026. The deadline to opt out of or object to the settlement is August 14, 2026, and the final approval hearing is scheduled for September 28, 2026.
Do I need proof to file a Schuster data breach claim?
To file online you need the LoginID and PIN printed on the notice you were sent, so the settlement is treated as proof-required. No documentation is needed for the $50 alternative cash payment itself, but the up-to-$2,500 out-of-pocket-losses option requires reasonable documentation such as receipts — personal declarations alone are not enough.
What data was exposed in the Schuster data breach?
According to the settlement notice, files accessed in the January 2024 incident may have contained names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and driver's license or state identification numbers. Schuster says there is no evidence of misuse of any potentially impacted information.
Watch Out for Scams
Legitimate settlement administrators do not charge a fee to release a class action payment, and they do not ask for banking passwords or a "processing payment" by text or phone. File only through the official settlement website linked on this page, and ignore unsolicited messages demanding money or sensitive credentials to "release" your check. To compare this case with others, see our roundup of open data breach settlements and our explainer on how a data breach class action works.Sources
- McAlister v. Schuster Company — Official Settlement Website
- Strauss Borrelli PLLC: Schuster Data Breach Investigation
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Settlement Amount
Undisclosed
Estimated Payout
$50 cash or up to $2,500 documented
Case Title
McAlister v. Schuster Company
Case Number
5:25-cv-04015-KEM
Court
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa, Western Division
Claim Deadline
September 14, 2026
Final Approval Hearing
September 28, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. CT
Courtroom 1, U.S. District Court, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Administrator
Simpluris
Official Website
Schuster Data Incident.com
