December Class Action Settlements Involve Best Buy, Equifax, Raisinets and Toll House

Could you use some extra cash?

Several class action lawsuit settlements have claim deadlines before the end of the year. See if you qualify but act fast if you want to file a claim against TULA Life skin care because that deadline is Dec. 10. The rest are Dec. 13 through Dec. 31.

Best Buy Data Breach Class Action Settlement

Consumers who made purchases from Best Buy and were affected by a 2017 data breach may be entitled to compensation of up to $2,060.

The Class includes everyone who received a mailed or emailed notice about the 2017 Best Buy data incident. These Class Members either lost money, needed to replace financial cards, felt they had to pay for credit monitoring, or spent time dealing with the results of the attack.

The plaintiffs claim their private financial information was obtained by hackers during the data breach.

Class Members submitting documentation of unreimbursed bank fees, card re-issuance fees, overdraft fees, telephone charges, charges from banks or credit card companies, interest, credit report costs, or fraud resolution services costs will be eligible for up to $2,000 in compensation.

In addition, those who can provide documentation regarding time spent dealing with the data breach can claim up to $20 per hour for up to three hours of lost time.

File your claim by Dec. 22, 2021.

Ferrara Candy Class Action Settlement

Consumers in the U.S. can claim up to $8 without providing proof of purchase as part of a class action settlement resolving claims Ferrara Candy Co. underfilled its cardboard candy boxes.

The Class is made up of U.S. residents who purchased one or more cardboard boxes of Raisinets, Buncha Crunch, Butterfinger Bites, Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, Rainbow Nerds, SweeTarts, Spree, Sno-Caps, Runts, or Gobstoppers between Feb. 9, 2013, and Sep. 23, 2021.

Plaintiffs claim Ferrara Candy and Nestle USA both intentionally underfilled their candy boxes in order to deceive consumers into thinking there was more product in the boxes than there actually was.

Eligible Class Members may receive $0.50 per unit for up to 16 units covered product, for a potential payment of $8.

Claims must be submitted by Dec. 27, 2021.

TULA Life Skincare Products $5M Class Action Settlement

Anyone who purchased TULA Life products may be able to claim part of a $5 million class action settlement.

The Class is made up of anyone in the United States, its territories, and districts who purchased TULA Life skincare products between Jan. 1, 2013, and Aug. 30, 2021.

Plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit alleged they had been led to falsely believe that certain TULA products advertised as containing probiotics contain live cultures.

Class Members who submit proof of purchase with their claim form will be eligible to receive a refund of the greater of 10 percent of the amounts they paid for the covered TULA products, or $4, up to a maximum of $25 per household.

Class Members who do not include proof of purchase with their claim will be eligible for a cash payment of $4.

The company also has agreed to certain labeling changes.

Claim forms must be submitted by Dec. 10, 2021.

Equifax Public Record Class Action Settlement

Certain consumers may be eligible to benefit from a class action settlement resolving claims Equifax provided inaccurate information about tax liens and civil judgments on credit reports.

Consumers who had Equifax credit reports issued to a third party and the report contained an inaccurate or incorrect tax lien or civil judgment between June 28, 2015, and May 14, 2019.

Nearly 20 class actions claimed Equifax violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act by reporting inaccurate public records information to third parties pulling consumers’ credit reports.

Claimants may be eligible to claim up to $1,500.

Claims forms are due by Dec. 31, 2021.

CalPERS LTC Policy $2.7B Class Action Settlement

California residents who purchased long-term care policies from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System — or CalPERS — may be eligible to benefit from a $2.7 billion settlement.

The Class is made up of citizens living in California in 2013 who purchased an LTC policy from CalPERS between 1995 and 2004 that included automatic inflation protection benefits, and who were subjected to the 85 percent increase in premiums announced by CalPERS in 2013.

According to a class action lawsuit, CalPERS improperly imposed an 85 percent premium increase.

Class Members will fall into one of several categories established under the terms of the settlement, and the amount of compensation they can expect will depend on which category they belong to.

Claims are due by Dec. 13, 2021.

Smitty’s/CAM2 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid Retailers $7.2M Class Action Settlement

Individuals who purchased certain types of Smitty’s and CAM2 303 tractor hydraulic fluid and may have experienced equipment damage may be eligible to claim some cash.

The Retailer Settlement Class is made up of any person or entity who purchased Super S Supertrac 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid, Super S 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid, Cam2 ProMax 303 Tractor Hydraulic Oil, and/or Cam2 303 Tractor Hydraulic Oil from Tractor Supply Co. — including Del’s Feed & Farm Supply locations — Orscheln Farm and Home LLC, Rural King, or Atwood stores between Dec. 1, 2013, to June 23, 2021.

Those who solely purchased Super S Super Trac 303 Tractor Hydraulic Fluid in Missouri are excluded.

A class action lawsuit alleged the retailers violated the law and claimed they knew or should have known the products were made with certain waste products that were not appropriate for use in the products and, as a result, did not meet current specifications.

Each Class Member will receive a payment based on the value of their general equipment damage claim and their repairs/parts/specific equipment damage claim.

File your claim by Dec. 29, 2021.

Pembina 1964/1980 Judgment $40M Class Action Settlement

If you are a beneficiary of the 1964 or 1980 Pembina Judgment fund, you may be eligible for compensation thanks to a $40 million settlement.

The Class is made up of anyone who is an original individual beneficiary of the 1964 and/or 1980 Pembina Judgment Fund, a legal representative of a Class Member, or an eligible heir to a deceased original individual beneficiary is automatically part of the Class.

The federal government was accused of failing to properly manage the Pembina funds, which were the result of two legal claims brought in the Indian Claims Commission that sought additional compensation for lands the Pembina Band of Chippewa Indians ceded to the United States.

Class Members can expect to receive between an estimated $50 and $1,440.

The claim deadline has been extended to Dec. 19, 2021.

Freedom Mortgage Fees Class Action Settlement

U.S. consumers who received mortgages through Freedom Mortgage Corp. and paid property inspection fees may be eligible to receive a payment.

The Class is made up of U.S. citizens who held mortgages through Freedom Mortgage Corp. and paid fees on property inspections after defaulting or being delinquent on their mortgage payments between March 5, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2020.

Plaintiffs had alleged Freedom Mortgage improperly and unnecessarily charged borrowers fees on mortgage loans.

Class Members who submit a claim can receive a one-time payment equal to 35 percent of the amount of the first property inspection fee they paid to the company.

They will receive another payment of 50 percent of the amount of all inspection fees paid to Freedom Mortgage.

The claim deadline is Dec. 16, 2021.

Hyatt Employee Fingerprint Scan Class Action Settlement

Employees of certain Hyatt properties who scanned their finger to use the company time clocks may be able to claim a cash payment.

The Class is made up of current or former Hyatt employees who scanned their fingerprint using the company’s timekeeping system as a requirement for employment at the following locations during the respective time periods and who were not subject to a collective bargaining agreement:

• Hyatt Lodge: Oct. 30, 2012, to Feb. 16, 2018
• Regency McCormick Place: Oct. 30, 2012, to Dec. 12, 2018
• Park Hyatt Chicago: Oct. 30, 2012, to Dec. 116, 2018
• Hyatt Regency O’Hare: Oct. 30, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2017
• Hyatt Regency Chicago: Oct. 30, 2012, to Dec. 3, 2018

Plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit claimed the company’s use of the fingerprint technology violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), which prohibits companies from capturing, obtaining, storing, transferring, or using biometric information for any purpose without providing certain written disclosures and obtaining prior written consent.

The exact amount of each Class Member’s payment is not known at this time.

The claim deadline is Dec. 24, 2021.

Partners Healthcare System Data Privacy $18.4M Class Action Settlement

If you received medical care in Massachusetts and visited certain informational websites, you may be able to take part in a $18.4 million Partners Healthcare System settlement.

Settlement Class Members include all Massachusetts residents and U.S. residents who received medical care at Partners Healthcare System — now Mass General Brigham — in Massachusetts who visited the following informational websites between May 23, 2016, and July 31, 2021: massgeneralbrigham.org, massgeneral.org, brighamandwomens.org, and dana-farber.org.

According to the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit, these websites — unbeknownst to users — implemented specific third-party analytics tools cookies and pixels that disclosed information about the consumer’s internet usage.

Class Members will be eligible for a payment of up to $100, depending on the number of valid claims filed.

File your claim by Dec. 15, 2021.