Fortra File Transfer $20M Data Breach Settlement

If you received a notice that your private information may have been impacted by a data breach involving Fortra’s GoAnywhere file transfer software in January 2023, you may qualify to submit a claim for up to $5,000 in losses or an estimated $85 from a class action settlement.

Fortra, LLC, along with Aetna, Brightline, Community Health, Elevance Health, Imagine360, Intellihartx, NationsBenefits, and Santa Clara, has agreed to pay $20,000,000 to settle a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that these companies failed to adequately protect sensitive personal information, resulting in a criminal cyberattack that potentially exposed the data of approximately five million individuals.

The compromised information may include names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, health insurance details, and other private data.

Who is eligible for a data breach payout?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

• You reside in the United States and received a notice in April or May 2023 stating your private information may have been impacted by the January 2023 Fortra GoAnywhere MFT data breach.
• You were or are a customer of, or did business with, any of the following companies: Aetna, Brightline, Community Health, Elevance Health, Hatch Bank, Imagine360, Intellihartx, NationsBenefits, or Santa Clara.
• You provided your private information to one of the above businesses and it and may have been stored in Fortra’s system at the time of the incident.

Your subclass is determined by the company that you received the data breach notice from:

• Aetna Settlement Subclass
• Brightline Settlement Subclass
• Brightline subclass members may only submit a claim if they did not submit a claim in the separate Brightline settlement or were not fully compensated by that settlement.

• Community Health Settlement Subclass
• Elevance Health Settlement Subclass
• Fortra Settlement Subclass (includes all class members)
• Hatch Settlement Subclass (customers may still be included in the settlement even though Hatch Bank is not a defendant)
• Imagine360 Settlement Subclass
• Intellihartx Settlement Subclass
• NationsBenefits Settlement Subclass
• Santa Clara Settlement Subclass

How much will the settlement payment be?

Class members have the following benefit options:

• Cash Payment A – Documented Losses: Class members can submit for up to $5,000 for out-of-pocket expenses related to the data breach. Eligible expenses include bank fees, credit monitoring, identity theft costs, postage, gasoline for local travel, and other losses.
• Cash Payment B – Alternative Cash Payment: Class members that do not claim documented losses can submit for an alternate pro rata cash payment, estimated to be $85. No proof is required for this payment.
• Dark Web Monitoring: All class members can also submit to receive one year of free dark web monitoring services, which includes real-time alerts, dark web scanning, high-risk transaction monitoring, wallet protection, victim assistance, and customer support.

How to claim a class action rebate

To receive a data breach settlement payment, class members must submit a claim form by the deadline of August 29, 2025. You can file a claim online or print the PDF claim form and mail it to the settlement administrator.

Brightline subclass members mailing in a claim form must download and print the Brightline Subclass Claim Form.

Settlement Administrator's mailing address: In re Fortra Data Breach Litigation Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 5569, Portland, OR 97228-5569

Required proof and information

• Unique ID and PIN from settlement notice required to submit a claim.
• Cash Payment A-Documented Losses claims require supporting documentation such as receipts, invoices, bank or credit card statements showing payments or unreimbursed losses, police report, IRS documents and other proof showing expenses and losses.

Payout options

Approved claimants will be notified by email with payment selection options:

• Electronic payment: Venmo, ACH, PayPal
• Paper check mailed to your address

$20 Million data breach settlement fund

The $20,000,000 settlement fund includes:

• Settlement administration costs: To be determined
• Attorneys' fees: Up to $6,666,667
• Attorneys' expenses: To be presented to court for approval at a later date
• Dark web monitoring: Cost determined by the number of claims filed
• Payments to approved claimants: Remaining settlement funds

Important dates

• Deadline to Submit a Claim Form: August 29, 2025
• Deadline to Opt-out of the Settlement: August 15, 2025
• Final Approval Hearing: September 15, 2025

When is the Fortra file transfer data breach settlement payout date?

Payments and codes for dark web monitoring will be issued to class members with valid claims approximately 75 days after the court grants final approval and all claim disputes are resolved.

Why was there a class action settlement?

The class action lawsuit was filed because plaintiffs alleged that Fortra and the other defendants failed to adequately protect private information, resulting in a data breach that exposed sensitive data of approximately five million consumers. The defendants deny the allegations, but agreed to settle to avoid the expense of further litigation and the possibility of a trial.

Sources

1. Official settlement website FAQ page
2. Class Notice