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Individuals who received direct notice that the January 2026 Grayback Forestry Inc. data breach may have compromised their private information could claim up to $5,000 from a class action settlement.
Grayback Forestry agreed to settle a class action lawsuit related to a targeted cyberattack in January 2026. The lawsuit alleged Grayback failed to adequately protect personal information, resulting in unauthorized parties accessing files containing sensitive data, such as names and Social Security numbers. The data breach affected approximately 5,026 individuals.
Who can file a claim?
Class members are individuals who received direct notice that the January 2026 data breach at Grayback Forestry may have compromised their private information.
How much can class members receive?
Class members may be eligible for the following benefits:
- Out-of-pocket expenses: Class members who incurred documented, unreimbursed losses due to the data breach that occurred between Jan. 5, 2026, and Dec. 28, 2026, can claim up to $5,000. Eligible expenses include losses from identity theft or fraud, fees for credit reports or monitoring, costs to replace IDs and postage for contacting banks.
- Lost time: Class members who spent time addressing issues the data breach caused can claim up to five hours of lost time at $25 per hour for a maximum of $125. Qualifying tasks include changing passwords, investigating suspicious activity or researching the breach. This amount counts toward the $5,000 out-of-pocket cap.
- Alternative cash payment: Class members who do not have any out-of-pocket expenses or lost time may opt for a one-time $65 cash payment.
- Credit monitoring: All class members can enroll in three years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete, which includes $1 million in financial fraud insurance and monitoring for identity theft, unauthorized transactions and high-risk activities.
The settlement caps cash payments for out-of-pocket expenses, lost time and alternative cash payment claims at $165,000. If the number of valid claims exceeds this amount, the settlement administrator will reduce individual payments on a pro rata basis.
How to claim a settlement payment
Class members must submit an online claim form or print and complete the PDF claim form and mail it to the settlement administrator. They can also request a paper copy of the claim form by emailing the settlement administrator.
Settlement administrator's mailing address: Grayback Data Breach Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958
Settlement administrator's email: info@GraybackForestryDataSettlement.com
The deadline to file a claim is Dec. 28, 2026.
Required documentation and information
- Out-of-pocket expenses: Class members must provide documentation, such as bank statements, receipts or other records showing their expenses. Self-prepared notes can supplement but not replace this documentation.
- Lost time: Class members must specify the amount of time they spent dealing with the data breach.
- Alternative cash payment: Class members do not need. to submit documentation but must submit a claim form.
- Online claim form: Class members using the online claim form must provide the LoginID and PIN they received in their settlement notice.
Payout options
- Zelle
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Physical check mailed to the address provided
Settlement fund breakdown
The settlement fund includes:
- Settlement administrator's fee: Amount not specified
- Attorneys' fees and litigation costs: Up to $90,000
- Service award to class representative: Up to $2,000
- Credit monitoring: Dependent on the number of class members claiming this benefit
- Payments to eligible class members: Capped at $165,000
Important dates
- Opt-out deadline: Nov. 27, 2026
- Deadline to file a claim: Dec. 28, 2026
- Final approval hearing: Jan. 25, 2027
When is the Grayback Forestry payout date?
The settlement administrator will distribute cash payments to eligible class members after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval of the settlement. It already mailed class members postcards with enrollment codes for credit monitoring.
Why is there a class action settlement?
A targeted cyberattack in January 2026 compromised Grayback Forestry's computer systems, potentially exposing personal information, such as names and Social Security numbers. The plaintiff alleged Grayback failed to adequately protect this information.
Grayback denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the costs and uncertainties of continued litigation.
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