B.C. LifeLabs customers start to receive settlements but amount may be lower than expected

B.C. LifeLabs customers who were part of the data breach class-action lawsuit will be receiving their settlement payments in the coming days.

Customers in B.C. who signed up to be part of the settlement have started receiving emails saying they will receive an e-transfer from KPMG in the next five business days.

However, it may not be the payout people were expecting.

“Given the large number of valid claims received (i.e. 901,544), all class members who made valid claims will receive a payment of $7.86, which has been calculated in accordance with the Court-approved terms of distribution,” KPMG said in an emailed statement.

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Previously, the company said payouts could be up to $150 for each person.

3:18 Privacy Commissioners: LifeLabs failed to protect customer data

Anyone receiving a settlement will receive details about how to deposit the amount, including the password required.

For anyone with an automatic deposit, no password is required.

The e-transfer will expire 30 days after the date of issue.

The amount paid per person is based on how many people signed up for the lawsuit.

The payment comes after a 2019 cyberattack compromised the personal information of around 8.6 million people within LifeLabs’ database, primarily from Ontario and B.C.

The stolen information included health card numbers, names, email addresses, logins, passwords, dates of birth and medical lab results.

— with files from Sarah Do Couto