M.A. Ford $425,000 Data Breach Class Action Settlement, Claim Deadline Is May 25, 2026

M.A. Ford Mfg. Co. Inc. agreed to pay $425,000 to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging it failed to adequately protect consumers’ private information, resulting in a targeted cyberattack in December 2023 that allowed unauthorized access to files containing personally identifiable information (PII). The lawsuit is captioned Timothy Harter and Kevin Hays v. M.A. Ford Mfg. Co., Inc., d/b/a M.A. Ford Manufacturing Company, Inc., Case No. 3:24-cv-00056-SMR-SBJ, and is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. U.S. consumers who received notice from M.A.

Ford that the December 2023 incident may have compromised their information may be eligible for up to $6,000 in cash reimbursements and three years of free credit monitoring. The claim deadline is May 25, 2026.

Quick Facts

Lawsuit type: Class action — data breach / failure to protect personal information

Defendant: M.A. Ford Mfg. Co. Inc., d/b/a M.A. Ford Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Case name: Timothy Harter and Kevin Hays v. M.A. Ford Mfg. Co., Inc.
Case number: 3:24-cv-00056-SMR-SBJ
Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
Settlement status: Proposed (pending final approval)
Settlement fund: $425,000
Who may be affected: Individuals who received notice from M.A. Ford that the December 2023 data security incident may have compromised their information
Maximum compensation: Up to $6,000 cash plus three years of credit monitoring
Opt-out / objection deadline: March 23, 2026
Claim deadline: May 25, 2026
Final approval hearing: June 30, 2026
Official settlement website: MAFordSettlement.com
Administrator: Simpluris

Current Status & What Happens Next

The M.A. Ford data breach settlement is currently open for claims. Here is what is happening now and what comes next:

Claims open now — eligible class members can file online or by mail through May 25, 2026
Opt-out and objection deadline: March 23, 2026
Claim deadline: May 25, 2026
Final approval hearing: June 30, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Central Time, in Room 510 of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 123 E. Walnut St., Des Moines, IA 50309
Payments: Settlement payments will be distributed after the court grants final approval and after any appeals are resolved.

To opt out: Mail a written Request for Exclusion to the settlement administrator postmarked by March 23, 2026. Your request must include the case name, your full name, mailing address, phone number, email address, personal signature, and the words “Request for Exclusion.”

To object: File your complete objection with the Clerk of Court and send a copy to the settlement administrator, both postmarked by March 23, 2026.

What the Lawsuit Alleges

M.A. Ford Mfg. Co. Inc. — not to be confused with Ford Motor Company — is an Iowa-based precision cutting tools manufacturer. The company produces end mills, drills, reamers, and other specialty cutting tools used across industrial manufacturing sectors.

The lawsuit alleges that during a targeted cyberattack on M.A. Ford’s computer systems in December 2023, certain files containing private information were accessed. Those files may have contained personally identifiable information (PII) of the company’s employees, customers, or other individuals in its records.

Plaintiffs claimed M.A. Ford failed to adequately protect private information, which allowed unauthorized users to access those files. The lawsuit argues the company should have had stronger cybersecurity safeguards in place to prevent such an incident.

M.A. Ford denies any wrongdoing. The company agreed to settle to avoid the costs and risks of continued litigation and to provide benefits to affected individuals.

Who Could Be Included

The court defined the class as: “All individuals who received notice from M.A. Ford that their information may have been compromised as a result of the December 2023 Data Security Incident at M.A. Ford.”

To be eligible, you must meet both of the following criteria:

You received a notice from M.A. Ford that the December 2023 data security incident may have compromised your information.
Your name appears in M.A. Ford’s records as an affected individual.

Excluded from the class are the judge assigned to the case and the judge’s family and staff, M.A. Ford and its officers, directors, and related companies, and anyone who validly excludes themselves from the settlement.

If you are unsure whether you qualify, contact the settlement administrator at (833) 647-9009 or [email protected].

M.A. Ford $425,000 Data Breach Class Action Settlement, What You Need to Know

Settlement Details

Total Fund

M.A. Ford will establish a settlement fund of $425,000. The fund will first be used to pay court-approved attorneys’ fees and costs, service award payments for the class representatives, and settlement administration costs. The remaining net fund will be used to pay benefits to eligible class members.

Settlement Fund Breakdown

Attorneys’ fees and costs: $141,666.67
Service awards to class representatives: $2,500 each
Administration costs: Amount TBD
Credit monitoring costs: Determined by the number of valid claims
Cash payments to approved class members: Remainder of the fund

What You Could Receive

The settlement provides the following compensation options:

Reimbursement for out-of-pocket losses — up to $500: If you incurred actual, documented out-of-pocket expenses due to the data security incident, you can be reimbursed up to $500. Covered expenses include fees for credit reports, credit monitoring, or freezing and unfreezing your credit, the cost to replace your IDs, and postage to contact banks by mail. Losses must have occurred between December 12, 2023, and May 25, 2026.

Reimbursement for identity theft or fraud losses — up to $5,000: If you lost money due to identity theft or fraud, you may be reimbursed up to $5,000. You must show that the theft or fraud was probably caused by the data security incident, that the losses are not already covered by the out-of-pocket expense category, and that you tried to prevent the loss or recover funds using existing insurance.

Reimbursement for attested time — up to $125: Class members who spent time responding to the data security incident may claim up to five hours at $25 per hour, for a maximum of $125. Qualifying tasks include changing passwords, investigating suspicious account activity, and researching the incident. You must briefly describe how you spent the time.

Pro rata cash payment: All class members may claim a pro rata cash payment, which the settlement administrator will calculate by dividing the remaining settlement fund by the number of valid claims.

Three years of credit monitoring: All class members can enroll in three years of CyEx Identity Defense Total, which includes $1 million in identity theft insurance, real-time credit monitoring, dark web scanning, and comprehensive public records monitoring. If suspicious activity is detected, a fraud resolution agent is available to help.

The combined total for out-of-pocket losses and attested time is capped at $6,000 per person. If the total amount claimed by class members exceeds the remaining fund, the settlement administrator will reduce payments on a pro rata basis.

Proof Required

To file an out-of-pocket losses or identity theft claim, you must submit receipts, bank statements, or other supporting documents showing how the expense or loss was related to the data breach. Notes or self-prepared statements alone are not sufficient.
To file an attested time claim, you must briefly describe the tasks you performed and the time you spent.
To file for credit monitoring or the pro rata cash payment, simply select the appropriate option on the claim form.

How to File a Claim

Online: Visit MAFordSettlement.com/form/claim and log in with the unique ID and PIN from your settlement notice
By mail: Download the PDF claim form at MAFordSettlement.com/documents and mail to:

M.A. Ford Data Security Incident Settlement c/o Settlement Administrator P.O. Box 25226 Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958

Phone: (833) 647-9009
Email: [email protected]
Deadline: May 25, 2026 (online submission or mail postmark)

Payout options include PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, a virtual prepaid card, or a physical check.

If you cannot locate your notice ID and PIN, contact the settlement administrator by email at [email protected] and provide your full name and mailing address.

Prior Cases / Context

The M.A. Ford settlement is part of a continuing surge of data breach class actions targeting small and mid-size manufacturers. Manufacturing leads all other industries in total cybersecurity incidents, according to annual cybersecurity reports from IBM and Verizon, with ransomware involved in 44% of all manufacturing-sector breaches.

Manufacturers often become attractive targets for threat actors because of the operational data, employee records, and customer PII they hold across enterprise systems. Unlike large enterprises with dedicated cybersecurity teams, smaller manufacturers are frequently found to have gaps in their security infrastructure that plaintiffs allege amount to negligence when a breach occurs.

Standard remedies in manufacturing data breach settlements typically mirror the structure seen in the M.A. Ford case: a fixed settlement fund covering both documented financial losses and a baseline pro rata payment for all class members, combined with complimentary credit monitoring for a defined period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the M.A. Ford lawsuit a class action?

Yes. Timothy Harter and Kevin Hays v. M.A. Ford Mfg. Co., Inc. is a class action pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The class representatives are Timothy Harter and Kevin Hays, and the class covers all individuals who received notice from M.A. Ford that their information may have been compromised in the December 2023 data security incident.

Has the settlement been approved?

Not yet. The settlement is proposed and open for claims. The court will hold a final approval hearing on June 30, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Central Time. Final approval depends on the outcome of that hearing and resolution of any appeals.

Who is eligible to file a claim?

You are eligible if you received a notice from M.A. Ford that your information may have been compromised in the December 2023 data security incident and your name appears in M.A. Ford’s records as an affected individual.

How much could I receive?

Eligible class members may claim up to $6,000 in cash — including up to $500 for out-of-pocket losses, up to $5,000 for identity theft or fraud losses, and up to $125 for attested time — plus a pro rata cash payment and three years of free credit monitoring.

What is the claim deadline?

The deadline to submit a claim — either online or by mail postmark — is May 25, 2026.

What is the deadline to opt out or object? The deadline to exclude yourself from or object to the settlement is March 23, 2026.

Where is the official settlement website?

The official settlement website is MAFordSettlement.com, maintained by Simpluris and supervised by class counsel.

What happens if I do nothing?

If you do nothing, you will not receive any settlement benefits and will also give up your rights to sue M.A. Ford about the legal issues covered by this settlement.

Last Updated: March 6, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.

About the Author

Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
Her writing blends real legal insight with plain-English explanations, helping readers stay informed and legally aware.
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M.A. Ford $425,000 Data Breach Class Action Settlement, Claim Deadline is May 25, 2026