Autobell Car Wash Data Breach Settlement, Check If You Qualify, Pauken v. Autobell Car Wash, LLC, No. 26CV006404-590

If Autobell Car Wash notified you that your information was caught up in its April 2024 data incident, you’re likely included. This settlement offers a flat $45 payment with no paperwork, or up to $5,000 if you can document real losses, plus two years of comprehensive credit monitoring either way. The deadline to file is November 12, 2026.

Autobell Car Wash Data Breach Settlement — Key Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	No aggregate fund total disclosed; benefits are a flat $45 no-documentation payment, or up to $5,000 for documented losses and time spent, plus 2 years of credit monitoring for every class member; attorneys’ fees/costs capped at $350,000; service awards of $2,500 each for the 2 class representatives
Claim Deadline	November 12, 2026
Who Qualifies	All U.S. residents who were provided notice that their personal information was involved in Autobell’s April 2024 data incident
Estimated Payout	$45 flat (no proof needed), or up to $5,000 with documentation, including up to 4 hours of time spent at $25/hour
Proof Required	No, for the $45 flat payment. Yes — third-party documentation such as receipts — for the up-to-$5,000 option; a sworn statement is required for the time-spent portion
Settlement Status	Reached; final approval hearing scheduled
Court & Case Number	Superior Court of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, File No. 26CV006404-590
Law Alleged	UNVERIFIED — the settlement notice describes the claims in plain English but does not name specific causes of action or statutes on the pages available
Administrator	Autobell Data Incident Settlement, c/o RG/2 Claims Administration LLC, P.O. Box 59479, Philadelphia, PA 19102-9479
Official Claim Site	autobelldatasettlement.com
Last Updated	September 10, 2026

Who Is Autobell Car Wash and Why Are They Being Sued for a Data Breach?

Autobell Car Wash is a regional car wash chain with locations across North Carolina and neighboring states, the kind of business that keeps customer and employee records — names and Social Security numbers among them — on internal computer systems. That’s exactly what a targeted cyberattack on those systems can expose. Court records in Pauken v. Autobell Car Wash, LLC allege that between April 1 and April 7, 2024, unauthorized actors accessed files containing that private information.

What Did Autobell Car Wash Do to Affected Individuals Between April 1 and April 7, 2024?

Named plaintiffs Reece Pauken and Jamal Joe sued Autobell in the Superior Court of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, over a targeted cyberattack that hit Autobell’s computer systems for roughly a week in April 2024. The files accessed may have contained names and Social Security numbers — the kind of data that, once out, doesn’t expire the way a password does.

Autobell denies doing anything wrong, and no court has ruled on who’s right. The company agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation, which is standard. What stands out here isn’t the dollar amount — it’s the credit monitoring. Every single class member gets two years of three-bureau monitoring, dark web scanning, medical identity monitoring, and no-deductible identity theft insurance, regardless of which cash option they pick. That’s a broader protection package than a lot of data breach settlements offer.

Who Qualifies for the Autobell Car Wash Data Breach Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to know if this case includes you.

You may qualify if you:

• Are a U.S. resident who received notice from Autobell that your personal information was involved in the April 2024 data incident
• Had files containing your name and Social Security number potentially exposed during that cyberattack
• Can be identified in Autobell’s own records as a Settlement Class Member, even without keeping the original notice letter

You do not qualify if you:

• Never received notice and have no other way to confirm your information was involved
• Are an Autobell officer or director (excluded from the class by the settlement’s own terms)
• Already filed a timely request for exclusion from the Settlement Class

Affected Individuals Outside North Carolina — Are You Still Covered?

Yes. The Settlement Class covers all natural persons residing anywhere in the United States who received notice of the data incident. North Carolina is only the venue because that’s where Autobell is based and where the lawsuit was filed.

Not sure if you qualify for the Autobell Car Wash data breach settlement? A free consultation with a data privacy attorney can help before the claim deadline.

How Much Can Autobell Car Wash Data Breach Settlement Class Members Get? Up to $5,000 Per Person

You pick one of two cash paths, and you can’t do both. The simple one: a flat $45 payment, no documentation required. The other: up to $5,000 for documented losses tied to the breach — bank and card fees, overdraft charges, the cost of replacing a driver’s license or Social Security card, phone or data charges billed by usage, credit monitoring fees you paid yourself, or losses from identity theft or fraud.

If you go the documented route, you can also claim up to four hours of time spent dealing with the breach at $25 an hour — up to $100 — but that gets folded into the same $5,000 cap, not added on top. You’ll need a sworn statement for the time claim and third-party documentation like receipts for everything else; your own written explanation alone won’t cut it.

Every class member gets the credit monitoring package no matter which cash option they choose — real-time three-bureau monitoring, dark web scanning, public record monitoring, medical identity monitoring, no-deductible identity theft insurance, and access to fraud resolution agents, for two years. Honestly, for most people with no documented losses, that monitoring package is worth more than the $45 check.

How to File Your Autobell Car Wash Data Breach Settlement Claim — Step by Step

1. Go to the official claim site at autobelldatasettlement.com and choose the online Claim Form
2. Pick your payment option — the flat $45, or documented losses and time spent up to $5,000
3. Enter your name and contact information
4. If claiming documented losses, upload receipts or other third-party records; if claiming time spent, include a signed sworn statement
5. Submit and save your confirmation
6. Watch for updates on the credit monitoring enrollment, which follows the court’s final approval

Takes about five minutes for the $45 option. That benefit sits unclaimed until you file — do nothing, and you get nothing, plus you give up your right to sue Autobell separately over this breach.

Should Autobell Car Wash Class Members Opt Out or Object Before October 13, 2026?

What Opting Out of the Autobell Car Wash Settlement Actually Means

Opting out means no cash and no credit monitoring from this settlement, but you keep the right to sue Autobell on your own over the same data incident. Most people shouldn’t opt out without talking to a lawyer first. Here’s the detail that trips people up: the opt-out deadline is October 13, 2026 — a full month before the November 12, 2026 claim deadline. Waiting until you’d normally file a claim means you’ve already missed your chance to opt out.

How to Object to the Autobell Car Wash Settlement

Objecting keeps you in the Settlement Class while letting you tell the court, in writing, why you disagree with the deal or the requested attorneys’ fees, before the November 9, 2026 final approval hearing. Objections must be filed with the Clerk of Court for Mecklenburg County and mailed to Class Counsel and defense counsel, and must include specific information required by the notice, including your objection grounds and any prior objection history. Like the opt-out deadline, objections are also due October 13, 2026 — well ahead of the claim deadline.

Talk to a class action lawsuit attorney before October 13, 2026 if you’re considering either option.

Autobell Car Wash Data Breach Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Data Incident	April 1–7, 2024
Opt-Out Deadline	October 13, 2026
Objection Deadline	October 13, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	November 9, 2026
Claim Filing Deadline	November 12, 2026
Expected Payment Date	UNVERIFIED — the notice states benefits are distributed after final approval and any appeals are resolved, with no specific date given

Autobell Car Wash Data Breach — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 26CV006404-590

Do I need a lawyer to file an Autobell Car Wash data breach settlement claim? 

No. Most people can complete the online claim form themselves at autobelldatasettlement.com. A free consultation with a data privacy attorney can help if your documented losses are significant.

Is the Autobell Car Wash settlement legitimate? 

Yes. It comes from a real case, Pauken v. Autobell Car Wash, LLC, File No. 26CV006404-590, pending in the Superior Court of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, and is run by settlement administrator RG/2 Claims Administration LLC.

When will Autobell Car Wash settlement payments be sent?

 After the court’s November 9, 2026 final approval hearing, and after any appeals of that approval are resolved. No specific payment date has been announced.

What if I missed the Autobell Car Wash claim deadline?

 Claims submitted after November 12, 2026 are typically rejected. File before that date — or contact the administrator at (877) 979-7115 with questions about your timing.

Will my Autobell Car Wash settlement payment go on a 1099?

 The notice doesn’t address tax reporting. Given the modest amounts involved ($45, or documented losses up to $5,000), check with a tax professional if you’re unsure whether your payment is reportable.

Am I part of the Autobell lawsuit if I never got a notice letter? 

Not automatically. The Settlement Class is defined as people who were notified their information was involved. If you believe you were affected but never received notice, contact the settlement administrator to check your status.

Can I get the credit monitoring without filing for the $45 or $5,000 cash option? 

Yes. All Settlement Class Members are eligible for the two years of credit monitoring regardless of which cash benefit, if any, they claim.

Is there a downloadable Autobell Car Wash settlement claim form?

Yes. A downloadable PDF Claim Form is available on the official settlement site, in addition to the online claim form.

Sources Used in This Autobell Car Wash Data Breach Article

• Official Settlement Website — Autobell Data Settlement: https://www.autobelldatasettlement.com/
• Official Settlement Website — Long Form Notice: https://www.autobelldatasettlement.com/pdf/Long_Notice.pdf
• Official Settlement Website — Claim Form: https://www.autobelldatasettlement.com/pdf/Claim_Form.pdf
• Official Settlement Website — Settlement and Release Agreement: https://www.autobelldatasettlement.com/pdf/Settlement_and_Release.pdf

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official Pauken v. Autobell Car Wash, LLC settlement website on September 10, 2026. Last Updated: September 10, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.