Brandt Equities Data Breach Settlement, Who Qualifies for Up to $3,580?

Key Takeaways (Read This First)

• Who qualifies: living U.S. residents who received a notice from Brandt Equities that their private information may have been involved in the November 2025 data incident.
• What you can claim: up to $3,500 for documented out-of-pocket losses, up to $80 for lost time, and/or two years of identity protection. This is not a flat check for everyone.
• Opt-out and objection deadline: November 17, 2026 (19 days away).
• Claim deadline: December 17, 2026 (online, or mailed and postmarked by that date).
• Not yet approved: final approval hearing is January 14, 2027, and no payment date is confirmed.
• Official website: BrandtEquitiesSettlement.com · Online claim form: File a claim

Brandt Equities denies wrongdoing. The settlement is a proposed compromise of disputed claims in Spencer Andrews, et al. v. Brandt Equities, LP, Case No. 09-2026-CV-01466, District Court for Cass County, North Dakota, and the court has not decided whether the company is legally responsible.

Brandt Equities Settlement: Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Case name	Spencer Andrews, et al. v. Brandt Equities, LP
Case number	09-2026-CV-01466
Court	District Court for Cass County, North Dakota
Defendant	Brandt Equities, LP
Class representatives	Spencer Andrews, Sheldon Schlecht, Patrick Tiede, Christopher Behrens, Linda Wiese
Incident	November 2025 cybersecurity incident
Information potentially involved	Names, addresses, driver’s license numbers and/or Social Security numbers
Who may qualify	Living U.S. residents who received a Brandt Equities breach notice
Documented-loss benefit	Up to $3,500, with proof
Lost-time benefit	Up to $80 (four hours at $20 per hour)
Identity protection	Two years of CyEx Identity Defense Complete
Opt-out / objection deadline	November 17, 2026
Claim deadline	December 17, 2026
Final approval hearing	January 14, 2027, 1:30 p.m. Central (videoconference)
Official settlement website	BrandtEquitiesSettlement.com
Online claim form	brandtequitiessettlement.com/form/claim
Settlement administrator	Simpluris
Phone / email	888-836-1705 / [email protected]
Overall fund amount	Not disclosed in the public-facing pages reviewed

What Happened in the Brandt Equities Data Breach?

According to the settlement website, criminal third parties gained unauthorized access to Brandt Equities’ network in November 2025, and private information in its systems may have been involved. The potentially affected data included names, addresses, driver’s license numbers and Social Security numbers. The notice does not say every category applied to every person, or that every class member suffered identity theft or financial loss.

Numbers like these can create risks such as fraudulent accounts, identity theft or the need to replace identification, but the settlement materials do not establish that any particular person’s information was misused. Notification emails and postcards went out around September 18, 2026.

The settlement is not a court finding that Brandt Equities violated the law. The judge will decide whether to give final approval.

Who Is Eligible for the Brandt Equities Settlement?

The class is living individuals residing in the United States who were sent notice by Brandt Equities that their private information may have been involved in the incident. Hearing about the breach online or believing your data was exposed is not enough. You qualify if:

• you are a living individual residing in the United States,
• Brandt Equities sent you a notice that your information may have been involved,
• you are not in an excluded category, and
• you submit a valid claim by the deadline if you want benefits.

Excluded: Brandt Equities’ directors, officers and agents and entities it controls; government entities; the assigned judge, the judge’s immediate family and court staff; people who properly opt out; and anyone found guilty of, or who pleaded nolo contendere to, initiating, causing or aiding the criminal activity behind the incident. The official FAQ has the full definition.

What if I got a notice but have no evidence of identity theft?

You may still qualify for the identity-protection benefit and possibly the lost-time benefit. The documented-loss benefit is different: you must show qualifying out-of-pocket losses fairly traceable to the incident.

How Much Can You Receive?

There are three types of benefits. The settlement does not promise every eligible person $3,580.

1. Up to $3,500 for documented out-of-pocket losses

You may be reimbursed for actual, documented losses fairly traceable to the incident that occurred between November 8, 2025 and December 17, 2026. Examples that may qualify:

• Losses from identity theft or fraud
• Fees for credit reports or credit monitoring
• Costs to freeze or unfreeze credit
• Expenses to replace identification documents
• Postage to contact banks by mail

You must supply documentation such as receipts, bank statements and postage records. Notes you prepare yourself can explain other evidence but are not enough on their own, and an expense already reimbursed by someone else cannot be claimed. The $3,500 is a maximum, not a guaranteed payment.

2. Up to $80 for time spent responding

You may claim up to four hours at $20 per hour for time spent responding to the incident, such as changing passwords, investigating suspicious account activity or researching the incident. Claim only time you actually spent.

3. Two years of identity protection

CyEx Identity Defense Complete includes real-time credit-file monitoring, dark-web scanning, public-records monitoring, access to a fraud-resolution agent and $1 million in identity-theft insurance. Review its terms before relying on it as your only protection.

Can I claim cash benefits and identity protection together?

The settlement describes credit monitoring and/or cash for documented losses and/or lost time, and you may seek the benefits you qualify for through a valid claim. The two cash categories have separate limits ($3,500 and $80), which total $3,580, but you only receive what you can support. Someone with no documented loss may still consider the lost-time and identity-protection benefits if eligible.

Who Pays the Attorneys’ Fees?

Class Counsel will ask the court for $240,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs and service awards of $2,500 for each of the five class representatives (up to $12,500 in total), all paid by Brandt Equities separately from the benefits above. The court must approve these requests. Class Counsel includes attorneys from Kopelowitz Ostrow P.A., Milberg PLLC, Solberg Stewart Miller, Morgan & Morgan, Wucetich & Korovilas LLP and Shamis & Gentile, P.A.

How to File a Brandt Equities Settlement Claim

Step 1: Check eligibility. Review the class definition on the official website (linked above). The central requirement is that you received a notice. If you are unsure your notice qualifies, ask the administrator before submitting personal information.

Step 2: Use the official claim form. File online using the claim form link above, or download the printable form from the website. Choose the benefits you want, answer accurately and avoid third-party pages that imitate the form.

Step 3: Attach proof for documented losses. Gather receipts, bank statements and records of fees showing the amount and how it relates to the incident.

Step 4: Submit by December 17, 2026. Submit online, or mail the completed, signed form with supporting documents, postmarked by that date, to:

Brandt Data Incident Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799

Keep copies of your form, documents and any confirmation.

What Is the Deadline to Opt Out or Object?

Both deadlines are November 17, 2026, and they have different consequences.

Opting out means you receive no benefits but may preserve your ability to pursue the covered claims separately, depending on the law and your facts. Mail a signed written request, postmarked by November 17, to:

Brandt Data Incident Settlement
Attn: Exclusion Request
P.O. Box 25226
Santa Ana, CA 92799

It must include your full name, contact information, the case name and number, your personal signature and a clear statement that you want to be excluded. You cannot opt out by telephone or email.

Objecting means you remain in the class but tell the court why you disagree with the settlement. You must stay in the class to object. A complete objection, with the details the notice requires (such as your identity, proof you are a class member, your grounds and any prior objection history), must be filed with the Clerk of Court by November 17, with copies sent to the administrator, class counsel and the defendant’s counsel. Objectors may also appear at the final approval hearing. Follow the written instructions in the notice instead of relying on a call or email.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

You will receive no benefits, and if you stay in the class you give up the rights described in the settlement’s release, even if you never submit a claim. Doing nothing does not preserve your right to file a separate lawsuit. If you want benefits, file a valid claim by December 17, 2026. If you want to keep the ability to sue separately, follow the opt-out instructions before November 17, 2026.

When Will Payments Be Sent?

There is no confirmed payment date. The final approval hearing is January 14, 2027, at 1:30 p.m. Central Time, by videoconference, where the court will consider final approval and the requests for fees, costs and service awards. Benefits are distributed only if final approval is granted and after any appeals are resolved. Dates can change, so check the official dates page. A claim confirmation is not proof that a payment has been approved.

What Does This Settlement Mean for Consumers?

The settlement shows how a data-breach case can offer different kinds of relief instead of one uniform payment: documented-loss reimbursement, lost-time pay and monitoring. Class members who stay in release the covered claims, and the proposed settlement does not establish that Brandt Equities caused every claimed loss.

For comparison, see our coverage of the Antigo Construction data breach settlement, the Jefferson-Blount-St. Clair Mental Health Authority $700,000 data breach settlement and the Covenant Health $2 million data breach settlement. Each has its own eligibility rules and deadlines.

Brandt Equities Settlement FAQ

Is the Brandt Equities data breach settlement approved?

Not yet. It is proposed, and the final approval hearing is January 14, 2027.

Is everyone eligible for a $3,580 payment?

No. The $3,500 documented-loss benefit and the $80 lost-time benefit have separate requirements, and identity protection is a third benefit. There is no automatic $3,580 payment.

Who can file a claim?

Living U.S. residents who received a notice from Brandt Equities that their private information may have been involved in the November 2025 incident, subject to the exclusions.

Do I need receipts to claim the full $3,500?

Yes. Documented losses require supporting records such as receipts and bank statements, and personal notes alone are not enough.

Can I claim for changing passwords or checking my accounts?

Yes, as lost time: up to four hours at $20 per hour, for a maximum of $80, for time actually spent responding to the incident.

What information may have been involved?

Names, addresses, driver’s license numbers and/or Social Security numbers. The categories may differ between individuals.

What is the claim deadline?

December 17, 2026. Mailed claims must be postmarked by that date.

What is the opt-out deadline?

November 17, 2026, which is also the objection deadline.

When will the settlement pay?

No payment date has been announced. Payments depend on final approval and the resolution of any appeals.

How do I contact the settlement administrator?

Call 888-836-1705, email [email protected], or write to Brandt Data Incident Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799.

Official Documents and Sources

1. Official Brandt Equities Settlement Website: https://brandtequitiessettlement.com/
2. Official Settlement FAQ: https://brandtequitiessettlement.com/faq/
3. Important Dates and Deadlines: https://brandtequitiessettlement.com/dates/
4. Official Online Claim Form: https://brandtequitiessettlement.com/form/claim
5. Important Documents (Settlement Notice and Agreement): https://brandtequitiessettlement.com/documents/
6. Settlement Administrator Contact Information: https://brandtequitiessettlement.com/contact/

This article is for informational purposes only. AllAboutLawyer.com is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Check the official settlement notice and website for the controlling eligibility rules, deadlines and instructions.