Carter Credit Union Data Breach Class Action Settlement, How to Claim $50 or Up to $2,500 Before November 19, 2026

If your personal information was exposed in the June 2025 cyberattack on Carter Credit Union (also called Carter Federal Credit Union), you may be able to claim cash and free credit monitoring from a class action settlement. The deadline to file a claim is November 19, 2026.

Act first on this date: the deadline to opt out or object is October 20, 2026, one week from today. After that date, you can no longer exclude yourself or object.

The settlement still needs final court approval, and payments will not go out until the court approves it and any appeals are resolved. Carter Credit Union denies doing anything wrong, and the court has not decided who is right.

Carter Credit Union Data Breach Settlement: Quick Facts

Detail	What is known
Case	Ellis, et al. v. Carter Credit Union d/b/a Carter Federal Credit Union
Case number	662980-C
Court	1st Judicial District Court, Parish of Caddo, Louisiana
What happened	Unauthorized access to Carter’s network between June 25 and July 2, 2025
Who may be eligible	People whose personal information was compromised in the data incident
Cash options (pick one)	$50 with no proof, or up to $2,500 for documented out-of-pocket losses
Credit monitoring	3 years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete, with $1 million in financial fraud insurance
Claim deadline	November 19, 2026
Opt-out and objection deadline	October 20, 2026
Preliminary approval	July 23, 2026
Final approval hearing	November 30, 2026, 9:30 a.m. Central Time, Shreveport, Louisiana
Settlement administrator	Simpluris
Official website	CCUDataSettlement.com
Total settlement fund	Not disclosed; no aggregate cap stated in the notice reviewed

What Happened in the Carter Credit Union Data Breach?

Carter Credit Union, a member-owned financial institution based in Springhill, Louisiana, said it detected suspicious activity on its internal network on July 2, 2025. A forensic investigation found that an unauthorized third party accessed files between June 25 and July 2, 2025.

According to the settlement website, the files may have contained:

• Names and home addresses
• Social Security numbers
• Driver’s license and government-issued ID numbers
• Financial information, including account numbers and credit or debit card numbers
• Medical and health insurance information
• Dates of birth and other personal or health information Carter kept

The breach notice Carter filed with the Maine Attorney General, as reported by Teiss, also listed passport numbers, financial account history and retirement benefit information. Not every person had every type of data exposed.

That notice reported 68,934 people affected, with written notification starting August 29, 2025, and 12 months of Experian credit monitoring offered. A news summary of the court documents puts the settlement class at about 105,185 people. The two figures count different things, so treat both as reported numbers and rely on the settlement website to learn whether you are covered.

How Did the Carter Credit Union Class Action Lawsuit Start?

The first class action was filed on September 4, 2025. Plaintiffs filed a consolidated class action complaint on November 25, 2025, and a class action petition in Caddo Parish on March 25, 2026, according to the settlement agreement. The claims include negligence and breach of implied contract, among others. The court gave preliminary approval on July 23, 2026.

Carter denies the allegations and settled to avoid the cost and uncertainty of more litigation. A settlement is not a court finding that the allegations are true.

What Does the Carter Credit Union Settlement Offer?

Every class member can claim credit monitoring and one of two cash options.

Credit Monitoring: 3 Years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete

All class members can enroll in three years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete. It includes $1 million in financial fraud insurance and monitoring for fraud or identity theft, unauthorized financial transactions and high-risk transactions involving your personal information. A fraud resolution agent helps if something suspicious happens. Credit monitoring cannot prevent every form of identity theft, so read the benefit terms for conditions and exclusions.

Cash Payment: Choose One

Option	Amount	Proof needed?	Details
Alternative cash payment	$50, one time	No	In place of the documented-loss payment
Documented out-of-pocket losses	Up to $2,500	Yes	Losses must occur between June 25, 2025 and November 19, 2026 and be fairly traceable to the breach

Covered losses include money lost to fraud or identity theft, fees for credit reports, credit monitoring or credit freezes, the cost of replacing IDs, and postage to contact banks by mail. You need proof such as bank statements or receipts. Notes you write can help explain your proof, but they are not enough alone. You cannot claim losses someone else has already reimbursed.

The $2,500 figure is a maximum for each person. It is not the size of the settlement fund and not a guaranteed payment.

Which Cash Option Should You Choose?

If you had no losses, the $50 payment is the simple choice. If you spent money or lost money to fraud because of the breach, add up your receipts. The documented option is worth the effort if your proven losses are more than $50.

Will the $50 Be Reduced?

The settlement website lists $50 as a flat amount. The notice does not disclose a total fund or an aggregate cap, and it does not say whether payments could change if many people file. Check the settlement agreement on the website’s documents page if this matters to you.

Who Qualifies for the Carter Credit Union Settlement?

The class is everyone whose personal information was compromised because of the data incident that began on or about June 25, 2025. It is based on whether your information was compromised, not simply on whether you are a current customer. The website says class members were identified through Carter’s records and may have received a direct notice.

Excluded are Carter Credit Union, its officers, directors and related companies, the parties’ attorneys, and the judge and the judge’s family and staff.

Not sure? Email the administrator with your full name and mailing address.

How to File a Carter Credit Union Settlement Claim

1. Online: Go to the claim form page and log in with the LoginID and PIN printed on your notice.
2. By mail: Download the paper form from the settlement website, sign it, attach proof if you claim losses, and mail it to the administrator. It must be postmarked by November 19, 2026.
3. By email: Send the claim and documents to the administrator’s email address by November 19, 2026.

If you lost your notice, email the administrator with your full name and mailing address to request your LoginID and PIN.

Settlement administrator

Carter Credit Union Data Incident Settlement c/o Settlement Administrator P.O. Box 25226 Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958 Email: [email protected] Phone (toll free): (866) 675-2433

Use only CCUDataSettlement.com. Never pay a fee to file a claim, and be careful with emails or texts that ask for your Social Security number or bank login.

Carter Credit Union Settlement Deadlines and Your Options

Option	Deadline	What it means
Submit a claim	November 19, 2026	The only way to get a payment or credit monitoring
Opt out	October 20, 2026 (postmark)	You get no benefits but keep your right to sue Carter yourself
Object	October 20, 2026	Tell the court why you disagree; you may still file a claim
Do nothing	None	You get nothing and give up the right to sue over the claims this settlement covers
Final approval hearing	November 30, 2026, 9:30 a.m. CT	You do not have to attend

An opt-out request must be mailed and include the case name and number, your full name, address, phone number and email, your signature and a statement that you want to be excluded. You can only exclude yourself.

An objection must be filed with the Clerk of Court at 501 Texas St., Shreveport, LA 71101, with a copy sent to the administrator. It must explain your reasons, list any other class action objections you or your lawyer made in the past four years, say whether you want to speak at the hearing, and be signed by you. If you opt out, you cannot object.

When Will Carter Credit Union Settlement Payments Be Sent?

There is no confirmed payment date. Payments go out only if the court grants final approval on or after the November 30 hearing and after any appeals are resolved. An appeal could delay payment. Check the settlement website for updates.

How Much Do the Lawyers Get?

The court appointed three firms as class counsel: Leigh S. Montgomery of Ellzey Kherkher Sanford Montgomery, LLP; Mariya Weekes of Milberg, PLLC; and A. Brooke Murphy of the Murphy Law Firm. You do not pay them directly.

Class counsel will ask the court to approve up to $400,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs, and $2,000 service awards for each of the nine class representatives, according to the settlement’s FAQ. Those amounts are paid on behalf of Carter, and the court decides at the final hearing.

What Laws Apply to the Carter Credit Union Data Breach?

Law	What it covers	Why it matters here
Louisiana Database Security Breach Notification Law, La. R.S. 51:3071 et seq.	Requires notice to affected Louisiana residents; notice is generally due within 60 days of discovery	Carter detected the incident July 2, 2025 and began mailing notices August 29, 2025
La. R.S. 51:3075	Lets a person sue for actual damages caused by failure to give timely notice	The state-law basis for notice-based breach claims
La. Civil Code art. 2315	Louisiana’s general negligence rule	The legal basis for the negligence claim in the lawsuit
La. Code of Civil Procedure arts. 591 and 594	Class action requirements and court approval of a class compromise, with notice	Explains the notice period, the objection right and the final approval hearing
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, 15 U.S.C. § 6801 et seq.	Requires financial institutions to protect customer information	The federal safeguards framework for credit unions, enforced by the National Credit Union Administration
12 C.F.R. § 748.1(c) (NCUA)	Requires federally insured credit unions to report certain cyber incidents within 72 hours	Sets the regulator-reporting deadline; the settlement does not say whether any regulator took action
Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681c-1	Fraud alerts and free credit freezes	Free freezes mean there is little to claim for freeze fees

Data breach plaintiffs often face a hard question of proving concrete harm. That is one reason these cases frequently settle for modest, claims-based payments.

How to Protect Yourself After the Carter Credit Union Data Breach

• Freeze your credit for free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
• Review bank and card statements and report suspicious charges right away.
• Check your credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Enroll in the free three-year credit monitoring if you file a claim.
• Watch for phishing messages that use details from the breach.
• Keep receipts for anything you spend because of the breach.
• If you think you are an identity theft victim, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov.

Settlement payments may have tax consequences. Check with a tax professional if this matters to you.

For a similar case, see ConnectOnCall $4,950,000 Data Breach Settlement, Check If You Qualify — In re ConnectOnCall.com Data Breach Litigation, No. 2:24-cv-08790. It is a different company and a different settlement.

Carter Credit Union Data Breach Settlement: Key Dates

Date	Event
June 25, 2025	Unauthorized access to Carter’s network begins
July 2, 2025	Carter detects suspicious activity; access ends
August 29, 2025	Written notices to affected people begin, per the Maine filing
September 4, 2025	First class action filed
November 25, 2025	Consolidated class action complaint filed
March 25, 2026	Class action petition filed in Caddo Parish
July 23, 2026	Court grants preliminary approval
October 20, 2026	Opt-out and objection deadline
November 19, 2026	Claim deadline
November 30, 2026	Final approval hearing, 9:30 a.m. CT

Frequently Asked Questions About the Carter Credit Union Settlement

How much can I get from the Carter Credit Union settlement?

You can claim $50 with no proof, or up to $2,500 for documented losses. You must pick one cash option. You can also claim three years of credit monitoring.

When is the Carter Credit Union claim deadline?

November 19, 2026, online or by email. Mailed claims must be postmarked by that date.

Do I need proof to get the $50 payment?

No. The $50 option needs no proof or explanation, but you must still file a valid claim.

When will payments be sent?

After the court grants final approval and any appeals end. The hearing is November 30, 2026, and no payment date has been given.

I lost my notice. Can I still file?

Yes. Email [email protected] with your full name and mailing address to get your LoginID and PIN, or use the paper form.

I never got a notice. Am I covered?

You might be. The class includes anyone whose information was compromised in the incident. Contact the administrator to check.

What happens if I opt out?

You get no benefits but keep the right to bring your own claim against Carter. The deadline is October 20, 2026.

What happens if I do nothing?

You receive nothing and give up the right to sue Carter over the claims this settlement resolves.

Can I get both cash and credit monitoring?

Yes. Class members may claim credit monitoring and one of the two cash options.

Is the settlement legitimate?

It is court-authorized and run by Simpluris, and the official site is CCUDataSettlement.com. Check the web address carefully, since scammers copy settlement sites.

How big is the total settlement fund?

The settlement website does not state one.

What the Record Does Not Show

• The total size of the settlement fund
• Final court approval
• Any admission of wrongdoing by Carter
• An exact payment date

Sources and Verification Notes

1. Official settlement website: CCUDataSettlement.com, including the FAQs, claim form page, documents and contact page
2. ClassAction.org: Carter Credit Union Settlement Resolves Class Action Lawsuit Over 2025 Cyberattack, plus the posted Settlement Agreement and Long Notice
3. Maine Attorney General: Carter Federal Credit Union data breach notification
4. Teiss: Nearly 70,000 people impacted in Carter Credit Union data breach
5. Laws: La. R.S. 51:3071 et seq.; La. Civil Code art. 2315; La. Code of Civil Procedure arts. 591 and 594; 15 U.S.C. § 6801; 12 C.F.R. § 748.1(c); 15 U.S.C. § 1681c-1

This article is general information, not legal advice. Whether to claim, opt out or object is your decision. Consult a licensed attorney about your own situation.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official Notice, the Settlement Agreement and the settlement website run by the administrator (CCUDataSettlement.com), as of October 13, 2026. Last Updated: October 13, 2026.