$500K Evening Post Publishing data breach Settlement Your Social Security Number Was Stolen Claim Your Money Before June 24

A Charleston-based newspaper company called Evening Post Publishing left the personal data of over 15,000 people exposed to ransomware hackers in March 2024. The stolen files contained Social Security numbers, passport numbers, credit card details, and driver’s license numbers. The company has now agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a class action lawsuit. If you received a data breach notice from Evening Post on or around August 21, 2024, you have until June 24, 2026 to file a claim.

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$500,000
Claim Deadline	June 24, 2026
Who Qualifies	U.S. residents who received an Evening Post data breach notice on or around August 21, 2024
Payout Per Person	Up to $3,060 (with proof); $40 flat (no proof required)
Proof Required	Only for losses above $40
Settlement Status	Preliminarily approved
Administrator	EPP Data Incident Settlement
Official Website	EveningPostDataSettlement.com

Where Things Stand Right Now

• The settlement has received preliminary court approval. Final approval depends on a hearing with no confirmed date yet — mark it TBD.
• Payments will go out after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval.
• The claim window is open now and closes June 24, 2026. Missing this date means forfeiting your share of the fund.

A Ransomware Gang Called BlackSuit Broke Into the Newspaper’s Servers

Evening Post Publishing is a family-owned South Carolina media company that publishes The Post and Courier — originally founded in 1803, making it the second-oldest newspaper in the United States and the oldest in the South. Its other papers include the Aiken Standard, Summerville Journal Scene, The Gazette, and several other regional titles.

Ransomware group BlackSuit claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it encrypted the company’s systems on March 14, 2024, and remained inside the network for two weeks. The group allegedly gained access through unpatched vulnerabilities on a company server — a basic security failure that the lawsuit says the company should have prevented.

The lawsuit alleges the company failed to adequately protect private information, including names, passport numbers, Social Security numbers, financial account details, credit card information, and driver’s license numbers. Evening Post agreed to settle without admitting wrongdoing. By settling, both sides avoid the costs and delays of a trial.

Related article: Concentric LLC $2.48M Settlement,Applied to Concentric in Washington? You’re Likely Getting a Check Without Filing Anything Before April 30

Got a Breach Notice? Here’s Exactly Who the Settlement Covers

The settlement class is defined narrowly. You qualify if you meet both of these conditions:

• You reside in the United States, and
• your personally identifiable information was compromised in the March 2024 data incident — this includes current and former employees, as well as any other individuals who received a data breach notice on or about August 21, 2024.

If you did not receive a notice and have no connection to Evening Post Publishing as an employee, subscriber, or contractor, you are likely not a class member. When in doubt, contact the settlement administrator directly at [email protected].

How Much Money Can You Get — And What’s the Catch?

The settlement offers three separate routes to compensation, plus free credit monitoring for everyone.

Option 1 — Up to $3,060 With Documentation

Class members may claim up to $3,000 for documented losses directly resulting from the data incident that occurred between March 13, 2024, and June 24, 2026. Eligible expenses include losses due to identity theft or fraud, fees for credit reports or monitoring, costs to replace IDs, and postage for contacting banks. Class members must provide documentation, such as bank statements.

Class members who spent time dealing with the data breach can claim up to three hours of lost time at $20 per hour, for a maximum of $60. You can stack this on top of the $3,000 out-of-pocket claim, bringing the maximum to $3,060.

Option 2 — $40 Flat, No Questions Asked

Instead of claiming out-of-pocket losses or lost time, class members may opt for a one-time $40 cash payment. They do not need to submit documentation for this option.

The Pro-Rata Catch

The settlement caps cash payments at $500,000. If the total value of valid claims exceeds this amount, the settlement administrator will reduce payments proportionally. In plain terms: if everyone files a big documented claim, each payment gets cut down. The $40 flat option may end up being more predictable.

Free for Everyone: Two Years of Credit Monitoring

All class members are eligible to enroll in two years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete, which includes $1 million in identity theft insurance, real-time credit file monitoring, dark web scanning, and comprehensive public records monitoring. This benefit does not require documentation and does not count against the $500,000 fund.

Three Steps to File Your Claim Before June 24, 2026

Step 1 — Go to the official settlement website Visit EveningPostDataSettlement.com. Do not use any third-party site to file — only the official administrator’s site counts.

Step 2 — Log in with your unique ID and PIN To submit an online claim form, class members must log in with the unique ID and PIN located on the settlement notice they received. If you lost or never received your notice, email [email protected] with your full name and mailing address, or call 833-386-6473.

Step 3 — Choose your claim type and submit Select whether you want the $40 flat payment, the documented losses reimbursement (up to $3,060), or credit monitoring only. Upload your supporting documents if you’re claiming losses above $40. Submit your form and save the confirmation number.

You can also print a paper form from the website, fill it out, and mail it to: EPP Data Incident Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799. Or email your completed form to [email protected].

Estimated time to complete: 5–15 minutes (longer if gathering documentation).

The Full Timeline From Breach to Payout

Milestone	Date
Breach Discovered by Evening Post	March 20, 2024
Breach Notice Mailed to Victims	August 21, 2024
Lawsuit Filed	August 2024
Settlement Preliminary Approval	TBD
Claims Period Opens	TBD
Claim Filing Deadline	June 24, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	TBD
Objection Deadline	TBD
Final Approval Hearing	TBD
Expected Payment Date	TBD — after final court approval

Your Questions Answered

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim? 

No. The claims process is self-service and free. You visit the official settlement website, log in with your ID and PIN from your breach notice, select a payout option, and submit. Hiring a lawyer to file a basic settlement claim is not necessary and not recommended for this type of case.

Is this settlement legitimate?

 Yes. The settlement is court-supervised and the claim portal is officially authorized by the court in the Sosebee v. Evening Post Publishing case. The settlement administrator operates under the name EPP Data Incident Settlement and can be reached at 833-386-6473 or [email protected].

When will I receive my payment?

 The settlement administrator will issue payments after the court grants final approval and resolves any appeals. No confirmed payment date is available yet. Courts typically take several months after the claim deadline closes to complete this process.

What if I missed the claim deadline? 

If you miss the June 24, 2026 deadline, you will not receive a payment from this settlement, even if you clearly qualify. Courts do not routinely reopen claim periods. Your remaining option would be to pursue individual legal action, which is rarely cost-effective for claims of this size.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes? 

Possibly. Payments for documented out-of-pocket losses tied to identity theft may be treated differently than flat cash payments. If your payment exceeds $600, you may receive a 1099 form. Consult a tax professional about how a data breach settlement payment applies to your specific situation.

What was actually stolen — and how bad is it?

The stolen files contained some of the most sensitive personal data that exists: Social Security numbers, passport numbers, credit card numbers, bank account details, and driver’s license numbers. This combination is sufficient for identity thieves to open new credit accounts, file fraudulent tax returns, or access existing financial accounts in your name.

What if I never got a breach notice but think I was affected?

The settlement class is defined by who received the official breach notice. If you believe you were affected but never received a notice, contact the settlement administrator directly at [email protected]. They can verify whether your information appears in the class member records.

Should I enroll in the credit monitoring even if I file for cash? 

Yes — these are separate benefits. You can claim the $40 flat cash payment and still enroll in two years of CyEx Financial Shield Complete monitoring at no additional cost. Given what was stolen, the two-year monitoring is worth taking regardless of which cash option you select.

Sources & References

• Official Settlement Website: EveningPostDataSettlement.com
• Vermont Attorney General Data Breach Notice: ago.vermont.gov
• Comparitech Breach Report: comparitech.com/news/evening-post-publishing-inc-notifies-15k-people-of-data-breach-ssns-credit-card-info-compromised

Last Updated: April 2, 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.