A recent court filing has brought to light a significant data breach involving two major companies, impacting over 1.5 million individuals. The lawsuit, filed by Martin Anderson in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on November 15, 2024, accuses Set Forth, Inc. and Centrex Software, Inc. of failing to adequately protect sensitive personal information.
The complaint alleges that both Set Forth and Centrex Software failed in their duty to safeguard personally identifiable information (PII) such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, and social security numbers. This breach reportedly occurred on or before May 21, 2024, but affected individuals were not informed until November 8, 2024—171 days later. According to the filing, this delay left victims at an increased risk of identity theft and fraud without any opportunity to mitigate potential damage during that period.
Anderson's lawsuit claims that the defendants were negligent in handling consumer data despite being aware of the risks posed by cybercriminals targeting such valuable information. The complaint highlights several alleged failures on the part of the defendants: inadequate data security measures, insufficient employee training on data protection protocols, and a lack of timely notification about the breach once it was discovered.
In addition to negligence claims, Anderson accuses Set Forth and Centrex Software of breaching fiduciary duties and violating Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines that require businesses to implement reasonable data security practices. The plaintiff argues that these breaches have caused significant harm not only to himself but also to all other affected individuals who now face a heightened risk of identity theft for potentially their entire lives.
The lawsuit seeks various forms of relief from the court including actual damages for losses incurred due to the breach; punitive damages aimed at deterring similar conduct in future; declaratory judgment affirming defendants' liability; injunctive relief requiring improved cybersecurity measures; disclosure regarding full extent & nature of breached data; provision by defendants themselves - at no cost - lifetime identity theft protection services for impacted victims.
Representing Martin Anderson is an attorney whose name remains undisclosed within this document while presiding over proceedings will be judges yet unnamed too given current stage litigation process underway under Case ID: 1:24-cv-11788