A data breach is when unauthorised individuals access, steal, or expose private information held about you. Breaches happen through hacking, phishing attacks on employees, misconfigured cloud storage, ransomware, or insiders leaking data. Stolen information typically includes email addresses, passwords, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, payment card details, and home addresses.

Companies are legally required to notify affected customers but notifications can take weeks or months. The fastest free check is HaveIBeenPwned.com, which tells you which known breaches contain your email address. For breaches with active settlements, the settlement administrator's website will have an eligibility checker - links are included in the entries above where available.

Change your password for the breached service and everywhere you reused it. Enable two-factor authentication. Monitor your bank statements and credit report. If Social Security numbers were exposed, place a free credit freeze at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. If a settlement is open, file a claim before the deadline - most pay between $25 and $350 per person with no lawyer needed.

Yes, when a class-action settlement has been reached. AT&T, T-Mobile, Google, and Yahoo have each paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to affected customers. You file a claim online through the settlement administrator's site - no lawyer required. Flat payments typically range from $25 to $100, while those who can document actual financial harm can claim significantly more.