Apple agreed to pay a $1.8 million settlement to settle the gift card class action lawsuit

CTOnews.com, Nov. 10 (Xinhua)-- Apple has agreed to pay a $1.8 million settlement to compensate consumers who bought eligible gift cards between March 2018 and July 2020 but could not redeem them due to theft and unauthorized use, according to Fast Company.

CTOnews.com note: the class action alleges that Apple failed to adequately protect the security of its gift cards, resulting in consumers invalidating the value of gift cards when they were exchanged by unauthorized third parties.

Consumers believe that Apple should inform customers in advance of possible theft risks and take additional measures to protect their gift cards.

The plaintiff believed that Apple's gift card was affixed with a silver scrapable PIN number. After buying a gift card, these PIN codes are equivalent to the customer's "personal information". If the PIN is leaked, the personal information will be stolen.

To receive settlement benefits, the collective plaintiff must submit a valid claim form by January 17, 2024. The settlement also applies to some consumers in California who bought gift cards between May 2017 and February 2018. These consumers also encountered unauthorized exchange gift cards and were refused a refund or replacement.

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