The recent wave of payments related to the Desjardins class action has begun. Many recipients may question the legitimacy of these payments. If you are among the approximately 28,300 individuals affected by identity theft while being a member of Desjardins, you were required to submit a claim by October 20, 2025. Unfortunately, it is now too late to file a claim.
Payment Methods and Procedures
The compensation can be received either via check or electronic transfer. Your payment method was selected during the claim submission process. For those opting for checks, payments will be mailed and should arrive before January 18. Receiving your payment is straightforward; simply wait for it to arrive in your mailbox.
- Check Payments: Expected by January 18.
- Electronic Transfers: Notifications will be sent via email only.
Beware of Fraudulent Communications
If you receive any notifications about your payment through text messages, be cautious. These could potentially be fraudulent attempts, as official notifications will only come through email. The administrator for this class action, RicePoint, advises following the standard procedures for cashing an Interac transfer.
Security Checks for Payments
To ensure secure payments, recipients must answer one of three security questions set during the original claim submission. It’s important to note that answers can only include letters and numbers—no accents, spaces, or symbols are allowed. If you answer incorrectly three times, your payment will be blocked.
If you encounter difficulties, you can contact RicePoint to discuss alternative payment methods, such as receiving a check instead. Ensure you have your claim number available during the call for verification purposes.
Payment Distribution Timeline
The payments from this class action will unfold over three phases, scheduled before January 18 in the years 2024, 2025, and 2026. In July 2023, additional compensation for “lost time” was distributed, providing a maximum of $90 to each affected client.
This class action arose after a significant data breach involving personal information from all of Desjardins’ 4.2 million individual members and tens of thousands of business members. The financial impact of the leak was estimated at $108 million in 2019. At that time, Guy Cormier, the president of Desjardins, noted that this amount represented less than 1% of the cooperative’s annual revenues, which were $18 billion.
Total Compensation Package
Alongside the payments made to victims, Desjardins has allocated an additional $67 million for claims over the three years. This comprehensive compensation package aims to address the financial repercussions faced by victims of the data breach.
