PlayStation Network- Sony Online Entertainment
Canada Settlement
This was the official settlement website for the Settlement proposed in the 2011 Canadian Sony hacking case. Remember the Great PlayStation Network Outage of 2011? After Sony's servers were hacked, the company took down its network services for an extended period of time. When it returned, the company offered a "Welcome Back" promo that included a number of free games. One class action lawsuit claimed that was not good enough. Canadian users of Sony's online services were also able to join the suit to get some additional compensation.
As part of the settlement, Sony "(denies) any claims of wrongdoing in this case, and the settlement does not mean that the Sony Entities violated any laws or did anything wrong."
The Web Archive Project identified this site an historically significant document and funded the effort to restore and preserve it in archive form. TNG/Earthling's CEO, Bob Sakayama, provided the technical and development teams along with the content management system. Jude Marsh provided legal research.
Content is from the site's 2013 archived pages as well as from other outside sources.
Sony Settles Data Breach Lawsuit
Agreement Follows April 2011 Breach that Affected 77 Million
Jeffrey Roman (gen_sec) • June 16, 2014 | www.databreachtoday.asia/
Sony Computer Entertainment America has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit that stemmed from an April 2011 data breach that compromised the personal information of 77 million customers of Sony's PlayStation Network and Qriocity service (see: Sony Breach Ignites Phishing Fears).
As part of the settlement, impacted individuals, depending on the claim, can receive free games, subscriptions to online services, virtual currency and compensation for identity theft remediation costs, among other benefits, Sony says in a statement provided to Information Security Media Group.
"While we continue to deny the allegations in the class action lawsuits, most of which had been previously dismissed by the trial court, we decided to move forward with a settlement to avoid the costs associated with lengthy litigation," the company says. "To date, the Sony entities have received no confirmed reports of identity theft linked to the attacks, and there is no evidence that anyone's credit card information was accessed."
Sony says the proposed settlement is subject to court approval before it becomes final.
Settlement Details
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of everyone in the U.S. who had a PlayStation Network account, a Qriocity account, or a Sony Online Entertainment account, the settlement says.
The breakdown in settlement payouts is as follows:
Payment equal to paid balances in PSN or SOE accounts that have been inactive since the intrusions;
One or more of the following: a free PS3 or PSP game, or a free 3-month subscription to PlayStation Plus;
A free month of Music Unlimited for Qriocity accountholders who did not have a PSN account;
$4.50 in SOE station cash, Sony's virtual currency, for SOE accountholders; amounts will be reduced if claims exceed $4 million.
Sony has agreed to pay the plaintiffs' attorneys' fees, costs and expenses up to a combined total of $2.75 million, according to the settlement. Attorneys for the plaintiffs could not be reached for comment.
View the settlement agreement.
Data Breach
In April 2011, Sony confirmed that hackers had attacked its PlayStation Network. Names, addresses, dates of birth and account passwords were exposed for customers of Sony's PlayStation Network and Qriocity service.
The attacks occurred between April 17 and 19, 2011, forcing Sony to shutter the PlayStation network on April 20. The outage lasted for more than three weeks.
Sony said the hackers used distributed-denial-of-service attacks to camouflage simultaneous intrusions that resulted in the exposure of the personal information (see: Sony: DDoS Masked Data Exfiltration).
At the time of the attacks, Sony did not have a chief information security officer. In September 2011, Sony tapped Philip Reitinger, a former top cybersecurity policymaker at the Department of Homeland Security, as its CISO and senior vice president (see: Ex-DHS Official Becomes Sony's CISO).
Following the incident, the UK Information Commissioner's Office fined Sony £250,000 - nearly $390,000 - for not taking appropriate steps to safeguard customers' personal information (see: Sony Vacates Appeal of PlayStation Fine).
David Smith, Britain's deputy information commissioner and director of data protection, said Sony failed to secure its customers' personal details. "The security measures in place were simply not good enough," he said. "There's no disguising that this is a business that should have known better. It is a company that trades on its technical expertise, and there's no doubt in my mind that they had access to both the technical knowledge and the resources to keep this information safe."
When British authorities levied the fine against Sony, company spokesman Jonathan Fargher said the Information Commissioner's Office recognized that Sony was victimized by a focused and determined criminal attack, and no evidence exists that hackers accessed encrypted payment card details and that personal data was used fraudulently.
PlayStation Network Data Breach Class Action Settlement
By Anne Bucher | https://topclassactions.com/
January 26, 2015
May 15, 2011, you may be eligible for benefits from the class action settlement.
The Sony data breach class action lawsuit was filed in the wake of an attack on the Sony network platforms by criminal intruders in April 2011. The plaintiffs allege Sony failed to adequately protect the network platforms, which allowed unauthorized people to access and steal the information in order to commit fraud and identity theft.
Sony denies the allegations but has agreed to settle the class action lawsuit to avoid the cost and risk of a trial.
Who’s Eligible
Class Members of the Sony data breach settlement include anyone residing in the United States (including U.S. territories) who had a PlayStation Network account or sub-account, a Qriocity account, or a Sony Online Entertainment account at any time before May 15, 2011.
Potential Award
Varies depending on which accounts you held.
Maksimovic and Others v. Sony of Canada and Others Settlement
Welcome
You have accessed the PlayStation Network ("PSN") - Sony Online Entertainment ("SOE") Canada Settlement Website.
A settlement has been reached with the Sony Entities in a class action lawsuit about the illegal and unauthorized attacks in April of 2011 on the computer network systems used to provide the PlayStation Network (“PSN”), Qriocity, and Sony Online Entertainment (“SOE”) services (the “Intrusions”). The settlement provides benefits to eligible Canadian consumers who file a valid claim.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice will have a hearing to decide whether to give final approval to the settlement, so that the benefits can be issued. The included consumers have legal rights and options, such as excluding themselves from the settlement, or alternatively, objecting to and/or submitting a claim for benefits from the settlement.
The Sony Entities deny any claims of wrongdoing in this case, and the settlement does not mean that the Sony Entities violated any laws or did anything wrong.
DISCLAIMER
This Settlement is supervised by the Court and is administered by a claims administration firm that handles all aspects of claims processing.
Important Dates
February 26, 2013 – Preliminary Approval
April 18-19, 2013 – Notice Date
May 20, 2013 – Class Member Objection Deadline
May 20, 2013 – Class Member Opt-Out Deadline
June 10, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. – Final Approval Hearing
Claim Form deadline:
If you are submitting a claim for Account Benefits under the settlement, the deadline for mailing in a claim will likely be September 9, 2013 (that is, 60 days after the settlement becomes final and effective on July 10, 2013, assuming that there is no appeal of the Ontario Court Judgment dated June 10, 2013). Confirmation of the deadline will be posted on this website shortly after July 10, 2013.
If you are submitting a claim for reimbursement of out of pocket expenses due to actual identity theft, the deadline for mailing in a reimbursement claim will depend upon the date you discover the theft. Assuming that there is no appeal of the Ontario Court Judgment dated June 10, 2013, the deadline to submit a claim for identity theft reimbursement based on actual identity theft that you discover prior to July 10, 2013 will be 90 days thereafter, or October 8, 2013. For identity theft reimbursement claims based on actual identity theft that you discover after July 10, 2013, the deadline will be 60 days from the date you discover the identity theft, or May 15, 2014, whichever is sooner. Confirmation of the deadline will be posted on this website shortly after July 10, 2013.
Notice
If you had a PlayStation Network account, a Qriocity account, or a Sony Online Entertainment account at any time before May 15, 2011, you could get benefits from a class action settlement.
A settlement has been reached with the Sony Entities in a class action lawsuit about the illegal and unauthorized attacks in April of 2011 on the computer network systems used to provide the PlayStation Network (“PSN”), Qriocity, and Sony Online Entertainment (“SOE”) services (the “Intrusions”). The settlement provides benefits to eligible Canadian consumers who file a valid claim.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice will have a hearing to decide whether to give final approval to the settlement, so that the benefits can be issued. The included consumers have legal rights and options, such as excluding themselves from the settlement, or alternatively, objecting to and/or submitting a claim for benefits from the settlement.
The Sony Entities deny any claims of wrongdoing in this case, and the settlement does not mean that the Sony Entities violated any laws or did anything wrong.
WHO’S INCLUDED?
The Class includes everyone who resides in Canada who had a PSN account, a Qriocity account, or an SOE account at any time prior to May 15, 2011.
WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE?
There are various benefits, depending in part on what type of account(s) you had:
Inactive PlayStation Network Accountholders:
If you used any of your PSN accounts any time from January 1, 2011 through May 14, 2011, but you did not use them after that through January 24, 2013 because of the Intrusions, you can get a payment equal to any balance of paid virtual currency in your account wallet if that balance is at least U.S. $2.
Active PlayStation Network Accountholders:
a) If you paid other companies for certain media services that you could not access through the PSN during the PSN outage from April 20 through May 14, 2011, you can get 3 free PS3 themes or a 50% discount on PlayStation Plus for 3 months. Up to U.S. $100,000 in total benefits will be available, on a first-come, first-served basis.
b) If you participated in the PSN “Welcome Back” program that followed the April 2011 service outage, you can get either a free game for your PS3 or PSP, 3 free PS3 themes, or a 50% discount on PlayStation Plus for 3 months. If you did not participate in the PSN “Welcome Back” program, you can submit a claim for two of the above benefits. Up to U.S. $1 million in these benefits will be available, on a first-come, first-served basis; claimants who file claims thereafter can get a 50% discount on PlayStation Plus for one month. Qriocity Accountholders:
If you were not a PSN accountholder but you had a Qriocity account at the time of the April 2011 service outage, you can get one free month of Music Unlimited.
Inactive Sony Online Entertainment Accountholders:
If you used any of your SOE accounts at any time from January 1 through May 14, 2011, but you did not use them after that through January 24, 2013 because of the Intrusions, you can get a payment equal to any balance of paid virtual currency in your account wallet if that balance is at least U.S. $2.
Active Sony Online Entertainment Accountholders:
You can get a deposit of U.S. $4.50 in “Station Cash” into that account, usable for SOE digital products and services. Deposits will be reduced proportionally if total deposits exceed U.S. $240,000 in benefits.
Identity Theft Reimbursement Claims:
If you incurred out-of-pocket charges due to actual identity theft and submit documentation proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the intrusion(s) directly and proximately caused the identity theft, you can submit a claim for reimbursement up to $2,500. Reimbursements will be reduced proportionally if the amount payable on all valid claims exceeds U.S. $90,000.
For more information, including limitations and conditions on all of these benefits, read the detailed notice at
HOW DO YOU ASK FOR BENEFITS?
Eligible Class Members can call 1-877-389-4482 or go to www.PSN-SOE-CanadaSettlement.com for a claim form, then fill it out, sign it, include the documentation it requires, and mail it to the address on the form. Deadlines to make a claim for benefits will start 60 days after the settlement becomes effective.
DO I HAVE A LAWYER IN THIS CASE?
The Court has appointed Bryan C. McPhadden, McPhadden Samac Tuovi LLP of Toronto, Ontario; Stephen Osborne, Merchant Law Group LLP of St. Catharines, Ontario; Careen Hannouche, Lauzon Bélanger Lespérance Inc. of Montreal, Quebec; and David Assor, Lex Group Inc. of Montreal, Quebec as “Class Counsel” to represent you and other Class Members. You will not be charged for these lawyers. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer in this case, you may hire one at your own expense.
YOUR OTHER OPTIONS.
If you do not want to be legally bound by the settlement, you must opt out by May 20, 2013, or you will not be able to sue, or continue to sue, the Sony companies regarding the legal claims this settlement resolves, ever again. If you opt out, you cannot get any benefits from the settlement. If you do not opt out, you will be able to participate in the settlement if it is approved by the Court. If you do not opt out, you may also object to the settlement by May 20, 2013. The detailed notice explains how to exclude yourself or object.
The Court will hold a hearing in this case, known as Maksimovic v. Sony of Canada Ltd. et al., Court File No. CV-11 425487-00CP, on June 10, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., to consider whether to approve the settlement, including Class Counsel fees, costs, taxes and disbursements of U.S. $265,000. You or your own lawyer may ask to appear and speak at the hearing at your own cost, but you do not have to. For more information, go to the website shown above, which has a copy of the detailed notice.
~~~
Settlement reached in Canadian PlayStation Network class action suit
By Michael McWhertor@MikeMcWhertor Apr 19, 2013 | www.polygon.com/
A settlement in a class-action lawsuit against Sony related to the PlayStation Network hack and ensuing outage from April 2011 has been reached, according to a website dedicated to the case's settlement, and Canadian users of Sony's network services — PSN, Qriocity and Sony Online Entertainment services — at the time of the breach can claim benefits.
Benefits are eligible to Canadian consumers who file a valid claim, the site specifies. Benefits include credit owed on SOE account and PlayStation Wallet balances, $4.50 in SOE Station Cash, a free month of Music Unlimited and others specified in a FAQ.
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice is still due to have a hearing to give final approval to the settlement, so that benefits can be issued, the site notes.
Sony denies "any claims of wrongdoing in this case," the settlement site reads, "and the settlement does not mean that the Sony Entities violated any laws or did anything wrong."
Further details about the settlement in Maksimovic and Others v. Sony of Canada and Others are available at the case's website.
Settlement proposed in Canadian Sony hacking case
Double outages in 2011 disrupted gamers
04/22/2013 | ConsumerAffairs | By Jon Hood | www.consumeraffairs.com/
A settlement has been proposed in a Canadian lawsuit focusing on hacks of Sony’s PlayStation Network (“PSN”) and Sony Computer Entertainment (“SOE”).
The suit, filed in May 2011, grew out of two apparent system hacks that potentially exposed gamers’ information. Lead plaintiff Natasha Maksimovic, a 21-year-old Canadian gamer, sought $1.04 billion in damages.
Timeline of hacks
The first hack occurred in April 2011. After the PlayStation Network was down for several days, Sony Computer Entertainment released a statement explaining that an illegal entry of its network had potentially exposed sensitive user information to unauthorized individuals.
In its statement, Sony Computer Entertainment said, “We believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID.”
Sony added that “[w]hile there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility.”
Within a week, Sony Online Entertainment discovered that its own system had been hacked as well. Sony revealed that “[s]tolen information [in the SOE hack] includes, to the extent you provided it to us, the following: name, address (city, state, zip, country), email address, gender, birthdate, phone number, login name and hashed password.
Congressional subcommittee called for investigation
The hack led to calls for a Congressional investigation, with the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade of the U.S. House of Representatives sending a letter with 13 questions to Sony chairman Kazuo Hirai.
“If you can’t trust a huge multi-national corporation like Sony to protect your private information, who can you trust?” Maksimovic said at the time the suit was filed. “It appears to me that Sony focuses more on protecting its games than its PlayStation users.”
Terms of settlement
The settlement applies to Canadian residents who had a PSN account before May 15, 2011.
Gamers who used their PSN account from January 1, 2011 through May 14, 2011, but then did not use it again until January 24, 2013 because of the hack, can receive “a payment equal to any balance of of paid virtual currency in your account wallet if that balance is at least U.S. $2.”
If the user “paid other companies for certain media services that you could not access through the PSN during the PSN outage from April 20 through May 14, 2011, you can get 3 free PS3 themes or a 50% discount on PlayStation Plus for 3 months.”
The settlement must be approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice before it is finalized.
Consumers who want to opt out of the proposed settlement have until May 20 to do so. Information on how to opt out is available at the official settlement website.
Claim Forms /
The proposed settlement is still subject to Court approval at the Final Approval Hearing on June 10, 2013, but Class Members may complete the Claim Forms before that date. If the settlement is approved and becomes effective, the Claims Administrator will then process all Claim Forms already submitted.
Click one of the links below to open and print the applicable Claim Form. Read the directions carefully, fill out the form, include all the information the form requires and send your completed Claim Form to:
PSN-SOE Canada Settlement
P.O. Box #2080
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 0A4
- - PlayStation Network Account Benefits Claim Form
- - PlayStation Network Account Benefits Claim Form - French
- - Qriocity Account Benefits Claim Form
- - Qriocity Account Benefits Claim Form - French
- - Sony Online Entertainment Account Benefits
- - Sony Online Entertainment Account Benefits - French
- - Identity Theft Reimbursement Claim Form
- - Identity Theft Reimbursement Claim Form - French
If you are submitting a claim for Account Benefits under the settlement, the deadline for mailing in a claim is 60 days after the settlement becomes final and effective, which will be posted on this website. If you are submitting a claim for reimbursement of out of pocket expenses due to actual identity theft, the deadline for mailing in a reimbursement claim will depend on when the settlement becomes final and effective, which will be posted on this website. For identity theft reimbursement claims based on actual identity theft that you discover prior to the effective date of the settlement, the deadline will be 90 days after the effective date of the settlement. For identity theft reimbursement claims based on actual identity theft that you discover after the effective date of the settlement, the deadline will be 60 days from the date you discover the identity theft, or May 15, 2014, whichever is sooner.
Commonly Asked Questions
1. Why did I receive this notice?
ANSWER:
1. English
A Court approved the notice because you have a right to know about a proposed settlement of this class action lawsuit and about all of your options before the Court decides whether to give approval to the proposed settlement.
The notice explains the lawsuit, the proposed settlement, your legal rights, what benefits are available, who may be eligible for those benefits, and how to get them.
2. What is the settlement about?
ANSWER:
2. English
The lawsuit challenges Defendants’ protection of the computer network systems used to provide the Sony PlayStation Network, the Qriocity service, and the Sony Online Entertainment (“SOE”) services, which were attacked by criminal intruders in April 2011.
Plaintiffs claim that Defendants failed to adequately safeguard the Network Platforms and, as a result, unauthorized people gained access to certain accountholder information. Plaintiffs also claim that the accountholders were legally injured by the unavailability of the PSN, the Qriocity Service, and the SOE services while those services were temporarily offline following discovery of the Intrusions.
Defendants deny all of Plaintiffs’ claims and say that they did nothing wrong.
3. Am I being sued?
ANSWER:
3. English
No, you are not being sued. The lawsuit was brought against various Sony companies.
4. What is a class action? ANSWER:
4. English
In a class action, one or more people called “Representative Plaintiffs” sue on behalf of people who have similar claims. All of these people are a “Settlement Class” or “Class Members.” One court resolves the issues for all Class Members, except for those who properly opt out of the Settlement Class.
5. Why is there a Settlement? ?
ANSWER:
5. English
Both sides agreed to settle this case to avoid the cost and risk of a trial. The proposed settlement does not mean that any law was violated or that the Defendants did anything wrong. The Defendants deny all legal claims in this case. The Class Representatives and their lawyers think the proposed settlement is best for all Class Members. The Court will be asked to approve the settlement, not to decide the lawsuit in favour of Plaintiffs or the Defendants.
6. What are the Settlement benefits?
ANSWER:
6. English
The settlement provides for cash payments, online game and service benefits, and reimbursements. The type of payments and online benefits you can get depend in part on what type of account(s) you had and the type of claim you submit, if valid. The deadline for mailing in a claim for any of the benefits is 60 days after the settlement becomes final and effective, which will be posted on this website. Deadlines for reimbursement claims for actual identity theft, if any, allow for more time to some extent, depending on the claim, as will also be posted on this website.
7. How do I know if I am part of the Settlement?
ANSWER:
7. English
The Court decided that the Settlement Class includes anyone residing in Canada who had a PSN account or sub-account, a Qriocity account, or an SOE account at any time prior to May 15, 2011.
8. Do I need a lawyer?
ANSWER:
8. English
No. The Court has appointed the following attorneys to represent members of the Settlement Class: Bryan C. McPhadden, McPhadden, Samac, Tuovi LLP of Toronto, Ontario; Stephen Osborne, Merchant Law Group LLP of St. Catharines, Ontario; Careen Hannouche, Lauzon Bélanger Lespérance Inc. of Montreal, Quebec; and David Assor, Lex Group Inc. of Montreal, Quebec, are the “Class Counsel” to represent you and other Class Members. You will not be charged for the services performed by these lawyers. You may also contact the Class Counsel, Bryan C. McPhadden, McPhadden Samac Tuovi LLP, 8 King Street E. Suite 300, Toronto, ON M5C 1B5. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense.
9. Who is eligible to receive benefits from the Settlement?
ANSWER:
9. English
The Court decided that the Settlement Class includes anyone residing in Canada who had a PSN account or sub-account, a Qriocity account, or an SOE account at any time prior to May 15, 2011.
The Sony Entities and their officers and directors are not included in the Settlement Class.
10. What will I receive if I am eligible
ANSWER:
10. English
The settlement provides for cash payments, online game and service benefits, and reimbursements. The type of payments and online benefits you can get depend in part on what type of account(s) you had and the type of claim you submit, if valid.
11. What Account Benefits are available?
ANSWER:
11. English
A. Were you a PlayStation Network Accountholder prior to May 15, 2011?
If so, there are various types of benefits you might be eligible for:
1. Unused Wallet Balance Payment. If you had logins in any of your PSN accounts (including any linked accounts) any time from January 1, 2011 through May 14, 2011, but after that (through January 24, 2013) you did not have any logins in any of them (and did not open any new accounts) because of the Intrusions, you can get a payment equal to any paid virtual currency in your account wallet if that balance is at least U.S. $2.
Please note, this benefit is not available to PSN accountholders whose only PSN account is a sub-account, since sub-accounts do not have a wallet separate from the corresponding master account.
Even if you are eligible for this benefit, you are not required to select it. If you wish, you can instead choose to activate any of your PSN accounts and submit a claim for any other PSN accountholder benefit.
When you submit a claim for this benefit, your existing PSN accounts (including any linked accounts) will be locked so that any wallet balances can be calculated, and, upon payment, all such wallet balances will be extinguished and your existing accounts (including any linked accounts) will be closed. If you do not submit a claim or your claim is invalid, the credit balance in your individual account wallet will be available to you for future use.
2. Account Benefits. If you were a PlayStation Network Accountholder prior to May 15, 2011 and you are continuing as an active PlayStation Network Accountholder, the benefits you may be eligible for are as follows:
a. If you participated in the PSN “Welcome Back” program that followed the restoration of PSN service on May 15, 2011, you can get one of these three benefits:
1. either a free game for your PS3 or PSP
2. or 3 free PS3 themes,
3. or a 50% discount on PlayStation Plus online services for 3 months (if you are not already a PlayStation Plus subscriber)
If you did not participate in the PSN “Welcome Back” program following the restoration of PSN service on May 15, 2011, you can submit a claim for two of the benefits.
These PSN benefits are limited to three per household.
If the settlement is approved and becomes effective, valid claims for these benefits will be honored on a first-come, first-served basis, starting from the date of notice. These benefits will be available, calculated at U.S. $9 per valid claim for one benefit (or U.S. $18 for valid claims for two benefits) until the total available amounts have been reached. Later claimants can get a 50% discount on PlayStation Plus online services for one month (whether or not the claimant is already a PlayStation Plus subscriber).
b. In addition, if you paid other companies for certain media services (specifically, Netflix or Hulu Plus) that you could not access through the PSN while the PSN was temporarily offline from April 20 through May 14, 2011, you can get 3 free PS3 themes. Or, you can get a 50% discount on PlayStation Plus online services for 3 months. This option is available only if you are not already a PlayStation Plus subscriber. You must provide documentary evidence in the form of credit card or other payment receipts or statements that you paid Netflix or Hulu Plus for media services during the PSN Offline Period that you could have accessed through the PSN.
You are not eligible for this benefit if you received a credit or reimbursement offsetting your payment and you must also certify that you did not access those media services during the PSN Offline Period through some other means, such as by streaming media through internet-connected computers or ordering it on disc through the mail. Up to U.S. $100,000 in benefits for such claims will be available, calculated at a value of U.S. $9 per valid claim.
B. Were you a Sony Online Entertainment Accountholder prior to May 15, 2011?
If so, there are various types of benefits you might be eligible for:
1. Unused Wallet Balance Payment. If you had logins in any of your SOE accounts at any time from January 1, 2011 through May 14, 2011, but after that through January 24, 2013 you did not have any logins in any of them (and did not open any new accounts) because of the Intrusions, you can get a payment equal to any balance of paid virtual currency in your account wallet if that balance is at least U.S. $2. If you do not submit a claim or your claim is invalid, the credit balance in your individual account wallet will be available to you for future use.
Even if you are eligible for this benefit, you are not required to select this option. If you wish, you can instead choose to activate any of your SOE accounts and submit a claim for the other SOE accountholder benefits.
When you submit a claim for this benefit, your existing SOE accounts will be locked so that any wallet balances can be calculated, and, upon payment, all such wallet balances will be extinguished and your existing accounts will be closed.
2. Account Benefit. If you were a Sony Online Entertainment Accountholder prior to May 15, 2011 and you are continuing as an active Sony Online Entertainment Accountholder, you can get a U.S. $4.50 deposit of “Station Cash” into your SOE account (in other words, 450 units of Station Cash), usable for SOE digital products and services.
C. Were you a Qriocity Accountholder prior to May 15, 2011?
If so, the benefit you might be eligible for is as follows:
If you had a Qriocity account at the time of the April 2011 service outage, but you were not a PlayStation Network Accountholder, you can get one free month of Music Unlimited, an online music service that is a successor to Qriocity.
12. What are the games and themes?
ANSWER:
12. English
The games and themes are listed on the claim form.
13. What Identity Theft Reimbursements am I eligible for
ANSWER:
13. English
If you incurred out-of-pocket charges due to actual identity theft, you can submit a claim for reimbursement up to U.S. $2,500. You will need to submit documentation to prove the theft directly resulted from the intrusion. Reimbursements will be reduced proportionally if the amount payable on all valid claims would exceed the available settlement funds.
14. What is Actual Identity Theft?
ANSWER:
14. English
“Actual identity theft” means, for example, someone assuming your identity and taking out a line of credit, establishing a new financial account, or otherwise obtaining monies and other things of value fraudulently in your name. Unauthorized charges on a payment card must be on a new payment card, not the one associated with your PSN account, Qriocity account or SOE account.
15. How will I know if my Reimbursement request will be considered valid
ANSWER:
15. English
The Claims Administrator will determine whether your documentation supports your claim, including whether you had actual identity theft caused by the Intrusion(s). For a claim to be valid, your documentation must show that the charges directly and proximately resulted from someone else’s unauthorized use of information about you that was obtained from the Intrusions and not from any other source.
16. What do I have to do to obtain cash payments or benefits?
ANSWER:
16. English
If you qualify for any of the benefits described in your notice you must submit a Claim Form and required documentation by the relevant deadline. You can get Claim Forms on this website on the Claim Forms page, or a copy can be mailed to you.
There are different Claim Forms for benefits available to PSN accountholders, to Qriocity accountholders, to SOE accountholders, and to claimants eligible for reimbursement for identity theft related charges. You can submit only one of each Claim Form. Please read the instructions carefully, fill out the relevant Claim Form(s), attach the required documentation and mail it postmarked no later than the relevant deadline, to:
PSN-SOE Canada Settlement
P.O. Box #2080
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 0A4
Please note that benefits are available on a per person basis, not a per account basis. For example, even if you had multiple PSN accounts, you are eligible for only one set of PSN account benefits. Similarly, if you had multiple Qriocity accounts, you are eligible for only one set of Qriocity account benefits, and if you had multiple SOE accounts, you are eligible for only one set of SOE account benefits. However, if you had both a PSN account and an SOE account, for example, you are eligible for both sets of benefits.
17. What is the deadline for returning my Claim Form?
ANSWER:
17. English
If you are submitting a claim for Account Benefits under the settlement, the deadline for mailing in a claim is 60 days after the settlement becomes final and effective, which will be posted on the settlement website.
If you are submitting a claim for reimbursement of out of pocket expenses due to actual identity theft, the deadline for mailing in a reimbursement claim will depend on when the settlement becomes final and effective, which will be posted on the settlement website. For identity theft reimbursement claims based on actual identity theft that you discover prior to the effective date of the settlement, the deadline will be 90 days after the effective date of the settlement. For identity theft reimbursement claims based on actual identity theft that you discover after the effective date of the settlement, the deadline will be 60 days from the date you discover the identity theft, or May 15, 2014, whichever is sooner.
18. What does it mean if I sign the Claim Form? What am I giving up?
ANSWER:
18. English
Upon final approval of the proposed settlement, all Settlement Class Members who have either filed valid claims, or who have not excluded themselves from the Settlement Class, will no longer be able to sue any of the Sony Entities regarding any of the claims described in the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement is available on this website under Court Documents. The Settlement Agreement provides more detail regarding the release and describes the released claims with specific descriptions in accurate legal terminology, so please read it carefully.
19. Can I still file my own lawsuit and get benefits?
ANSWER:
19. English
No. You can only file your own lawsuit if you opt out, and if you opt out, you cannot get benefits in the settlement.
20. Will the information I provide be kept confidential
ANSWER:
20. English
Yes. All information you provide will be used by the Claims Administrator and the parties strictly to process your claim and to effectuate the settlement. For more information, please review the Claims Administrator’s “Privacy Policy,” which can be found at the bottom of this page.
21. What if I do not want to participate/ how do I opt out of the Settlement?
ANSWER:
21. English
To opt out from the proposed settlement, you must send a letter or other written document by mail saying that you want to opt out from Maksimovic and Sony of Canada Ltd. et al.. There is an opt-out form that you can use that is available in the Opt Out page of this website. Be sure to include your full name, address, signature (or signature of a parent, legal guardian or other legal representative for those under 18 or where otherwise appropriate), and date. You must mail your request for opting out postmarked by May 20, 2013 to:
PSN-SOE Canada Settlement Exclusions
P.O. Box #2080
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 0A4
22. If I exclude myself, can I get benefits from the Settlement?
ANSWER:
22. English
No. If you ask to be excluded, you will not be eligible for any Settlement Benefit, and you cannot object to the settlement. You will not be legally bound by the settlement or anything that happens in the Lawsuit.
23. If I don’t exclude myself, may I sue for the same thing later
ANSWER:
23. English
No. If you do not exclude yourself, you will give up the right to bring or continue claims or lawsuits resolved by this settlement. If you have a pending lawsuit, speak to your lawyer in that case immediately about this Notice.
24. How do I object to the Settlement
ANSWER:
24. English
To object, you must submit a written request containing the following:
1. The name and title of the lawsuit, which is Maksimovic and Sony of Canada Ltd.et al. Court File No. CV-11 425487-00CP;
2. Your full name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and signature (or signature of a parent, legal guardian or other legal representative for those under 18 or where otherwise appropriate);
3. Information showing that you are a Class Member, including proof that you are a member of the Settlement Class, including documentation of any identity-theft-related charges you claim to have suffered as a result of the Intrusions if you are objecting to any portion of the settlement dealing with reimbursement of identity-theft-related charges for which you believe you would have an existing claim.
Your written objection also should include the reasons why you object to the proposed settlement, and any documentation supporting your objection, as well as a statement of whether you intend to appear at the Final Approval Hearing.
You should also provide the name and full contact information for any counsel that you have retained to represent you. Send copies of any objection to the Court, Class Counsel, and Sony Counsel listed in your notice, postmarked no later than May 20th, 2013.
|
COURT |
SETTLEMENT CLASS COUNSEL |
SONY COUNSEL |
|
Clerk of the Court Ontario Superior Court of Justice 393 University Ave., 10th Floor Toronto ON M5G 1E6 |
Bryan C. McPhadden McPhadden Samac Tuovi LLP 8 King Street E. Suite 300 Toronto, ON M5C 1B5 |
Dana Peebles McCarthy Tétrault LLP Suite 5300 66 Wellington Street W. Toronto ON M5K 1E6 |
26. When and where will the Court decide whether to approve the SettlementANSWER:
26. English
June 10, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. at Ontario Superior Court of Justice. At this hearing, the Court will consider whether the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate. If there are objections, the Court will consider them. After the hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the settlement. It is not known how long that decision will take.
27. Do I have to attend the hearing?
ANSWER:
27. English
No. Class Counsel will answer questions the Court may have. But you are welcome to come at your own expense. If you mail an objection, you don’t have to come to the Court to talk about it. As long as you mailed your written objection on time, the Court will consider it. You may also pay your own lawyer to attend and observe, but it is not necessary.
28. Can I or my attorney speak at the hearing?
ANSWER:
28. English
To speak at the Final Approval Hearing, you must send a letter or other written document saying that you intend to attend to object to the proposed settlement in the case. Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, and your signature. You also must include information about what you intend to say at the hearing. If you intend to have counsel appear and represent you at the hearing, please so indicate and provide the full name and contact information for that counsel. Also, please list anyone you or your counsel will call to testify in support of your objection at the hearing. Please send copies of your document to the Court, Class Counsel, and Sony Counsel postmarked no later than May 20th, 2013. The Court will decide if you will be allowed to speak at the Final Approval Hearing.
|
COURT |
SETTLEMENT CLASS COUNSEL |
SONY COUNSEL |
|
Clerk of the Court Ontario Superior Court of Justice 393 University Ave., 10th Floor Toronto ON M5G 1E6 |
Bryan C. McPhadden McPhadden Samac Tuovi LLP 8 King Street E. Suite 300 Toronto, ON M5C 1B5 |
Dana Peebles McCarthy Tétrault LLP Suite 5300 66 Wellington Street W. Toronto ON M5K 1E6 |
29. What if I do nothing?
ANSWER:
29. English
If you do nothing, you will not receive any benefit from the settlement. In addition, unless you exclude yourself, you won’t be able to start a lawsuit, continue with a lawsuit, or be part of any other lawsuit against Sony and the Released Parties about the legal issues in the Lawsuit and the Released Claims ever again.
30. When will I receive my Settlement benefit
ANSWER:
30. English
Claims will be reviewed by the Settlement Administrator and benefits will be distributed only after the settlement is approved by the Court and any appeals are resolved. Online game and service benefits will be distributed by downloading them to the claimant’s PSN or SOE account. Wallet balance payments and identity theft reimbursement payments will be mailed. Please note that reimbursements will be sent only when the reimbursement amounts are final under the terms of the settlement. Please be patient.
31. What if I have more questions later? Whom should I contact?
ANSWER:
31. English
If you have additional questions about the Settlement, and you cannot find the answer to your question on this website, you can contact us again by calling this number: 1-877-389-4482. You also may write with questions to PSN-SOE Canada Settlement, P.O. Box #2080, Toronto, Ontario M5T 0A4. You may also contact the Class Counsel, Bryan C. McPhadden, McPhadden Samac Tuovi LLP, 8 King Street E. Suite 300, Toronto, ON M5C 1B5.