H&R Block Hit With Suit Over Breach Affecting 23,000 People (1)

Tax-preparation giant H&R Block Inc. negligently failed to protect the personal information of more than 23,000 people that was exposed in a data breach that lasted nearly three months, a proposed federal class action said.

Lead plaintiff William Buehring alleged that H&R Block breached its duties under common law, contract law, industry standards, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act to implement reasonable and adequate data-security measures and provide timely notice of the breach.

Information exposed in the incident included names, dates of birth, tax information, financial-account information, and Social Security numbers, according to a complaint filed ...