| Volume 93 Number 3 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
If you have reason to believe your personal information has been compromised and you may become a victim of identity theft, put in a fraud alert with the credit bureau. Federal law requires that the credit bureau keep this alert on your file for 90 days. Click here to find out how to learn more about preventing identity theft.
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JPMorgan Warns Users of Data Hack
According to JPMorgan, some 465,000 holders of prepaid cards may have had their personal information stolen during a data breach in July of this year. The cards were issued to corporations and government entities to pay for benefits, unemployment, and tax refunds. JPMorgan detected the problem in mid-September, fixed the issue, and filed a report with law enforcement.
JPMorgan is not saying exactly how hackers successfully breached the company's security.
Is your personal information safe?
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Important HealthCare.gov Final Steps
Have you gone through the application process on HealthCare.gov? Have you selected a policy that suits your needs?
If so, you're almost done. But not quite.
That's right. There's one final step that you must proactively take before you have complied with the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. You must pay for your insurance coverage by December 31. If you don't, you won't be insured and you won't be in compliance with the law. Furthermore, your application will be terminated and you'll have to start from scratch.
If you've taken the time to sign up for coverage at HealthCare.gov, take one final look to make sure your first premium has been paid. If you haven't paid, make sure to complete the process as soon as possible.
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Your Money
How much do you need for emergencies?
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For the Lawyers
Unfair and hidden arbitration clause is unenforceable.
A U.S. district court in Nevada refused to enforce an arbitration clause in a privacy/security breach class action. Most online retailers require consumers to click on a button saying that they agree to all the fine print terms and conditions, which generally include forced arbitration clauses.
In this case, this arbitration clause provided that “Accessing, browsing or otherwise using the site indicates your agreement to all the terms and conditions in this agreement, so please read this agreement carefully before proceeding.”
The court noted that, “Very little is required to form a contract nowadays–but this alone does not suffice.” It continued, stating that “the Internet has not changed the basic requirements of a contract, and there is no agreement where there is no acceptance, no meeting of the minds, and no manifestation of assent.”
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