USA v. Epsilon Data Mgmt, LLC & KBM Group LLC
Frequently Asked Questions
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The United States Department of Justice, together with other federal law enforcement partners, has conducted an investigation into two separate companies who supplied consumer data, such as names and addresses, to entities engaged in fraudulent mass-mailing schemes. Such schemes typically involved letters sent by mail falsely promising large cash prizes or other rewards in exchange for payment of a fee. If you received a notice, the Department of Justice has determined that you are owed compensation for your losses connected with fraudulent mass-mailing schemes.
On January 19, 2021, Epsilon Data Management LLC (Epsilon) entered into a settlement with the Department of Justice to resolve a criminal charge for selling millions of Americans’ information to perpetrators of elder fraud schemes.
Under the terms of the DPA, Epsilon agreed to pay a total of $150 million, with $127.5 million of that amount going to compensate victims of the fraudulent schemes that used consumer data sold by Epsilon. Epsilon also agreed to implement significant compliance measures designed to safeguard consumers’ data and prevent its sale to individuals or entities engaged in fraudulent or deceptive marketing campaigns. Further, the DPA requires Epsilon to maintain a procedure for consumers to request that it not sell their information to others.
On June 11, 2021, KBM Group LLC, another marketing company, entered into a DPA with the Department of Justice admitting that the company shared millions of Americans’ information with perpetrators of elder fraud schemes.
Under the terms of the DPA, KBM Group has paid a total of $42 million, with $33.5 million of that amount going to compensate victims of fraudulent schemes that used consumer data provided by KBM Group. KBM Group also agreed to implement significant compliance measures designed to safeguard consumers’ data and prevent its use by individuals or entities engaged in fraudulent or deceptive marketing campaigns.
As part of their negotiated DPAs, both KBM Group and Epsilon acknowledged that they provided consumer lists to a number of mass-mailing fraud schemes that sent false “sweepstakes” and “astrology” solicitations to consumers. Those solicitations stated that each consumer recipient had won a large prize or individualized psychic service that they could obtain by paying a fee. In reality, the solicitations — as known to KBM Group and Epsilon employees — were mass-produced mailings and victims who paid a fee received nothing of value. As reflected in the consumer lists provided by KBM Group and Epsilon to perpetrators of the fraud schemes, the schemes disproportionately affected the elderly and other vulnerable individuals.
If you received a notice in the mail, the Department of Justice has identified you as a victim of a fraudulent mass-mailing scheme. Such schemes typically involved letters sent by mail falsely promising prizes or other rewards upon payment of a fee. Two separate companies, Epsilon Data Management, LLC (“Epsilon”) and KBM Group LLC (“KBM Group”), provided consumer data to entities engaged in mass-mailing fraud, and, in order to resolve criminal charges with the United States Department of Justice, Epsilon and KBM Group have contributed to a victim compensation fund. More information about the Department of Justice’s investigation and the victim compensation fund is available on this website, as well as the Department of Justice’s website at www.justice.gov/CDVC.
If you were asked to pay money in connection with the notice you received (for example, if someone asked you to pay a transaction or processing fee in order to get the compensation described in the notice), please immediately file a Mail Fraud Complaint. When submitting the complaint, under “Additional Information”, enter the keyword “CDVC” for proper categorization. For assistance, please call us toll-free at (833) 910-4494.
If you would like to report any other type of fraud, please file a Mail Fraud Complaint, and when submitting the complaint, under “Additional Information”, enter the keyword “EPSILON-KBM-REPORT” so that your report is sent to the correct team.
You do not need to do anything to receive payment. However, it is very important that we have your correct address and contact information. If you have a new or different address or additional contact information, please update your contact information by calling us at (833)910-4494. You will need to provide the unique ID found at the top of the notice you received to make any updates. Your contact information will never be sold or used for any purpose other than compensating you.
No. You do not need to do anything to receive payment, including hiring an attorney. You are always welcome to consult an attorney on this or any other matter.
No. You do not need to do anything to receive payment. The compensation amounts were determined by means of an investigation by the Department of Justice. You can learn more about the investigation by visiting www.justice.gov/CDVC.
Two separate companies, Epsilon Data Management and KBM Group, paid money into a victim compensation fund as part of a criminal resolution for supplying consumer data to entities engaged in fraud. There is more information about the investigation and the victim compensation fund at the Department of Justice’s website at www.justice.gov/CDVC.
This victim compensation fund was created as part of a resolution of criminal charges by the United States Department of Justice against two separate companies, Epsilon Data Management and KBM Group. You do not need to do anything or pay anything in order to receive your compensation check. The Documents section of our website has official filings related to the investigations. There is also more information about the investigation and the victim compensation fund at the Department of Justice’s website at www.justice.gov/CDVC.
The compensation amount is included on the notice you received. It is located at the end of the first paragraph. If you no longer have the notice or are having trouble identifying the amount, you may contact us for assistance.
The amount of your payment was calculated based on an investigation by the Department of Justice.
This amount was determined based upon an investigation by the United States Department of Justice. At this time, there is no process to dispute the amount. You can learn more about the investigation in the Documents section of this website or by visiting www.justice.gov/CDVC. If you would like to file your own fraud report, please follow the instructions under the FAQ “I would like to report fraud,” or call us at (833) 910-4494.
We anticipate that checks will be mailed at some point in May 2022.
It is very important that we have your correct address and contact information. If you have a new or different address or additional contact information, please by calling us at (833)910-4494. You will need to provide the unique ID found at the top of the notice you received to make any updates.
Your contact information will never be sold or used for any purpose other than compensating you.
If you have a new or different address or additional contact information by calling us at (833)910-4494. You will need to provide the unique ID found at the top of the notice you received to make any updates. If you need to update your name, indicate you would like to “Request Name Change”, and provide the requested information and supporting documentation.
Your contact information will never be sold or used for any purpose other than compensating you.
You can request that the name on the check be changed to the surviving spouse or a beneficiary. Please call us at (833)910-4494 and indicate you would like to “Request Name Change.” You will be required to submit a brief statement explaining why the check should be reissued, and provide supporting documentation (e.g., legal documentation including a death certificate for the person named in the notice, and any other legal document that names the beneficiary of the decedent. Power of attorney documents will not be accepted). If you are unsure of what to provide, please contact us so that we may assist you.
Please visit the Department of Justice’s website at www.justice.gov/CDVC for more information about this investigation and the victim compensation fund. You may also visit the websites of Epsilon Data Management (www.epsilon.com) and KBM Group (www.kbmg.com) for more information about the data they possess.
Yes, you can tell Epsilon and KBM Group to delete the data they have about you. To request that your data be removed, you can contact Epsilon directly at 1-866-267-3861 and KBM Group directly at 1-833-296-0825. You may also visit their websites to request that your data be removed. The specific sections of their websites for these requests are the following:
Your unique ID is located on the notice you received by mail, above your address. If you are unable to locate your unique ID, please contact us so that we may assist you.
This fund was established to compensate a group of individuals for specific losses connected to identified fraudulent mass-mailing schemes. We are currently unable to consider compensation for anyone who was not mailed a notice at this time. Please contact us to find out if you are a part of this group. If you would like to file your own fraud report, please follow the instructions under the FAQ “I would like to report fraud,” or call us at (833) 910-4494.
This fund was established to compensate a group of individuals for specific losses connected to identified fraudulent mass-mailing schemes. We are currently unable to consider compensation for anyone who was not mailed a notice at this time. Please contact us to find out if you are a part of this group. If you would like to file your own fraud report, please follow the instructions under the FAQ “I would like to report fraud,” or call us at (833) 910-4494.
Epsilon and KBM Group have agreed that any unclaimed part of the victim compensation fund shall revert to the United States in the form of a payment to the United States Postal Inspection Service Consumer Fraud Fund.
Fax your documentation including your Unique ID, a brief statement about your request and supporting documentation (e.g., marriage certificate, death certificate, etc) to (888) 511-2964.
To request that your check be reissued, have your unique ID ready and call (933) 910-4494 or click here to contact us. If approved, your reissued check will be mailed tot he address we have on file. Your contact information will never be sold or used for any purpose other than compensating you.
