Who Does the NBCUniversal Data Breach Lawsuit Affect?
The proposed class covers all individuals residing in the U.S. whose personal information was compromised in the September 2026 breach. The complaint says as many as 35,000 current and former NBCUniversal employees were affected, though NBCUniversal has not confirmed the breach.
What Is Going On with the NBCUniversal Data Breach Lawsuit?
A hacking group using the name ScarlettGroup posted a claim on a cybercrime forum on October 18, 2026, saying it had NBCUniversal data. The full data set was allegedly released around October 23-24. A former employee filed a proposed class action on October 24, 2026.
What Could I Get From the NBCUniversal Data Breach Lawsuit?
Nothing yet. The case was only recently filed and has not reached a settlement, so there is no claim form or payout at this time.
Can I File a NBCUniversal Data Breach Lawsuit Claim?
You do not need to file anything to be a possible class member. If you are a current or former NBCUniversal employee and believe your data was exposed, save any breach notification you received and keep records of your personal information.
How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
Class action lawyers usually work on contingency, so class members pay nothing up front. If the case settles or wins, the court approves the fee, which comes out of the recovery.
At A Glance
- Who Does the PayPal Class Action Lawsuit Affect?
It depends on the case. Honey browser extension users and creators, Venmo users whose data was allegedly tracked, and shoppers who paid with other methods at stores that accept PayPal are all named in different suits. Investors in PayPal stock are covered by separate securities cases.
- What Is Going On with the PayPal Class Action Lawsuit?
PayPal faces several lawsuits at the same time. Creators say Honey diverted their affiliate commissions. Shoppers say Honey did not find the best deals. A September 2026 suit says tracking tools collected Venmo users' payment details. PayPal denies wrongdoing where it has responded.
- What Could I Get From the PayPal Class Action Lawsuit?
Nothing right now. As of October 30, 2026, no PayPal consumer case has a settlement, claim form or deadline. Any email or ad promising a PayPal payout is likely a scam.
- Can I File a PayPal Class Action Lawsuit?
You do not need to file anything to be a possible class member. If you used Honey or Venmo, keep your account history. You can also talk to a consumer protection lawyer about your own claim.
- How Much Does a Lawyer Cost?
Class action lawyers usually work on contingency, so class members pay nothing up front. If a case settles or wins, the court approves the fee, which comes out of the recovery.
NBCUniversal Sued Over 2026 Data Breach That Exposed Employee Records on the Dark Web
A former NBCUniversal employee has filed a proposed class action in federal court in Manhattan, accusing the media company of failing to secure workers’ personal data before a 2026 cyberattack exposed it to the public. The 26-page complaint, filed October 24, 2026, says a hacking group calling itself ScarlettGroup breached NBCUniversal’s systems between September and October 2026 and later posted full employee records on the dark web.
A cybersecurity bulletin published October 19, 2026, the day after ScarlettGroup’s claim surfaced on a cybercrime forum, said NBCUniversal had not confirmed the incident. For background on how these claims typically proceed, see our what is a class action lawsuit guide.
None of the claims has been proven in court. NBCUniversal has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
Important lawsuit update
In the public reports we reviewed as of November 5, 2026, NBCUniversal had not publicly confirmed the breach or disclosed its full scope to affected individuals. Any email asking you to pay a fee to join a settlement is a scam. There is no settlement yet. Learn the warning signs in our guide to class action settlement scams.
Who Is Being Sued in the NBCUniversal Data Breach Lawsuit?
The defendant is NBCUniversal Media, LLC, a Comcast subsidiary based in New York City. The case, Johnston v. NBCUniversal Media, LLC, case number 1:26-cv-09324, was filed October 24, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The parties include:
- PayPal Holdings, Inc. and PayPal, Inc.: The payments company, which also operates Venmo, named as defendant.
- Honey Science, LLC: The browser extension company owned by PayPal.
- Affiliate marketers and creators: Plaintiffs in In re PayPal Honey Browser Extension Litigation, No. 5:24-cv-09470.
- Venmo users: Proposed class members in Borquez v. PayPal, No. 5:26-cv-09340, filed September 1, 2026.
NBCUniversal Media, LLC: The Comcast-owned media company named as defendant, accused of inadequate cybersecurity.
ScarlettGroup: The hacking group that allegedly posted the stolen data on a dark web forum. It is not a defendant.
Named plaintiff: A former NBCUniversal employee who says his personal information was compromised in the breach.
Proposed class: All individuals residing in the U.S. whose personal data was compromised in the September 2026 breach.
Who Could Be Covered by the NBCUniversal Data Breach Lawsuit?
The proposed class covers all individuals residing in the United States whose personal information was compromised in the September 2026 breach, as the complaint defines it. The complaint says the breach affected as many as 35,000 current and former employees. No class has been certified yet.
What Circumstances Might Be Relevant?
- You used the Honey browser extension to find coupon codes.
- You are a creator or affiliate marketer who earns commissions through links.
- You used Venmo, including Private payments, and sent names, amounts or notes.
- You paid with a credit card or another wallet at a store that also accepts PayPal or Venmo.
- You owned PayPal stock during the investor class periods. Those are separate securities cases.
You are a current or former NBCUniversal employee.
You received a breach notification from NBCUniversal or a related entity.
Your Social Security number, financial account, tax, or driver's license information may have been exposed.
Your payroll, timecard, or talent-role records were stored in NBCUniversal's systems.
You have seen your information referenced in files ScarlettGroup posted to the dark web.
You do not need to sign up or file anything to stay in a proposed class. If a court certifies a class or a settlement is reached, official notice will explain your options. Our guide on what to do when you get a class action notice explains that step.
What Is the NBCUniversal Data Breach Lawsuit About?
According to the complaint, the stolen material included employee identifying information, payroll records, timecards, production files and talent roles, along with financial and tax documents, Salesforce business records, and other commercial and operational data. Some of the compromised files reportedly referenced projects not scheduled for release until 2027.
ScarlettGroup posted its claim on a cybercrime forum on October 18, 2026, and is accused of releasing the full data set, including employee records, around October 23 or 24. The suit describes NBCUniversal’s cybersecurity as inadequate and its response as insufficient, arguing the company has not confirmed the incident publicly, has not detailed how the attack happened, and has not offered affected workers any remediation.
| Case | Filed | Main claim | What it asks for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston v. NBCUniversal Media, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-09324 (S.D.N.Y.) | October 24, 2026 | Negligence and breach of implied contract over inadequate data security | Damages, restitution and court-ordered security changes for the proposed class; class certification not yet decided |
What Laws Are Involved?
The complaint has two counts: breach of implied contract, and negligence including negligence per se. It points to Section 5 of the FTC Act as a standard for reasonable data security. Federal jurisdiction rests on the Class Action Fairness Act.
The key legal theories include:
- Sherman Act Section 1: Bans agreements that unreasonably restrain trade. The fees case relies on antitrust law.
- Securities Exchange Act Section 10(b): The federal law behind most investor fraud suits.
- State consumer protection and privacy laws: The consumer cases also rely on state laws against unfair or deceptive practices.
Negligence and negligence per se: NBCUniversal allegedly failed to use reasonable care to secure employees' personal data.
Breach of implied contract: The suit says NBCUniversal implicitly promised to safeguard data it collected from employees.
FTC Act Section 5: The suit says failing to use reasonable data security is an unfair practice under 15 U.S.C. § 45, which sets the duty of care.
How Do Other Data Breach Cases Compare?
Data breach cases often take a year or more to reach a settlement. For other active cases, see our Columbia University data breach settlement page.
Those results are not a prediction for NBCUniversal. See how class action settlements work for the usual path from complaint to payment.
Worked at NBCUniversal?
You can act today without waiting for the court. Monitor your credit reports and consider a fraud alert. Then save any breach notice you received in case a claims process opens.
What Can Affected Employees Do Right Now?
Because there is no settlement, the most useful steps limit damage and preserve evidence in case a class is certified.
- Monitor your credit reports and financial accounts closely.
- Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus.
- Save any breach notification you received from NBCUniversal.
- Keep records of payroll, tax and identification documents you held while employed.
- Do not pay anyone who offers to register you for an NBCUniversal settlement.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Attorney
- Which PayPal case fits how I used Honey, Venmo or PayPal?
- Would an individual claim be worth more than staying in a class?
- Do the PayPal or Venmo terms of service include an arbitration clause that affects my rights?
- What account records should I save before they are deleted?
What type of personal information of mine was exposed in the breach?
Would an individual claim be worth more than staying in a class?
What records should I save before they are deleted?
How long is this case likely to take before any payment is possible?
What Happens Next in the NBCUniversal Case?
The case turns on whether NBCUniversal moves to dismiss and, if it survives, whether the court certifies a class. That process usually takes a year or more. NBCUniversal has not publicly responded to the complaint.
Follow other active cases in our list of open class action lawsuits.
Affected employees may wish to:
- Bookmark this page. We update it when the court rules or a settlement is announced.
- Ignore anyone offering to "register" you for a PayPal settlement for a fee.
- Learn what a class action lawsuit is and how class members are notified.
- Check open class action settlements for claims you can file today.
Bookmark this page. We update it when the court rules or a settlement is announced.
Ignore anyone offering to "register" you for an NBCUniversal settlement for a fee.
Learn what a class action lawsuit is and how class members are notified.
Check open class action settlements for claims you can file today.
Is There a Filing Deadline for the NBCUniversal Lawsuit?
No. There is no claim deadline because there is no settlement yet. These are the dates that matter so far:
Key Dates in the NBCUniversal Case:
- December 29, 2024: The Honey creators' case is filed in San Jose federal court.
- June 22, 2026: A judge denies PayPal's motion to dismiss the Honey creators' case.
- September 1, 2026: Borquez v. PayPal d/b/a Venmo filed over tracking tools.
- October 27, 2026: Class certification motion filed in the Honey creators' case.
September-October 2026: The breach allegedly occurs, according to the complaint.
October 18-19, 2026: ScarlettGroup posts its claim on a cybercrime forum, and Cybernews reports on sample data.
October 23-24, 2026: Full employee records are allegedly released. Johnston v. NBCUniversal Media, LLC is filed in the Southern District of New York on October 24.
If you want to bring your own case instead of waiting, time limits under state data-breach and consumer protection laws can be short. A lawyer can tell you which deadline applies. Our guide on how to sue a company covers the basics.
Case: Johnston v. NBCUniversal Media, LLC, No. 1:26-cv-09324 (S.D.N.Y., filed Oct. 24, 2026)
Alleged class: All U.S. residents whose data was compromised in the September 2026 breach
Status: Pending. No public response from NBCUniversal reported
You May Also Want to Know
No. As of October 30, 2026, no PayPal consumer settlement has a claim form or deadline. An older $3.2 million account hold settlement from 2017 is closed.
Be careful. Real notices come from a court approved administrator and name a case and a claim deadline. See our guide to class action settlement scams.
Creators allege it did. PayPal has not been found liable, and the case is still pending.
No one knows yet. Payments depend on a settlement or verdict. See class action settlement payouts.
What happened in the NBCUniversal data breach?
A hacking group known as ScarlettGroup reportedly breached NBCUniversal's systems between September and October 2026, stealing employee records, financial and tax documents, and internal business data, then posting the information on the dark web in late October 2026.
Who is suing NBCUniversal?
A former NBCUniversal employee filed the proposed class action in the Southern District of New York on October 24, 2026, seeking to represent all U.S. residents whose personal information was compromised in the breach.
Has NBCUniversal confirmed the data breach?
The lawsuit alleges that, as of the filing date, NBCUniversal had not publicly confirmed the breach or disclosed its full scope to affected individuals.
Is there a settlement yet in the NBCUniversal data breach case?
No. The case was only recently filed and has not reached a settlement. LegalWorldHub will update this page as the litigation develops.