Primary Location
Torrance Personal Injury Lawyers
2916 W 164th St Second Floor, Torrance, CA 90504
Phone: (424) 622-0812
Call us at (855) 855-8910
Call us at (855) 855-8910
Someone used your name. Your Social Security number. Your credit. They opened accounts you never applied for. They ran up charges you never made. Now you're stuck cleaning up a mess you didn't create.
Identity theft is more than frustrating. It's a crime. And in many cases, it gives you a civil claim too. That means you can pursue money for what you lost and what it cost you to fix it.
At The Simon Law Group, we represent identity theft victims across the country. We track down how the theft happened. We hold the right parties responsible. And we fight to get you compensated. Our attorneys have recovered more than $600 million for clients. If someone stole your identity, we want to hear from you.
Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your permission. They use it to commit fraud or steal money. It's that simple, and that harmful.
Your "personal information" includes your name, Social Security number, date of birth, credit card numbers, bank account details, medical records, and more. When a thief gets hold of any of these, the damage can spread fast.
Some victims deal with more than one type at the same time. A thief who gets your Social Security number might file a tax return, open a credit card, and apply for medical benefits all at once. The longer it goes undetected, the worse the damage gets.
No matter which type you're dealing with, the law provides ways to hold the responsible parties accountable.
Most identity theft starts with a data breach. A company stores your personal information. Hackers break in. Your data ends up on the dark web. Then someone buys it and uses it to commit fraud.
This chain of events is why data breach victims can take legal action even before identity theft happens. The exposure alone puts you at risk. And if identity theft follows, your claim gets stronger.
Major data breaches have led to millions of identity theft cases. When companies fail to protect the information you trusted them with, they can be held liable for what happens next.
We've seen this pattern play out in cases like the LAPD data breach, where hundreds of thousands of sensitive records were exposed. The people whose data was leaked didn't do anything wrong. The company that failed to protect the data did.
If your identity was stolen after a data breach, you may have claims against both the thief and the company that let it happen. A data breach settlement can compensate you for what you lost and what it cost to recover.
Several federal and state laws give identity theft victims the right to fight back. Here are the most important ones.
The FCRA controls how credit bureaus handle your information. If identity theft causes errors on your credit report, the bureaus must investigate and fix them. If they don't, you can sue. The FCRA also lets you recover damages and attorney fees.
FACTA is an update to the FCRA with extra protections for fraud victims. It gives you the right to place fraud alerts on your credit file. It also entitles you to free credit reports so you can check for suspicious activity.
If your identity theft resulted from a data breach where a company failed to protect your data, the CCPA may apply. It allows statutory damages of $100 to $750 per consumer, per incident. You don't have to prove you lost a dollar. The exposure itself is enough.
California provides a free remedy kit to help victims clear their names. It includes form letters to send to creditors, law enforcement, and credit bureaus. It walks you through the process step by step. It's a practical tool you can use right away while your legal case moves forward.
Identity theft is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. 1028. While criminal charges are up to prosecutors, a criminal investigation can support your civil case. Evidence from a criminal case can help prove who stole your information and how.
Identity theft costs money. It costs time. It costs peace of mind. The law lets you pursue compensation for all of it.
Every case is different. The value of your claim depends on what happened, how much you lost, and which laws apply. We evaluate all of this during your free case review.
If you think someone stole your identity, act fast. These steps protect you and build the foundation for a legal claim.
Think your identity was stolen? We'll review your situation at no cost. Available 24/7.
Get Your Free Case ReviewEvery identity theft case starts with one question: how did this happen? The answer determines who we go after and what laws apply.
We dig into the source of the theft. Was your information exposed in a data breach? Did a company sell or mishandle your data? Did an individual steal it directly? Was your mail stolen or your account hacked? We follow the trail from the fraud back to the root cause.
This step matters because the source of the theft determines who you can sue and which laws apply. A breach caused by poor security practices leads to different claims than theft by a former employer or family member.
Sometimes it's the hacker or thief. Sometimes it's the company that failed to protect your data. Often it's both. We identify every party that played a role and pursue claims against each one.
Depending on your situation, we may file claims under the FCRA, FACTA, CCPA, or state consumer protection laws. We choose the legal theories that give you the best chance at maximum compensation.
If thousands of people were affected by the same data breach, a class action may make sense. If your losses are unique or severe, an individual lawsuit may recover more. We advise you on which path fits your situation.
Most identity theft cases settle. But the settlement amount depends on whether the other side believes you'll go to trial. We will. Our attorneys have tried cases in courtrooms across the country. That reputation gives us leverage that settlement-only firms don't have.
When a company knows you're represented by a trial firm, the conversation changes. They stop looking for ways to drag things out. They start looking for ways to resolve the case fairly.
We're a trial firm. That changes everything.
Companies that mishandle your data and the lawyers who defend them pay attention to who's on the other side. They know which firms settle quietly and which ones will take a case all the way to verdict. We're the second kind.
Our attorneys have recovered more than $600 million for clients. We've tried cases in courtrooms across the country. When we send a demand letter, the other side knows it's backed by a team that will show up in court.
You pay nothing upfront. No hourly rates. No retainer. We work on contingency. That means we only get paid if you do.
Call us or fill out the form. We'll tell you where you stand. Free. Confidential. No obligation.
(844) 843-8326Sources:
[1] Federal Trade Commission, "IdentityTheft.gov — Report Identity Theft and Get a Recovery Plan." identitytheft.gov
[2] Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. 1681 — Consumer Credit Reporting Rights. ftc.gov
[3] California Consumer Privacy Act, Section 1798.150 — Private Right of Action. oag.ca.gov
Our attorneys have handled cases across California and Arizona. We know how to hold companies and government agencies accountable when they fail to protect your data.
That number reflects real results for real families — medical bills paid, lost wages recovered, and futures protected.
You pay nothing upfront. Our fee comes out of your settlement or verdict. If we do not win your case, you owe us nothing.
Data breaches don't wait. Neither do we. Call (844) 843-8326 any time — nights, weekends, and holidays.
Our team works out of offices in Torrance, Seal Beach, Santa Ana, and Phoenix. We handle data breach cases statewide.
“After a data breach, you need a team that answers the phone, explains your rights, and fights for every dollar you are owed. That is what we do at The Simon Law Group.”Over 250 years of combined attorney experience
Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your permission to commit fraud or gain something of value. This includes using your Social Security number, credit card numbers, bank account details, or medical insurance information. It doesn't matter if the thief is a stranger or someone you know. If they used your information without authorization, it's identity theft.
Yes. If a company failed to protect your personal data and that failure led to your identity being stolen, you may have a legal claim against them. Under the CCPA, you can pursue statutory damages even without proving specific financial losses. Under the FCRA, you can sue credit bureaus that fail to fix errors caused by the theft. A data breach lawyer can help you determine which claims apply to your situation.
The value depends on several factors. These include how much money you lost, the cost of restoring your credit, wages you missed while dealing with the problem, and the emotional toll it took. Statutory damages under the CCPA range from $100 to $750 per person, per incident. Under the FCRA, damages can be higher depending on the violation. Some cases also recover attorney fees. Every situation is different, which is why we offer a free case review.
A data breach is the event where your personal information gets exposed. Identity theft is what happens when someone actually uses that exposed information. Think of it this way: the breach opens the door, and the theft walks through it. You can have a legal claim after a data breach even if identity theft hasn't happened yet. If it does happen, your claim typically becomes stronger.
Deadlines vary by state and by which law you file under. FCRA claims generally have a two-year statute of limitations from when you discover the violation. CCPA claims may have different timelines. Some states have shorter windows for certain types of cases. Don't wait to find out. The sooner you talk to a lawyer, the more options you have.
Start with your FTC identity theft report and police report. Then gather bank statements showing fraudulent charges, letters from creditors about accounts you didn't open, credit reports with errors, and records of any money you spent fixing the problem. Keep a log of every phone call and hour you spent dealing with the theft. The more you document, the stronger your case.
A damaged credit score can actually strengthen your case. It shows real, measurable harm caused by the theft. If your score dropped because of fraudulent accounts or unpaid debts you didn't create, that's evidence of damages. Even if your score has recovered, the time and money you spent restoring it still count as losses you can pursue.
At The Simon Law Group, it costs nothing upfront. We handle identity theft cases on contingency. That means we only get paid if we recover money for you. Our fee comes out of the recovery, not your pocket. There are no hourly rates and no retainers. Your first consultation is free, and there's no obligation to hire us.
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