Dell Customer Files Class Action Lawsuit After an Alleged Tech Support Scam

Dell Technologies has been hit with a proposed class action lawsuit over a 2017 data breach that allegedly exposed the personal information of thousands of Dell customers and caused them to receive numerous scam phone calls and emails.

The Dell data breach class action lawsuit was initially filed in a Nova Scotia court on Oct. 1, but the case was just recently announced.

Plaintiff Christopher Purvis filed the Dell class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and a proposed Class of Canadians whose personal information was exposed in the Dell data breach. He says the data breach occurred at a call centre in India that provided Dell with tech support services.

Dell tech support allegedly collected and stored information about Class Members, including warranty information, service history, model numbers and personal information.

Purvis says he sought assistance from Dell tech support and, starting in January 2018, he began receiving annoying phone calls from people who purported to be Dell employees. He has allegedly received between five and 10 phone calls each day, and the scam calls are received at all hours of the day, seven days a week.

Dell Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit Allegations

The Dell data breach class action lawsuit alleges that India is “an area known to be prolific for tech support scams.” Purvis alleges that Dell had an obligation to ensure its customers’ personal information was protected.

“Yet, due to the Defendants’ negligence and inadequate safeguards, in June and November of 2017, two employees of the [India call centre] inappropriately exfiltrated, breached and disclosed the Plaintiff’s and Class Members’ Personal Information and Private Customer Information,” the Dell class action lawsuit states.

As a result of the Dell data breach, the plaintiff and Class Members allegedly experienced a wide range of inconveniences and risks, including “exposure to a real and substantial increased risk of identity theft, cybercrime, and phishing scams, including Targeted Tech Support Scams.”

According to the Dell class action lawsuit, Purvis himself is a computer tech, yet he “almost fell prey to the scam based on the extent of information the callers had about him.”

Purvis repeatedly urged Dell to address the matter but the company allegedly declined. He subsequently filed a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, which launched an investigation into the allegations and ultimately confirmed the Dell data breach.

Who is Included in the Potential Class?

Purvis has filed the Dell data breach class action lawsuit on behalf of two proposed subclasses of Canadian residents who were affected by the data breach.

The “June 2017 Breach Subclass” includes Canadian residents who provided personal information to Dell or any of its affiliates when purchasing Dell products or speaking with Dell customer service or tech support between January 2008 and June 2017, and who received Dell tech support scam calls, emails or other correspondence regarding their Dell product or service since June 2017.

The “November 2017 Breach Subclass” includes all Canadian residents identified by Dell in November 2017 as having their personal information and private customer information compromised in the Dell data breach.

According to the Dell class action lawsuit, personal information includes customers’ names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, credit card numbers, social insurance numbers and private correspondence. Private customer information reportedly refers to information generated by Dell arising from customer interactions and includes non-public information about Dell product model numbers, service tags, express service codes, prior service histories, and warranty information.

More than 7,800 Class Members may be included in the Dell data breach class action lawsuit.

Plaintiff’s Experience with Dell Tech Support Scam

Purvis says he purchased a Dell computer in 2016. He allegedly used his work address and contact information to complete the order. According to the Dell class action lawsuit, he has occasionally sought tech support assistance for his computer, which caused Dell to create and store information such as his customer service history, warranty information, model numbers, and personal information.

He says he began to receive harassing phone calls beginning in January 2018 from individuals who claimed to be Dell employees. They supported this claim by having information that was only accessible to Dell employees.

“The calls would wake Mr. Purvis from sleep, and constantly interrupt his life,” according to the Dell data breach class action lawsuit. “Mr. Purvis was eventually left with no option but to change his work number used by countless clients, work contacts and employers.”

After changing his number, he says he began to receive numerous Dell tech scam emails urging him to call a number to resolve a computer issue. These communications were allegedly intended to trick consumers into believing they came from an authorized Dell tech support or customer service representative.

Were you affected by the Dell tech support scam? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.

Purvis is represented by Raymond F. Wagner and Kate Boyle of Wagners.

The Dell Tech Support Scam Class Action Lawsuit is Christopher Purvis v. Dell Technologies Inc., et al., Case No. 500912, in the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, Canada. 

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