In this episode of the Technically Legal Podcast, former litigator turned legal tech entrepreneur Donald Beshada, explains how Covalynt uses data to address systemic fraud in class action settlements.
Donald discusses the evolution of claims administration—from the traditional notice by magazine era to the current digital landscape dominated by targeted advertising and sophisticated fraud bots. Donald explains how his company uses data science and identity resolution to bring “scientific rigor” to ensure class action settlements reach legitimate claimants while filtering out fraudulent activity.
Key Takeaways:
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The Shift in Fraud: How class action fraud evolved from “couponing” websites to sophisticated bot attacks.
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Defensability: Why “gut feelings” about fraud don’t hold up in court, and the necessity of providing an evidentiary framework for disqualifying claims.
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Data Science vs. Traditional Settlement Administration: A look at how the Apple Antitrust case served as an inflection point, proving that old-school matching methods are no longer sufficient for class certification or ascertainability.
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The Future of Class Action Notice: Moving toward a world where data science can connect retail purchases directly to individuals, potentially eliminating the need for expensive, broad-market advertising.
