You have about a month left to claim a portion of the $177 million data breach settlement against AT&T. Last month, the deadline to file was extended to December, so there’s still time to file a claim.
The first of the two large-scale breaches was discovered in March 2024, after customer data appeared on the dark web. AT&T later explained in a statement that the breach compromised the addresses, social security numbers, and passcodes of users in a database going back to 2019. An even larger data breach was uncovered in late 2024. This breach exposed the telephone numbers and records of calls and texts of nearly every AT&T customer, and took place between approximately May 1 and Oct. 31, 2022, and on Jan. 3, 2023.
Following a class action lawsuit, courts ruled in June that the company would dole out $177 million to affected AT&T customers who had accounts between 2019 and 2024. Claimants were divided into two classes: account holders affected by the March 2024 breach would split $149 million, while customers whose communications were downloaded in the July incident would share $28 million. Direct payments to users who suffered financial losses were paid first — up to $5,000 for the first class or $2,500 for the second — according to the company.
Now, everyone else whose data was exposed is splitting the pile. Affected customers should manage their expectations, however — the $177 million is being divided up between a large pool of customers.
How to claim your AT&T settlement money
According to the settlement website, affected customers now have until Dec. 18 to claim their cut — impacted users should have already received a settlement notice containing a Class Member ID. If you would like to opt out of the settlement, or want to object to your classification under the settlement, you have to physically mail in a request by Nov. 17.
The settlement’s final approval hearing will be held on Jan. 15.
To be paid, you must fill out the settlement claim form. You will need your Class Member ID, as well as an email address, AT&T account number, or full name. Be prepared to fill out payment information, such as a direct deposit or check, too.
Who is eligible for the AT&T settlement?
There are different eligibility requirements for the two settlement classes in the case:
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For Class 1: eligibility extends to any living person whose personal identification information was exposed by the March incident
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For Class 2: eligibility extends to AT&T account owners or “line or end users” whose numbers or direct communications were downloaded by bad actors
How much money will I get?
Customers will be paid based on the severity of the data breach.
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For Class 1: Individuals who had their Social Security Numbers exposed (Tier 1) will receive five times more money than those who did not (Tier 2)
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For Class 2: Individuals who did not prove a documented financial loss will receive a share of remaining settlement funds (Tier 3)
Have questions? You can call the settlement hotline (833) 890-4930 to get answers.