AT&T customers are eligible to receive compensation from the telecommunications giant as part of a $177 million settlement over two data breaches last year.
AT&T notified millions of customers that information ranging from Social Security numbers to call records were compromised in these breaches last year. It sparked a wave of lawsuits, which were later consolidated, that accused AT&T of not protecting consumers’ data.
While AT&T has continued to deny wrongdoing, it opted to settle earlier this year.
Here’s everything to know about the settlement and deadline to file a claim:
Why is there a class action lawsuit against AT&T?
Both data breaches occurred in 2024 and involved data belonging to millions of current and former AT&T customers dating as far back as 2019 or earlier. In the first incident, which occurred on March 30, 2024, AT&T said some customers’ data — including addresses, social security numbers, birthdates, passcodes, billing numbers and phone numbers — were released on the dark web, the Kroll Settlement Administration said.
The other breach involved call and text records of nearly all AT&T customers from May through October of 2022, as well as a small subset from Jan. 2, 2023. AT&T said it learned that data was “illegally downloaded from our workspace on a third-party cloud platform” in April of last year — and began notifying customers in July 2024, after launching an investigation.
While AT&T has continued to deny wrongdoing, it opted to settle earlier this year.
“We have agreed to this settlement to avoid the expense and uncertainty of protracted litigation,” AT&T said in a statement, adding that the company remains “committed to protecting our customers’ data and ensuring their continued trust in us.”
Who is eligible for the AT&T settlement?
Customers affected by either or both of the data breaches are eligible to file a claim in the settlement.
You can find out if you’re eligible by checking this website for customers who were involved. Click “submit claim” and you will be prompted to include a class member ID, email address, AT&T account number or full name. That will reveal your eligibility, and you will then be required to provide additional documentation to submit a claim.
If you did not receive a confirmation code and notice ID, you can contact the Kroll Settlement Administration at 833-890-4930 for more information.
How do I file a claim with the AT&T settlement?
AT&T customers who are eligible for the settlement can file a claim online at www.telecomdatasettlement.com.
Click “submit claim” and you will be prompted to include a class member ID, email address, AT&T account number or full name. You will then be required to provide additional documentation to submit a claim.
Claims can also be sent by mail to AT&T Data Incident Settlement, c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, P.O. Box 5324, New York, NY 10150-5324.
When is the deadline to file a claim in the AT&T settlement?
The deadline to submit a claim is Thursday, Dec. 18. Online forms must be submitted by that date. Mailed claims must be postmarked by the deadline date.
What payout amount could you get from the AT&T settlement?
Those impacted by the the first data breach may be eligible to receive up to $5,000 and those affected by the second breach may collect up to $2,500. Customers who are an “overlap settlement class member” impacted by both breaches may receive up to $7,500.
Here’s a full breakdown of the cash payout (according to the website):
- Tier 1 Cash Payment (March breach): Members who had their Social Security Number included in the March incident, are eligible to make a claim for a Tier 1 Cash Payment. Tier 1 Cash Payments are five times the amount of a Tier 2 Cash Payment.
- Tier 2 Cash Payment (March breach) – Members who had their Data Elements included in the March incident, but not their SSN, are eligible to make a claim for a Tier 2 Cash Payment.
- Tier 3 Cash Payment (July breach) – As an alternative to a Documented Loss Cash Payment, account owners may submit a Claim for a Tier 3 Cash Payment. A Tier 3 Cash Payment is a pro rata share of the July incident cash (the funds left after payment of Settlement Administration Costs, Attorneys’ Fees, Costs, and Service Awards). The Amount of the Net Settlement available for Settlement Class Member distribution is unknown at this time and will be based upon the amount of the Settlement Administration Costs, the amount of attorneys’ fees, costs, and Service Awards, and the number of Valid Claims received from Settlement Class Members.
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