AT&T pays $177 million in data breach settlement
AT&T will pay a $177 million class action lawsuit settlement following two alleged data breaches that exposed sensitive customer data on the dark web.
Unbranded – Newsworthy
AT&T customers: The deadline for eligible claimants to apply for a portion of the $177 million class action settlement is fast approaching.
The telecommunications company has agreed to a settlement to resolve a lawsuit that accused it of failing to protect customer information and causing two data breach incidents in 2024.
In the first incident on March 30, 2024, AT&T announced that customer information, including addresses, social security numbers, and passcodes, was published on the dark web.
Four months later, on July 12, 2024, AT&T announced that in a second incident, customer call and text message records were illegally downloaded, according to the settlement website.
AT&T denies the allegations in the lawsuit. The company previously said in a statement to USA TODAY that it was “committed to protecting our customers’ data and ensuring their continued trust in us,” adding that it agreed to the settlement to avoid continued litigation.
Here we will explain what you need to know and how to apply.
When is the deadline to file a claim in the AT&T settlement?
The deadline to file a claim is Thursday, December 18th. This means you must submit an online form or, if requesting by mail, be postmarked on that day.
The original deadline for filing was November 18, but the deadline was renewed by the court.
How to file a claim in the AT&T settlement
AT&T customers eligible for the settlement can file claims online at telecomdatasettlement.com. Requests can also be mailed to:
AT&T Data Incident Settlement c/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLCP.O. Box 5324 New York, NY 10150-5324
How to find out if you’re eligible to file a claim in the AT&T settlement
There are two groups of eligible AT&T customers, known as settlement classes, who can submit claims to receive money from the settlement.
- The first class is AT&T customers affected by the March 30, 2024 data breach.
- The second class is AT&T customers affected by the July 12, 2024 data breach.
- Some customers may be included in both classes.
The incident is believed to have affected more than 7 million people who had AT&T accounts in 2024 and more than 65 million people who had AT&T accounts between 2019 and 2024, according to the complaint and AT&T’s 2024 statement.
If you are unsure whether your payment is included, please call 1-833-890-4930.
How much is AT&T’s settlement?
The payment amount that a customer receives depends on which payment class they belong to. Those involved in both data breaches could receive up to $7,500, according to the settlement website.
The breakdown of payment types is as follows:
- Customers affected by the March 30, 2024 data breach may experience:
- Up to $5,000 with cash payment option for documented losses. This means you will need to provide documentation of your loss.
- or Tier 1 or Tier 2 cash payments:
- Anyone whose Social Security number was included in the March 30 data breach can file a claim against Tier 1.
- Customers whose data did not include social security numbers in the March 30 breach can apply for Tier 2.
- Tier 1 payouts are 5 times more than Tier 2.
- Customers affected by the July 12, 2024 data breach may experience:
- Up to $2,500 with documented loss cash payment option
- or Tier 3 cash payment:
- Administrative costs and a portion of the settlement after a claim is issued.
Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
