AT&T Data Breaches: How to Claim Your Share of the $177 Million Settlement

If you’re an AT&T customer affected by the company’s data breaches from 2019 and 2024, now is the time to take action. The deadline to file a claim in the $177 million class action settlement has been extended to December 18, giving you just a few days to ensure you don’t miss out on potential compensation.

Breach Overview: What Happened?

There were two significant data breaches that rocked AT&T customers. The first was discovered in March 2024 when personal customer data appeared on the dark web. AT&T later revealed that this breach compromised sensitive information, including addresses, social security numbers, and passcodes of users from a database that had been in existence since 2019.

The intensity of the situation escalated with a more extensive data breach found late in 2024. This second breach, which occurred between May 1 and October 31, 2022, plus on January 3, 2023, affected nearly every AT&T customer, leaking telephone numbers and records of calls and texts.

Settlement Breakdown: Who Gets What?

Following this troubling series of events, a class action lawsuit culminated in a June ruling that mandated AT&T to distribute $177 million to impacted customers. The settlement is divided into two classes:

1. Class 1: Customers whose personal identification information was exposed in the March 2024 incident will split $149 million.
2. Class 2: Customers impacted by the July breach will share the remaining $28 million.

Crucially, those who experienced verified financial losses due to the breaches were prioritized for direct payments—up to $5,000 for Class 1 and $2,500 for Class 2.

Your Compensation Potential: How Much Could You Receive?

While the total settlement amount is significant, it’s worth managing your expectations regarding individual payouts. Although technically, customers who can demonstrate financial losses from both breaches could receive up to $7,500, these larger payments have already been distributed.

Remaining funds will be equally divided among a larger pool of claimants, implying that the final payout might be less substantial than anticipated. For instance, in previous tech settlements, payments often came in under $30.

How to File Your Claim

Affected customers have until December 18 to file a claim. The settlement process requires you to have received a notice containing a Class Member ID. If you find yourself uncertain about whether you qualify or if you missed the initial communication, it’s a good idea to check your spam or junk folders for emails from Kroll Settlement Administration LLC.

To claim your settlement, you must fill out the settlement claim form. You’ll need your Class Member ID, along with relevant details like your AT&T account number or full name, and prepare to provide payment information for direct deposits.

Eligibility Criteria: Are You Affected?

The eligibility for compensation varies between the two classes:

• Class 1: Any living individual whose sensitive identifying information was compromised by the March 2024 breach.

• Class 2: AT&T account owners or users whose communication records were downloaded.

Payment Distribution: How Will It Work?

After the initial monetary awards to customers confirming financial losses, the remaining funds will be allocated to a larger group of affected customers.

For individual payouts:

• Class 1: Those who had their Social Security Numbers exposed (Tier 1) will receive five times more than those who did not (Tier 2).
• Class 2: Customers who fail to provide documented financial loss will receive a share from the remaining settlement funds (Tier 3).

If you have any questions about your eligibility or the claims process, don’t hesitate to reach out to the settlement hotline at (833) 890-4930 or visit the settlement website.

Navigating class action settlements can be overwhelming, but understanding your rights and taking prompt action can help ensure you receive any compensation you may be entitled to.