Data breaches are one of the major problems of digitalization currently affecting the entire world. For this reason, AT&T customers affected by the data breaches that occurred in 2019 and 2024 have only a few days left to file a claim and become part of a $177 million class-action settlement. Customers affected by both data breaches are eligible to file a claim under the settlement.
Affected AT&T customers have one more month to claim up to $7,500
The original deadline to file a claim was extended in October, but the final deadline for affected users is December, so those who haven’t yet filed should do so now. Information about the lawsuit was revealed in August, when the telecom giant agreed to pay a total of $177 million to affected users. Now, affected AT&T customers have one more month to claim up to $7,500 after the settlement deadline was extended in a class-action lawsuit over last year’s data breach.
The leaks exposed sensitive information such as account passwords dating back to 2019
To provide context, on March 30, 2024, data belonging to some customers, including addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, access codes, billing numbers, and phone numbers, was published on the dark web, according to the Kroll Settlements Administration. The leaks exposed sensitive information such as account passwords dating back to 2019, as well as phone numbers and call and text message logs for nearly all AT&T customers in a subsequent incident. Consequently, the company was charged in connection with two separate data breaches.
he courts ruled in June that the company would pay $177 million to some AT&T customers
Specifically, on July 12, 2024, limited customer and other user data associated with accounts and phone numbers they interacted with was illegally downloaded. The class-action lawsuit covers both incidents. The courts ruled in June that the company would pay $177 million to AT&T customers who had accounts between 2019 and 2024. Initially, the deadline to file a claim was November 18. Customers now have until December 18.
The claim must be submitted by correctly completing the claim form on the relevant website
To ensure a smooth process, it’s important that individuals have their own ID. This makes sense for those involved, as affected users should have received a notification of the agreement using their Group Member ID. They must also have completed the form. The claim must be submitted by correctly completing the claim form on the relevant website. Additionally, the Group Member ID, email address, AT&T account number, or full name must be provided.
If you are one of those people and have not received the amount, please contact the company
Those affected must also provide personal payment information. This means a bank account where a direct deposit can be made, or the details of the checking account where they wish to receive the money. It’s important to know that in any complaint of this nature, the relevant authorities are responsible for verifying all the information provided by the complainant. This is crucial, as those affected must keep it in mind when providing their personal information. If any document is incorrect, it will have to be verified, and therefore, the process will take even longer.
Each affected customer’s situation is unique and must be taken into account, as, for example, customers who suffered verified financial losses due to both incidents could be entitled to receive up to $7,500. In any case, the company assures that it has already made these advance payments. Therefore, if you are one of those people and have not received the amount, please contact the company. After these initial payments, the remaining $177 million will be divided among a much larger group of customers who did not verify direct financial losses, so these payments may be delayed a little longer.