T-Mobile customers anticipating payments as part of a $350 million settlement will have to wait longer to see their payouts of up to $25,000.
Final approval of a class-action settlement against the wireless network company was granted in June 2023 and payments were scheduled to begin in April 2025. The distribution is facing “unexpected delays,” however, pushing that schedule back to May, according to the settlement administrator.
The settlement, which could see some members receiving up to $25,000, is the result of a 2021 data breach that leaked the names, addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license information and Social Security numbers of 76 million customers. T-Mobile announced that it had been targeted by a “malicious cyberattack” in August 2021 and that it would be providing impacted customers with two years of McAfee’s ID Theft Protection Service, Account Takeover Protection services and recommendations on best practices to mitigate personal security risk.
As part of the settlement, T-Mobile did not admit any wrongdoing but agreed to pay the $350 million.
Who gets a T-Mobile payout?
All court proceedings have been completed and finalized, according to the settlement administrator. All 76 million affected customers are eligible for part of the settlement money but had to file a claim form either online or via mail by Jan. 23, 2023.
Impacted customers were notified back in 2022. People eligible for the highest payments were able to prove that they had “spent money trying to avoid or recover from fraud or identity theft” that was “fairly traceable to the T-Mobile Data Breach.” They did this by submitting documentation like proof of money spent on credit-monitoring services or losses resulting from identity theft,
Customers who were impacted but did not submit documentation for out-of-pocket losses are eligible for $25 to $100 in reimbursement. When filing a claim, customers were able to choose between multiple forms of digital payment for a paper check. Even after payments begin in May, warned the settlement website, it could take weeks or months to receive yours.
Don’t remember if you qualify or have more questions? Contact the settlement administrator at www.t-mobilesettlement.com or call 1-833-512-2314.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: T-Mobile data breach settlement delayed: When will payouts go out?
