AT&T class action settlement: Deadline extended to claim your share

WASHINGTON — A judge has extended the deadline for AT&T customers to file a claim to be part of a $177 million settlement reached with the telecom giant over customer data breaches discovered in 2024. 

The extension was part of an Oct. 3 order from the judge overseeing the case. 

AT&T agreed to pay a total of $177 million to settle a class action lawsuit about two “data incidents” from 2024. 

The incidents resulted in some customer data, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, account passcodes, billing account numbers and Social Security numbers, being put on the dark web or illegally downloaded off a third-party cloud platform, according to the Kroll Settlement Administration.

The class action lawsuit covers the data incident announced March 30, 2024 and the one announced July 12, 2024. A judge still has to approve the settlement as currently written, which is scheduled for Jan. 15. 

Those affected by the data breach originally had until Nov. 18 to file their claim. But that deadline has been pushed back a month to Dec. 18. 

You have until Nov. 17 to opt out of the settlement in order to file a separate lawsuit. That is also the last day to formally mark objections to the current settlement agreement. 

A judge is expected to hold a final approval hearing on Jan. 15, before payments can go out. 

Anyone in the United States who had their information or data accessed in the March 30, 2024 or the July 12, 2024 breaches are eligible to file a claim. There is a possibility some people are part of both breaches and are referred to as “Overlap Settlement Class Members,” according to the settlement website FAQ. 

If you’re not sure if you’re included in the Settlement, you can call Kroll Settlement Administration at (833) 890-4930 with questions. 

A website is up for AT&T customers who were involved in the data breaches.  

To submit a claim, click “Submit Claim” in the top right of the website. Customers will be prompted to include a Class Member ID and their email address, AT&T account number, or their full name. Additional documentation will be required to submit a claim.

Customers should have received a notice with a confirmation code and notice ID, but can contact Kroll Settlement Administration at (833) 890-4930 for more information. 

Once you submit a claim, you’re waiving the right to sue AT&T for related issues to this case. If you’d like to file a separate lawsuit, you should opt out of the settlement by the Oct. 17 deadline. 

It’s not entirely clear the exact amount, but those part of the first incident can claim up to $5,000 for losses that happened “in 2019 or later, upon presentation of documentation that the losses are fairly traceable to the AT&T 1 Data Incident,” according to the settlement website.

Those part of the second incident can claim up to $2,500 for losses that happened “on or after April 14, 2024, upon presentation of documentation that the losses are fairly traceable to the AT&T 2 Data Incident,” according to the settlement website.

Customers impacted by both could receive up to $7,500.

If you can’t provide documentation of losses related to the data breach, you can choose a cash payment option, which will be a piece of the settlement after costs and claims are split among claimants. 

According to the settlement site, the court will hold a hearing Jan. 15, 2026 to decide whether to approve the settlement. However, even if the settlement is approved, there could be appeals that delay payments going out. 

There are no estimates for when payments could go out, with or without the appellate process involved.