T-Mobile’s data breach settlement: Who is eligible to receive money, how much and how to claim it?
The company agreed a massive $350 million settlement package last year and will award up to $25,000 in compensation to customers.
Last summer communications giant T-Mobile agreed to a $350 million settlement package to resolve a number of class-action suits related to a massive data breach within the company.
More than 76 million Americans were affected by the breach which saw hackers steal the personal information of huge numbers of current, former and prospective clients. The incident first came to light after Vice uncovered posts on an online forum which offered T-Mobile customer data for sale.
“Like every company, we are not immune to these criminal attacks. Our efforts to guard against them continue and over the past year we have doubled down on our extensive cybersecurity program,” the company wrote in a statement.
The settlement represents the second-largest data break pay-out in US history and millions of victims are expected to be eligible for compensation. Payments range from $25 to $25,000.
How to claim a T-Mobile data breach payment
There are 76 million individuals in the United States who could be eligible for the compensation, most of whom will have been notified by mail of their entitlement. If you have not yet received that letter or wish to check your settlement amount, there are a number of ways to do so:
- Fill out the T-Mobile settlement online form
- Email info@t-mobilesettlement.com
- Call 1-833-512-2314
You have until 23 January 2023 to submit a claim, if you have not already been informed that you have been accepted. Once the claim window closes, payments are expected to be sent out within 90 days. This means that eligible customers may still have months to wait until they get their cash.
How much can I get from the T-Mobile settlement?
The amount on offer varies greatly, and is largely based on the severity of the data breach suffered by the customer. Current and former customers are entitled to a flat $25 as a base amount. Californians are eligible for a cash payment of $100.
If you suffered losses as a result of the breach you can claim additional money as compensation. Any time or money that you spent to recover assets lost from fraud or identity theft can be eligible for payments, up to a total value of $25,000.
However you should bear in mind that you will need to go through an extensive documentation process to prove the legitimacy of your claim.
On top of the cash payments, T-Mobile has promised to give two years of McAfee ID Theft Protection Service for free to anyone who was a victim.