William Morgan
Millions of Americans are due a hefty settlement from telecoms giant AT&T, after the nation's third-largest mobile carrier suffered two damaging data breaches and was ordered to pay out millions.
In these breaches, confidential information belonging to its customers was taken from the company and shared on the dark web, with the birth dates and social security numbers of 73 million people exposed as a result.
Following a major class action lawsuit over two breaches in March and July of last year, the $180 billion market cap company agreed to a hefty $177 million settlement, while maintaining that it had done nothing wrong.
“While we deny the allegations in these lawsuits that we were responsible for these criminal acts, we have agreed to this settlement to avoid the expense and uncertainty of protracted litigation," the company said.
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But time is running out for customers to claim a large settlement payout.
AT&T has previously told UNILAD that the main breach occurred in March: "After analysis by our internal teams as well as external data consultants, we are confident this is repackaged data previously released on the dark web in March 2024."
"Affected customers were notified at that time," they went on. "We have notified law enforcement of this latest development."
There are two groups of current and former AT&T customers that stand to benefit from the $177 million settlement.
The first group is those affected by the March 30, 2024, data breach, which saw social security information and other valuable customer data leaked on the internet.
The second group comprises those affected by the July 12, 2024, breach, which saw customer call and chat data downloaded from company servers.
These breaches affected more than seven million people with AT&T accounts in 2024, with a further 65 million of the company's accounts from 2019 to 2024 also impacted.
If you are unsure about whether you qualify, you can call (833) 890-4930, or check your inbox for an email from the Kroll Settlement Administration, under the name '[email protected]'.
You should double-check your spam inbox too, to ensure you have not missed this email.
Customers who believe themselves to have been affected by this breach can either apply online or by mail.
Online applications can be submitted through telecomdatasettlement.com
Alternatively, postal applications can be sent to the following address: AT&T Data Incident Settlementc/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLCP.O. Box 5324, New York, NY 10150-5324.
Anyone affected by either breach, or both, is encouraged to apply for a settlement.
The amount of money awarded to each individual depends on whether you were affected by either of the data breaches revealed in March and July, with those affected by both in line for the maximum $7,500 settlement.
Those affected by the March breach of customer information, where social security details were posted on the dark web, are eligible for a portion of a $149 settlement fund.
Meanwhile, customers affected by the lesser July breach will be paid their settlement from a $28 million pot. Those affected by both breaches can make a claim for both settlement funds.
Anyone who can show a documented loss as a result of the first breach can receive up to $5,000 in a payout, while those who can show a loss resulting from the second are entitled to up to $2,500.
This means those affected by both can receive up to $7,500. Those who cannot prove this loss will be entitled to a lower payment. You can find more details on the settlement's website.
The original November 18 application deadline has been pushed back to allow more time for people to apply for their settlements, though the new deadline is fast approaching.
AT&T customers affected by either one of these two data breaches must apply via post or online by December 18 in order to receive a settlement of up to $7500.