The $177 million covers both a 2024 hack and a 2019 data breach, both of which the company denies any wrongdoing for.
WASHINGTON — Millions of current and former AT&T customers may soon be eligible for a share of a $177 million settlement tied to two major data breaches.
In 2019, cybercriminals accessed Social Security numbers, birth dates and account details of over 51 million customers of the communications company. AT&T confirmed the breach in March 2024, prompting lawsuits that accused the company of failing to protect user information.
The next month, in April 2024, a hacker illegally downloaded call and text records of nearly all AT&T customers between May 1, 2022 and Oct. 31, 2022, in a separate incident. The data was illegally downloaded from AT&T’s workspace on a third-party cloud company’s platform, AT&T concluded.
AT&T has denied any wrongdoing related to either hack, but has agreed to a settlement to address the cases. The settlement includes $149 million in relief tied to the 2019 breach and $28 million for the 2024 hack.
When will customers get their money from the AT&T settlement?
A federal judge in Texas has granted preliminary approval for the class-action settlement, meaning that the ball will soon start rolling on filing claims.
According to court documents, the official claims process will begin on Aug. 4, with payouts scheduled to be distributed in early 2026 if final approval is granted. A final approval hearing is scheduled for Dec. 3.
How much money will customers receive?
It is currently unknown how much each eligible customer will receive.
The amount will vary based on how many people submit claims and the extent of data compromised in each case. Users who can provide proof of losses tied to the breaches may qualify for additional compensation, equal to up to $5,000 for the 2019 incident and up to $2,500 for the 2024 hack.
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