You may be owed money as part of a $100 million class action settlement if you are a current or former Verizon customer who purchased a traditional postpaid wireless plan in the past seven years. Verizon is making payments to address allegations that its service plans were misleading because advertised prices did not include administrative fees.
In a class action lawsuit, the plaintiffs allege (PDF) that Verizon implemented, imposed, and increased administrative fees for wireless or postpaid data services in a deceptive and unfair manner.
In a statement to CNET, a Verizon spokesperson said the company “clearly identifies and describes wireless consumer administrative fees multiple times during a sales transaction, as well as in marketing, contracts and billing. These fees help our company recover some regulatory compliance and network-related costs.”
Here’s what to know about the Verizon Wireless settlement, including who is eligible to receive a payment of up to $100 and how to file a claim. To learn more about fees and charges, here’s how the Biden administration is handling unwanted charges.
Who is eligible to get money from the Verizon class action settlement?
You may be eligible if you are a current or former U.S. customer who purchased wireless or postpaid data services from Verizon and paid an administrative or administrative fee and a communications recovery fee between January 1, 2016 and November 8, 2023.
A postpaid wireless plan means that customers pay for the service after using it, at the end of their billing cycle. The settlement does not include customers who purchased prepaid plans from Verizon.
In an October fact sheet, Verizon said it served about 93 million postpaid retail customers as of September 30, 2023.
If you receive notice of the settlement via email or mail, you are eligible to file a claim, according to Verizon’s official administrative fee settlement website.
How much can I get from a Verizon settlement?
If the settlement is approved and finalized, Verizon will pay $100 million to the settlement fund. Customers who submit valid claims by the deadline could receive up to $100 each as part of the settlement, depending on how long they have been a Verizon subscriber and the number of valid claims submitted.
How do I claim money as part of a Verizon settlement?
The settlement administrative website contains a claim form that eligible class members can fill out and submit online.
You can also download a paper form (PDF), fill it out, and mail it to this address:
Verizon administrative fee settlement
C/o Settlement Manager
1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
The deadline to submit a claim is April 15, 2024.
When will I get the settlement money from Verizon?
The Settlement FAQ states that payments will be issued by check or electronic payment after the settlement is approved and finalized. The hearing is scheduled for March 22, 2024.
For more financial matters, learn whether Social Security recipients need to file a tax return and read about the tax breaks homeowners can get to get the maximum tax refund.