Current and former AT&T subscribers are in for a surprise - they're eligible for a $177 million payout from a settlement regarding two data breaches at the carrier. In June, a US district judge in Texas gave preliminary approval to the settlement, which was finalized recently with details about how to file a claim and how much you can get.
The settlement fund consists of $149 million to address a major data leak in 2019, which allowed cybercriminals to exploit the data for years from both former and existing subscribers. This breach sparked a wave of class-action lawsuits alleging AT&T had failed to safeguard the data of 51 million users, including their names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth.
Last March, AT&T finally confirmed the breach, which followed another incident involving a hacker breaching AT&T’s account with cloud storage provider Snowflake in April 2024. This enabled the cybercriminal to access call and text records for nearly all customers. Another round of class-action lawsuits followed, alleging corporate neglect. However, AT&T said no customer names were included in the stolen information.
Law enforcement also arrested the two alleged hackers involved in the breach.
How to Get Your Share of the AT&T Settlement Payouts
You're eligible for a payout if your data was compromised in one or both of the two data breaches mentioned above. AT&T has likely notified you if you were affected, but you can also use the contact form on the settlement website or call (833) 890-4930 to double-check.
Those impacted by the 2019 breach, known as the AT&T 1 Settlement Class, can submit a claim for one of two payouts. Otherwise, you can request to be part of the class-action payout. How much you get will depend on how many people submit claims and what type of data was compromised.
Those impacted by the 2024 breach, known as the AT&T 2 Settlement Class, can submit a claim for one of two payouts. Were You Impacted by Both Breaches? If your data got caught up in both breaches, you can file two claims. However, if you're submitting documentation for a reimbursement, however, the losses need to be different. You can't submit the same receipts for the $5,000 payout and the $2,500 payout.
Head to telecomdatasettlement.com and click Submit Claim. You'll be asked to enter a class member ID and then either your email address, AT&T account number, or your full name. You'll find the class member ID on the email or postcard you received from AT&T. If you don't have that number, use the Contact Us form on the settlement website or call (833) 890-4930.
You must submit your claim form online at the settlement website by Nov. 18, 2025.
What if I Want to Sue AT&T Individually?
You need to proactively opt out of the settlement class by Oct. 17, 2025, in order to keep your right to bring any other lawsuit against the defendants relating to these hacks.
What If I Don't Like the Terms of This Settlement?
You can write to the court by Oct. 17, 2025, to object to the deal. That's also the deadline to request to speak at the final settlement hearing on Dec. 3, 2025.
Mail: AT&T Data Incident Settlementc/o Kroll Settlement Administration LLCP.O. Box 5324New York, NY 10150-5324
You're out of luck. No money and no right to sue AT&T at a later date.
In a statement, AT&T said: “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. We remain committed to protecting our customers' data and ensuring their continued trust in us.”
The carrier also expects the settlement will receive approval by the end of this year.