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AT&T reached a $177M data breach settlement: What to know about claiming money

AT&T reached a $177M data breach settlement: What to know about claiming money
Data breaches hit *** near record in 2024. The latest report from the Identity Theft Resource Center showing there were 3,158 data breaches and compromises in 2024, prompting 1.35 billion victim notices. So what steps can you take to protect yourself? First, for any accounts you create, be proactive by using strong, unique passwords. Never repeat them. That way if your password is leaked in *** breach, scammers won't. Access to all of your accounts. Once *** data breach happens, immediately go in and change the password for the affected account. You should also regularly monitor your credit reports. You're entitled to free weekly online reports from each of the three major credit bureaus Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Consider freezing your credit, which you can do online by phone or by mail. When doing that online, you can easily unfreeze it when you need to apply for *** new loan or credit card. Still need help? Check out this website from the Federal Trade Commission identity theft.gov. Go there, then click browse recovery steps, and then click the box that says, Did you get *** data breach notice? Start here. You'll find *** detailed drop down of steps to take based on what information was exposed like your Social Security number, passwords, or debit or credit card number. Reporting in Washington, I'm Amy Lou.
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Updated: 10:41 AM EST Nov 14, 2025
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AT&T reached a $177M data breach settlement: What to know about claiming money
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Updated: 10:41 AM EST Nov 14, 2025
Editorial Standards
AT&T has reached a combined $177 million settlement over two data breaches. Impacted consumers have a little over a month left to file a claim for their chunk of the money.Several lawsuits emerged across the U.S. — and were later consolidated — after AT&T notified millions of customers that information ranging from Social Security numbers to call records were compromised in these breaches last year. Plaintiffs alleged that the telecommunications giant "repeatedly failed" to protect consumer data. While AT&T has continued to deny wrongdoing, it opted to settle earlier this year.Video above: How to protect your accounts from data breaches"We have agreed to this settlement to avoid the expense and uncertainty of protracted litigation," AT&T said in a Thursday statement, adding that the company remains "committed to protecting our customers' data and ensuring their continued trust in us."Eligible consumers have until Dec. 18 to file for a settlement payment, which will still need a judge's final stamp of approval early next year. Here's what you should know.What data breaches does the AT&T settlement cover?The settlement covers two different breaches. Both were disclosed in 2024 – but involve data belonging to millions of current and former AT&T customers dating as far back as 2019 or earlier.AT&T disclosed the first of these breaches in March 2024, after the company said it found that customer information from 2019 or earlier had been released on the "dark web" weeks earlier. At the time, AT&T said the breach impacted roughly 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former account holders – with leaked data including some sensitive info like Social Security numbers and passcodes.The other breach involved call and text records of nearly all AT&T customers from May through October of 2022, as well as a small subset from Jan. 2, 2023. AT&T said it learned that data was "illegally downloaded from our workspace on a third-party cloud platform" in April of last year – and began notifying customers in July 2024, after launching an investigation. The company maintained that the leaked records included information like phone numbers, but not the content of the calls or texts, or other personally identifiable information.Related video above: How to remove your personal information from the InternetSeveral lawsuits emerged over both of these data breaches, which were later consolidated. The settlement was reached earlier this year in the U.S. District Court in Texas.How much money could impacted customers get?The settlement's cash funds total $177 million to pay those impacted by both of these breaches, which divvies up to $149 million for the first "settlement class" and another $28 million for the second, per a preliminary approval order filed in June.According to the settlement administrator's website, consumers impacted by the first breach may be eligible for up to $5,000. And those affected by the second breach may be eligible for up to $2,500. It's also possible to be an "overlap settlement class member," which would mean you may be eligible for payments from both of these funds.Final payment amounts will vary depending on losses documented from each person, as well as the total number of claims received and added costs like attorney fees. And the court still has to give the settlement its final stamp of approval, in a hearing currently scheduled for Jan. 15, 2026.When is the deadline to file a claim?In the meantime, consumers have a little over a month left to file a claim online or by mail. The deadline is Dec. 18.To learn more, you can visit the website of the settlement administrator, Kroll Settlement Administration. Class members can also opt out or make an objection before Nov. 17.

AT&T has reached a combined $177 million settlement over two data breaches. Impacted consumers have a little over a month left to file a claim for their chunk of the money.

Several lawsuits emerged across the U.S. — and were later consolidated — after AT&T notified millions of customers that information ranging from Social Security numbers to call records were compromised in these breaches last year. Plaintiffs alleged that the telecommunications giant "repeatedly failed" to protect consumer data. While AT&T has continued to deny wrongdoing, it opted to settle earlier this year.

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Video above: How to protect your accounts from data breaches

"We have agreed to this settlement to avoid the expense and uncertainty of protracted litigation," AT&T said in a Thursday statement, adding that the company remains "committed to protecting our customers' data and ensuring their continued trust in us."

Eligible consumers have until Dec. 18 to file for a settlement payment, which will still need a judge's final stamp of approval early next year. Here's what you should know.

What data breaches does the AT&T settlement cover?

The settlement covers two different breaches. Both were disclosed in 2024 – but involve data belonging to millions of current and former AT&T customers dating as far back as 2019 or earlier.

AT&T disclosed the first of these breaches in March 2024, after the company said it found that customer information from 2019 or earlier had been released on the "dark web" weeks earlier. At the time, AT&T said the breach impacted roughly 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former account holders – with leaked data including some sensitive info like Social Security numbers and passcodes.

The other breach involved call and text records of nearly all AT&T customers from May through October of 2022, as well as a small subset from Jan. 2, 2023. AT&T said it learned that data was "illegally downloaded from our workspace on a third-party cloud platform" in April of last year – and began notifying customers in July 2024, after launching an investigation. The company maintained that the leaked records included information like phone numbers, but not the content of the calls or texts, or other personally identifiable information.

Related video above: How to remove your personal information from the Internet

Several lawsuits emerged over both of these data breaches, which were later consolidated. The settlement was reached earlier this year in the U.S. District Court in Texas.

How much money could impacted customers get?

The settlement's cash funds total $177 million to pay those impacted by both of these breaches, which divvies up to $149 million for the first "settlement class" and another $28 million for the second, per a preliminary approval order filed in June.

According to the settlement administrator's website, consumers impacted by the first breach may be eligible for up to $5,000. And those affected by the second breach may be eligible for up to $2,500. It's also possible to be an "overlap settlement class member," which would mean you may be eligible for payments from both of these funds.

Final payment amounts will vary depending on losses documented from each person, as well as the total number of claims received and added costs like attorney fees. And the court still has to give the settlement its final stamp of approval, in a hearing currently scheduled for Jan. 15, 2026.

When is the deadline to file a claim?

In the meantime, consumers have a little over a month left to file a claim online or by mail. The deadline is Dec. 18.

To learn more, you can visit the website of the settlement administrator, Kroll Settlement Administration. Class members can also opt out or make an objection before Nov. 17.

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