Potential $177 million AT&T lawsuit settlement could impact you, check your eligibility now.
In a significant development, telecommunications giant AT&T has agreed to a $177 million settlement to resolve lawsuits stemming from two data breaches that occurred in 2019 and 2024. The settlement, one of the largest consumer data breach payouts to date, covers claims for compensation for AT&T customers affected by these breaches.
The first data breach, revealed in 2024, affected approximately 7.6 million current AT&T customers and 65.4 million former account holders. The personal data involved in this breach included Social Security numbers, birth dates, legal names, addresses, telephone numbers, email addresses, account passcodes, and billing account numbers.
The second data breach, known as the Snowflake breach, occurred in 2024 and affected nearly 109 million AT&T customers. Hackers accessed call and text metadata from AT&T’s cloud-based data warehouse, hosted by Snowflake. The compromised data included phone numbers of AT&T customers and those they contacted, call counts, aggregate call durations, and a small subset of cell site identification numbers. However, the breach did not include the content or timestamps of calls and texts.
The hackers in the 2019 breach were not identified until March 2024, when the data was found spreading on the dark web. Following the disclosure, AT&T reset passwords for all current customers impacted by this breach. The 2024 breach was connected to the hacker group ShinyHunters, and two suspects were later arrested.
Claimants of the 2019 breach can receive up to $5,000 for proven losses, or a fixed cash payment or smaller share if no proof is provided. Claimants of the 2024 breach can receive up to $2,500 for proven losses, or compensation distributed on a pro rata basis if no proof is provided. Victims of both breaches may be eligible for compensation from both classes, potentially receiving up to $7,500 if both losses are proven.
The settlement splits into two classes: AT&T 1 Data Incident (2019 breach) with $149 million allocated, and AT&T 2 Data Incident (2024 Snowflake breach) with $28 million allocated. Claimants are required to have a Class Member ID, which is sent via email, to file a claim. The claims site has implemented a virtual queue system due to high demand, causing some users to experience wait times of a few minutes.
The settlement deadline for affected customers to file claims is Nov. 18, 2025. Claims can be filed at telecomdatasettlement.com. If a Class Member ID is not received, claims can be filed by calling 833-890-4930 or writing to a specific address. The legal settlement serves as a reminder of the risks customers face when major corporations mishandle personal information.
- The settlement, one of the largest consumer data breach payouts to date, highlights the financial implications of a business's inability to safeguard technology and personal data effectively, as demonstrated by AT&T's agreement to pay $177 million to resolve lawsuits stemming from two data breaches.
- In the general news, the 2024 data breaches affecting both current and former AT&T customers have raised concerns about the security measures employed by telecommunications companies, potentially prompting discussions and changes within the industry regarding the safe handling of sensitive user information.
