AT&T Data Breach Settlement: Consumers Can Claim Up to $5,000

AT&T has reached a combined $177 million settlement over two significant data breaches, potentially allowing impacted consumers to claim up to $5,000. According to the settlement administrator's website, those affected by the first breach may be eligible for the full amount, while those impacted by the second breach can claim up to $2,500.

Consumers have until December 18 to file their claims, as the settlement is still awaiting final approval from a judge, with a hearing scheduled for January 15, 2026. Reports indicate that these breaches affected millions of current and former customers, with sensitive information such as Social Security numbers and call records being compromised.

The first breach was disclosed in March 2024, involving data from as far back as 2019. AT&T reported that approximately 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former account holders were impacted, with their data found on the dark web weeks prior to the announcement.

The second breach involved call and text records of nearly all AT&T customers from May to October 2022, as well as a small subset from January 2023. AT&T acknowledged that data was illegally downloaded from their workspace on a third-party cloud platform, and they began notifying customers in July 2024 after launching an investigation.

Although AT&T has denied wrongdoing in these breaches, they opted to settle, stating that the decision was made to avoid the cost and uncertainty of prolonged litigation. This situation has led to several lawsuits across the U.S., which were later consolidated in U.S.

District Court in Texas. The total settlement amount is divided into two funds: $149 million for the first settlement class and $28 million for the second. Payments to consumers will depend on documented losses and the total number of claims received, along with additional costs like attorney fees.

Consumers can find more information about filing claims on the Kroll Settlement Administration website, where they can also opt-out or make objections before November 17.