AT&T Customers Are Eligible for Up to $5,000 in a New Settlement. Here's What to Know. In July 2024, AT&T revealed that the call and text logs of "nearly all" of its cellular customers had been exposed in a breach that spring and put on the "dark web."

By Erin Davis

Key Takeaways

  • AT&T settled lawsuits over two past data breaches.
  • A judge has preliminarily approved a $177 million payout to current and former customers.

Last week, a U.S. judge approved a $177 million settlement resolving lawsuits filed against AT&T over data breaches from 2019 and 2024, Reuters reported.

This means current and former AT&T customers could be eligible for a sizable payout. Those who can claim "fairly traceable" losses may receive up to $5,000.

In July 2024, AT&T revealed that call and text logs of "nearly all" of its cellular customers had been exposed in a breach that spring and put on the "dark web."

"In April, AT&T learned that customer data was illegally downloaded from our workspace on a third-party cloud platform," the company said in a statement at the time. "We launched an investigation and engaged leading cybersecurity experts to understand the nature and scope of the criminal activity."

Related: Verizon Tries to Steal 'Top Talent' From Rival AT&T With Email Promoting Its Hybrid and Remote Roles

AT&T told Reuters in a statement that it denies the allegations that it was "responsible for these criminal acts," but the company has agreed to a settlement "to avoid the expense and uncertainty of protracted litigation."

Payments should be issued beginning early next year.

There are two funds for payouts, per court documents: $149 million for the 2024 breach and $28 million for the 2019 breach. Customers can claim up to $2,500 or $5,000, depending on the breach date.

USA TODAY reports that notifications will begin Aug. 4 and will be completed Oct. 17, while the deadline for claims is Nov. 18 (though a final approval hearing is set for Dec. 3).

Related: Instagram's CEO Says He 'Experienced a Sophisticated Phishing Attack' With Google

Erin Davis

Entrepreneur Staff

Trending News Writer

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

AI Could Cause 99% of All Workers to Be Unemployed in the Next Five Years, Says Computer Science Professor

Professor Roman Yampolskiy predicted that artificial general intelligence would be developed and used by 2030, leading to mass automation.

Business News

Mark Zuckerberg 'Insisted' Executives Join Him For a MMA Training Session, According to Meta's Ex-President of Global Affairs

Nick Clegg, Meta's former president of global affairs, says in a new book that he once had to get on the mat with a coworker.

Business News

United Airlines Says It Is Adding Extra Flights in Case Spirit 'Suddenly Goes Out of Business'

Rival airlines, including United and Frontier, are adding new routes as Spirit cuts 12 cities from its schedule.

Buying / Investing in Business

From a $120M Acquisition to a $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.