Another day and another giant corporation has been hit with a class action lawsuit and large settlement fee. Up to bat this time, telecommunications company Verizon, following recent lawsuits for Apple and Facebook.
In an argument over misleading advertising, former and current Verizon customers could find themselves eligible for up to $100.
Here we explain what you need to know about the settlement and how to claim.
What’s the Verizon Lawsuit About?
According to the lawsuit, the $100 million settlement will address claims that Verizon implemented, charged, and increased an administrative charge that was not advertised in its price plans – a move plaintiffs have stated was “deceptive” and “unfair”.
If the settlement is approved and finalized, customers who file a valid claim could receive up to $100 each, depending on how long they were a Verizon subscriber and how many valid claims are filed.
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Despite this, a Verizon spokesperson has stated that the company: “clearly identifies and describes its wireless consumer Admin Charge multiple times during the sales transaction, as well as in its marketing, contracts and billing. This charge helps our company recover certain regulatory compliance and network-related costs.”
Who Is Eligible for Verizon Settlement?
According to the Verizon administrative charge settlement website, if you’ve received a notice about the settlement via email or post you may be entitled to claim.
Haven’t received anything yet? Then you may also be eligible if you are a current or former U.S. customer who purchased postpaid wireless or data services from Verizon AND paid an administrative charge or an administrative and telco recovery charge between January 1, 2016 and November 8, 2023.
And according to Verizon’s October 2023 factsheet, that could be a lot of you, as it served around 93 million retail postpaid customers.
The postpaid wireless plan means customers pay for the service after they’ve used it, as opposed to prepaid plans. Customers with a prepaid plan during that time period are not eligible to claim.
How To Claim in Verizon Settlement
Verizon’s settlement administrative website has a claim form that you can fill out and submit online.
You can also download a paper form to fill out and post it to this address:
Verizon Administrative Charge Settlement
c/o Settlement Administrator
1650 Arch St., Suite 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103
According to the site’s FAQs, payments will be issued by check or electronic payment after the settlement is approved and finalized.
A hearing is scheduled for March 22, 2024 and the deadline to submit a claim is April 15, 2024.
