AT&T is the talk of the town because there’s something that can affect millions of its customers… In the last years, this company has suffered two important data breaches exposing personal data of many people. Due to this, AT&T must pay a legal settlement of $177 million and affected customers can receive up to $7,500 as compensation.
However, many people don’t understand exactly what happened, who can receive that money or how this process works. So, if you are curious about all of these things, you should stay tuned because we are going to explain everything in detail.
What happened with AT&T?
The problem started when AT&T announced it had suffered two data breaches exposing personal information of millions of customers without their permission. These leaks happened in the same year, but in different moments:
- The first breach (March 2024): in this leak extremely sensitive data was revealed: numbers, addresses, phone numbers, emails, birth dates, account passcodes, account numbers, and Social Security numbers. Affected customers can claim up to $5,000 if they provide proof of losses caused by this breach.
- Second breach (July 2024): In this case, what was exposed was data related to phone calls such as: phone numbers, contacted numbers, number of interactions, call durations, and, in some cases, cell site IDs. Affected customers from this breach can claim up to $2,500.
So, if someone was affected by both leaks, he or she can receive money from both funds and that would be $5,000 in the first case and $2,500 in the second case. Basically, that person could get a total of $7,500.
Customers, stay tunned to deadlines!
The original claim deadline (November 18) changed because a judge ordered it, so the new deadline is December 18. The claims can be submitted in two ways:
- Online, via the Kroll Settlement Administration website.
- By mail, if postmarked by December 18.
Of course, if you are going to claim the money, you must provide real proof of losses such as: receipts and official documents. Careful because self-written statements are not accepted.
Now, let’s talk about how much money each person will receive. Well, we have to tell you that we can’t say specific amounts because the final payment depends on: documented losses of each claimant, total number of claims submitted, and legal costs (including attorney fees).
What’s AT&T saying?
Even though AT&T accepted paying the settlement to avoid a long and costly legal battle, the company insisted they didn’t do anything wrong. The company explained that the data was illegally downloaded from a third-party cloud platform. AT&T discovered the breach in April 2024 and began notifying customers in July 2024 after an investigation.
What happens now with the settlement?
Although a $177 million settlement already exists, there’s still an important step left: the court still needs to approve it officially. The final court hearing is scheduled for January 15, 2026, at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Basically
As the court prepares for its final approval in early 2026, one thing is clear: protecting people’s data must become a top priority for every company. The AT&T case shows how quickly things can go wrong, but it also shows how accountability works. If you were an affected customer, don’t miss your chance — this settlement is your opportunity to take back control, and it only comes once.
It’s very sad to say, but these data breaches are more frequent than we want to. This is why staying informed and knowing what information you share is really important. Have you ever heard of someone close to you experiencing this situation?