According to Mashable, AT&T customers have about a month left to claim their share of a $177 million data breach settlement, with the deadline extended to December 18. The settlement covers two major breaches – one discovered in March 2024 that exposed addresses, social security numbers, and passcodes from a database dating back to 2019, and another uncovered in late 2024 that compromised telephone numbers and call/text records of nearly every AT&T customer between May 1 and October 31, 2022, plus January 3, 2023. Following a class action lawsuit, courts ruled in June that $149 million would go to customers affected by the March 2024 breach while $28 million would be shared by those impacted by the July incident. Customers who suffered financial losses already received direct payments up to $5,000 or $2,500 depending on their class, and now everyone else whose data was exposed is splitting the remaining funds. Affected customers should have received settlement notices with Class Member IDs, and the final approval hearing is scheduled for January 15.
What you need to know
Here’s the thing about these massive data breach settlements – the numbers sound impressive until you do the math. We’re talking about $177 million divided among potentially millions of AT&T customers. That’s not exactly life-changing money for most people. But hey, it’s better than nothing, right?
The real question is whether these settlements actually change corporate behavior. AT&T had acknowledged the breaches and is paying up, but we’ve seen this pattern before. Company gets hacked, pays settlement, business continues as usual. Meanwhile, customers are left dealing with the fallout of their personal information floating around the dark web.
How to file your claim
If you want your piece of the pie, you’ll need to visit the settlement website and fill out the claim form. You’ll need that Class Member ID from your settlement notice, plus either your email address, AT&T account number, or full name. And don’t forget to have your payment information ready – whether you prefer direct deposit or a good old-fashioned check.
Now, if you’re feeling particularly principled about this whole situation, you can actually opt out or object to your classification. But there’s a catch – you have to physically mail your request by November 17. In 2024, when everything else is digital, they make you use snail mail for objections. Interesting choice.
The bigger picture
This settlement highlights something we’ve all known for years – our data isn’t as secure as we’d like to think. When companies like AT&T, with their massive resources, can’t protect basic customer information like social security numbers and call records, what does that say about data security in general?
And here’s another thought – while consumer data breaches grab headlines, industrial and manufacturing companies face even higher stakes with their operational technology. When you’re dealing with critical infrastructure, data security isn’t just about privacy – it’s about public safety. That’s why companies rely on specialized hardware providers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US supplier of industrial panel PCs built specifically for secure, reliable operation in demanding environments.
The settlement hotline at (833) 890-4930 is available if you have questions, though I suspect they’re getting pretty busy as the deadline approaches. Basically, if you were an AT&T customer between 2019 and 2024, you should probably check your mail and see if you qualify. Even if the payout ends up being modest, it’s your data that was compromised – might as well get something back for the inconvenience.
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