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Short answer: The Verizon settlement was real, but the deadline to submit a claim was April 15, 2024. As of August 18, 2026, there is no general current claim-filing path identified in the settlement notice. Eligible claimants who filed may still need to track down a missing or unexpectedly small payment.
The settlement involved allegations about Verizon’s “Administrative Charge” and “Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge” on certain postpaid accounts. The advertised payment was up to $100 per eligible account—not an automatic $100 payment.
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Verizon settlement status at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Was the settlement real? | Yes. Verizon agreed to a $100 million class-action settlement without admitting wrongdoing. |
| Can new claims be filed? | Generally no. The claim deadline was April 15, 2024. |
| Who could qualify? | Eligible U.S. account holders with qualifying postpaid wireless or data services and disputed fees during the class period. |
| How much was the payment? | An initial allocation of $15 per eligible account plus $1 per qualifying month, capped at $100, subject to possible pro-rata reduction. |
| When did payments begin? | CBS News reported that payments began reaching claimants by January 7, 2025. |
Read the Verizon settlement notice and the settlement agreement and supporting court materials for the governing terms.
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What was the Verizon lawsuit about?
The case, Esposito et al. v. Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless, was filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County Law Division.
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The lawsuit alleged that Verizon inadequately disclosed administrative-related charges appearing on bills for certain postpaid wireless or data services. The relevant fee names included:
- “Administrative Charge”
- “Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge”
Verizon agreed to settle the allegations and denied wrongdoing. The settlement was not a court finding that Verizon intentionally deceived customers or violated the law.
As part of the settlement’s noncash relief, Verizon agreed to revise customer-agreement disclosures to explain that the charge is not a tax, is not required by law, may change, and is retained by Verizon in whole or in part.
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The settlement generally covered people who met all of the relevant requirements:
- They resided in the United States, based on the account holder’s last known billing address.
- They received Verizon postpaid wireless or data services.
- Their account was charged and they paid one of the covered administrative fees.
- The qualifying charge was incurred between January 1, 2016, and November 8, 2023.
Receiving a settlement notice by mail or email generally meant Verizon’s records identified the recipient as a potential class member. It did not mean that every current or former Verizon customer automatically qualified; the settlement administrator reviewed claims under the settlement definition.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Who was not automatically covered?
These facts alone were not enough to establish eligibility:
- Being a current Verizon customer.
- Having a prepaid plan.
- Using Verizon home internet or another service outside the settlement definition.
- Being charged a different type of fee.
- Using Verizon only outside the class period.
- Being an excluded employee, officer, director, or other person listed in the notice.
- Opting out of the settlement.
The settlement allocation was described per eligible account. Do not assume that each line on an account created a separate $100 payment.
How the payout was calculated
The notice described this initial formula:
Initial allocation = $15 + ($1 × qualifying months)
Initial maximum = $100 per eligible account
Final payment = initial allocation minus any applicable pro-rata reductionA qualifying month was generally a month in which the account received postpaid wireless or data service and was charged and paid the relevant administrative fee.
The $100 figure was an initial maximum allocation, not a guaranteed payment. The $100 million fund also covered settlement administration, court-approved attorney fees and expenses, service awards, and other approved costs. If the fund was insufficient to pay all initial allocations after those deductions, payments could be reduced pro rata.
Why did some customers receive less than $15?
The notice described $15 as an initial minimum allocation under the formula, not an unconditional final-payment guarantee. Pro-rata reductions could lower the amount actually sent.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
A January 2024 allocation estimate projected an average payment of approximately $11.80 and a projected largest payment of approximately $18.99 under the assumptions then available. Those figures were estimates, not guaranteed final amounts. CBS News later reported examples of payments below $15, including a reported $2.37 prepaid Mastercard, while explaining that the settlement’s pro-rata mechanics affected final payouts.
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That means the following amounts should not be confused:
- $100 million: the total settlement fund.
- Up to $100: the initial maximum allocation per eligible account.
- $15 plus monthly amounts: the initial formula.
- Final payment: the amount remaining after applicable reductions and delivered through the selected payment method.
The April 15, 2024 claim deadline has passed
The deadline for both online and mailed claims was April 15, 2024. A paper claim had to be postmarked by that date.
Old articles, social-media posts, and forwarded messages may still say that Verizon customers can submit a claim. Those instructions are outdated for a new claimant as of August 18, 2026. The settlement notice does not identify a general late-claim process, so no one should assume that a newly submitted form will be accepted.
If you received a settlement notice but never filed, you may contact the administrator using information in the official settlement materials to ask whether any limited late-claim, returned-payment, or unclaimed-property procedure remains. The administrator phone number listed in the settlement materials is 844-689-0186; because the settlement is closed, do not assume the number remains active.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Do not contact the court for settlement information. The notice directs settlement-related questions to the administrator.
If you filed a claim but have not received payment
Payments could be issued by check or electronic payment. Use this troubleshooting sequence:
- Find your original settlement email, postcard, or claim confirmation.
- Locate your claim confirmation code or notice ID, if available.
- Check which payment method you selected, such as a bank transfer, digital payment, prepaid Mastercard, or paper check.
- Search spam, junk, promotions, and payment-service notifications.
- Check whether the payment went to an old email address, bank account, digital wallet, or mailing address.
- Look for a returned, expired, or uncashed check.
- Contact the settlement administrator through information in the official notice—not through a link in an unsolicited message.
The notice states that undeliverable or uncashed checks could be handled under applicable state unclaimed-property procedures. If the administrator cannot resolve the issue, check the unclaimed-property office for the state associated with your address, while recognizing that procedures vary.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to spot a fake Verizon settlement message
A legitimate settlement does not make every message about it legitimate. Be especially cautious of anyone who:
- Promises a guaranteed $100 payment.
- Asks you to pay a release, processing, shipping, or verification fee.
- Requests your Verizon password, full bank-login credentials, or a one-time authentication code.
- Sends a shortened or suspicious claim link through social media, text, or a forwarded email.
- Pressures you to act immediately despite the 2024 deadline.
Never pay to receive a settlement payment. Verify information against the official settlement notice or court materials, and type known addresses directly rather than relying on unsolicited links.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
What rights did participating class members give up?
Class members who did not opt out and became bound by the final settlement generally released claims related to the issues addressed in the lawsuit. In plain language, accepting the settlement generally meant giving up the ability to pursue the released claims separately against Verizon.
The scope of a release can depend on the settlement documents and the facts of an individual dispute. This article does not determine whether a separate billing problem is covered. A current Verizon billing issue should be treated as a separate consumer-billing matter, not automatically folded into this closed settlement.
What to do if you missed the deadline
There is no general replacement claim process identified in the cited notice. You can:
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- Ask the settlement administrator whether any limited late-claim, returned-payment, or unclaimed-property procedure remains.
- Review the official notice before sharing personal or financial information.
- Raise a current, unrelated Verizon billing dispute directly with Verizon or the relevant consumer-protection agency.
- Consult a consumer attorney about an individual legal dispute if appropriate.
Those options do not recreate eligibility for the Verizon settlement or guarantee a payment.
Bottom line
The Verizon $100 million settlement was genuine, but it was not a universal $100 rebate. It covered qualifying U.S. postpaid accounts charged and paying the specified administrative fees during the January 1, 2016–November 8, 2023 class period. The initial allocation was $15 plus $1 per qualifying month, capped at $100, and final payments could be reduced pro rata.
As of August 18, 2026, the April 15, 2024 claim deadline has passed. The most useful next step for someone who already filed is to verify the claim and payment details through the official settlement materials. Someone who never filed should not trust an old claim link or promise of guaranteed money.
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