The $16.1 million figure refers to multistate settlements announced in November 2022—not a new settlement. The package covered Experian’s 2015 breach of information held for T-Mobile applicants, a separate 2012 Experian Data Corp. incident, and T-Mobile’s vendor-oversight obligations related to the 2015 breach. It was not about T-Mobile’s separate 2021 breach.
What the $16 million settlement covered
On November 7, 2022, Ohio and Minnesota announced resolutions involving two Experian data-security incidents and a related T-Mobile agreement. Ohio reported a combined $16.1 million across 40 states. The sum comprises separate payments, not one settlement paid by one company:
| Resolution | Amount | What it concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Experian settlement | $12.67 million | The 2015 breach of information Experian held for T-Mobile applicants. |
| T-Mobile settlement | $2.43 million | Vendor-risk management related to the 2015 breach. |
| Experian Data Corp. resolution | $1 million | A separate 2012 incident involving access to commercial databases. |
The first two amounts total $15.1 million; adding the separate $1 million 2012 resolution gives the $16.1 million Ohio described for the multistate package. State releases may round that amount to “more than $16 million.” Texas later reported that nearly two million Texans were exposed and that the state would collect approximately $1.63 million; Minnesota reported an allocation of $280,685.67. Those are state shares, not competing totals for the multistate settlements. Ohio Attorney General, November 7, 2022; Minnesota Attorney General, November 7, 2022; Texas Attorney General, November 30, 2022.
What happened in the 2015 Experian breach
In September 2015, Experian reported unauthorized access to part of its network. That portion stored personal information for T-Mobile, covering people who applied for T-Mobile postpaid service or device financing from September 2013 through September 2015. Ohio said more than 15 million people who submitted credit applications were affected.
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The information listed by Ohio and Minnesota included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and identification numbers such as driver’s license and passport numbers. Minnesota’s announcement said the incident did not compromise T-Mobile’s own systems or Experian’s consumer credit database. The affected information was held in an Experian network for T-Mobile; that distinction matters when identifying which company’s systems were involved. Minnesota Attorney General; Ohio Attorney General.
Why the 2012 Experian matter was included
The multistate announcement also resolved a distinct 2012 incident involving Experian Data Corp. A person posing as a private investigator gained access to sensitive personal information in the company’s commercial databases. The $1 million resolution addressed this older matter; it was not another description of the T-Mobile applicant breach.
For the 2012 matter, the state resolution included requirements for vetting and oversight of third parties, investigating and reporting incidents to attorneys general, and maintaining a “Red Flags” program. Ohio Attorney General; Minnesota Attorney General.
What the companies agreed to change
Experian’s security and governance measures
For the 2015 incident, Experian agreed to strengthen its information-security program and governance. The commitments included executive reporting and staff training, due diligence when acquiring businesses, and limits on retaining data through minimization and disposal practices. Technical controls covered encryption, network segmentation, patching, intrusion detection, firewalls, access controls, logging and monitoring, penetration testing, and risk assessments. The resolution also barred misrepresentations to clients about Experian’s privacy and security protections. Minnesota Attorney General.
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T-Mobile agreed to improve vendor-risk management. Its commitments included keeping an inventory of vendors and rating their criticality, setting security requirements for vendors and sub-vendors, assessing and monitoring them, and using remedies for noncompliance—including ending a contract. These obligations addressed oversight of a service provider; they do not mean T-Mobile’s own systems were breached in 2015. Minnesota Attorney General.
Who could receive credit monitoring—and whether enrollment is open
The 2015 settlement provided eligible affected consumers with five years of free credit monitoring and two free credit-report copies per year during that period. Minnesota said eligible people who had been class members in the 2019 class action could enroll, and that the enrollment window would stay open for six months when the settlement was announced in 2022.
That historical six-month window does not establish that enrollment is still available. The 2022 announcements do not verify current eligibility or enrollment status. For current information, check the Minnesota Attorney General’s settlement announcement and follow any official settlement-administrator information it provides; do not assume the benefit can still be claimed.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Is this the same as T-Mobile’s 2021 data breach?
No. The state settlement discussed here concerns the 2015 breach of data held by Experian for T-Mobile applicants, along with the separate 2012 Experian Data Corp. matter and T-Mobile’s related vendor-oversight resolution. Ohio and Minnesota expressly said the T-Mobile settlement was unrelated to the separate T-Mobile breach announced in August 2021. Ohio Attorney General; Minnesota Attorney General.
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