Data Breach Class Action Settlements: Complete 2026 Guide
By Timo Bakker · July 3, 2026 · 6 min read
Data breach class actions are the largest single category of consumer settlements today. If your personal info was in a breached database (extremely likely if you have had accounts with major US companies), you probably qualify for one or more open settlements. Here is the full playbook.
How data breach settlements work
When a company suffers a data breach exposing consumer PII (name + SSN + DOB + address), affected customers usually file a class action alleging negligence. The settlement typically offers:
- No-proof tier: $50-100. Flat payment for anyone whose data was in the breach. Sworn declaration only.
- Documented losses tier: $500-25,000. Reimbursement for actual fraud losses you can document (fraudulent charges, credit monitoring costs, time spent resolving identity theft).
- Credit monitoring: 2-3 years of free credit monitoring service, regardless of whether you file a monetary claim.
Which breaches have you probably been in?
Some breaches you should assume you were in, if you have had accounts with the affected companies:
- Equifax (2017) — 147M Americans. Settlement paid out already, but there is a small remaining claim window until Dec 2028.
- T-Mobile (2021) — 76M records. Settlement paid.
- LinkedIn (2021) — 700M profiles scraped. Multiple settlements pending.
- Yahoo (2013-2014) — 3B accounts. Settlement paid.
- Change Healthcare (2024) — ~100M patient records. Settlement pending.
- National Public Data (2024) — 2.9B records including SSNs. Multiple lawsuits pending.
How to file
Every data breach settlement has a claim website. The Class Action Buddy app auto-fills these for you, or you can file directly at the admin firm's site.
Documentation to gather in advance if you plan to claim the higher tier:
- Credit reports showing fraud entries.
- Credit card statements with unauthorized charges.
- Bills from credit monitoring services you paid for as a result of the breach.
- Records of time spent on the phone with banks or credit bureaus.
If you have none of the above, the no-proof tier is still worth filing — $50-100 for 60 seconds of your time.