The biggest data breach settlements — and whether you missed them

Why breach settlements are the ones you're most likely in

Product settlements need you to have bought something specific. Breach settlements just need you to have been a customer — and the biggest breaches hit tens of millions of people at once. If you've had a phone plan, a credit file, or a major online account in the last decade, you've almost certainly been in a settlement class.

Here's where the biggest ones stand as of August 2026.

Equifax — closed, but one benefit still runs

The 2017 Equifax breach exposed personal data of over 140 million Americans and produced one of the most publicized settlements ever (Equifax MDL 2800, administered by JND Legal Administration).

• Cash claims: closed. The extended claims window closed January 22, 2024.
• Still available: the settlement's free identity-restoration service runs until roughly 2029 and doesn't require having filed a claim. If you hit identity-theft trouble traceable to the breach, that service is still there.

T-Mobile 2021 — closed and distributed

T-Mobile's 2021 breach exposed data on 76 million customers and settled for $350 million (MDL 3019, administered by Kroll Settlement Administration). Claims closed January 23, 2023; the fund has been distributed, with any residual rounds going to prior claimants only.

T-Mobile 2023 — watch this one

A second, separate T-Mobile breach in January 2023 exposed 37 million customer records through an unsecured API. Reports point to a ~$150 million fund with approval in late 2025 or early 2026 — but as of August 2026 the claim window and administrator are not yet verified, and secondary sources conflict on timing. Treat any site claiming to file this one today with skepticism; when a verified window opens, it will come from a court-appointed administrator.

AT&T — closed, payments still ahead

AT&T's breach of customer call and text records produced a $177 million settlement (MDL 3114, administered by Kroll). Claims closed December 18, 2025 and required a Class Member ID from the mailed notice. Final approval was still pending as of mid-2026, which puts payments on a late 2026 or later timeline. If you filed, watch for administrator email — payment timing questions are answered there, not by AT&T.

The scoreboard

Settlement	Fund	Status (Aug 2026)
Equifax (MDL 2800)	Record-setting	Cash claims closed Jan 2024; identity restoration to ~2029
T-Mobile 2021 (MDL 3019)	$350M	Closed Jan 2023, distributed
T-Mobile 2023 API breach	~$150M reported	Unverified — window not yet open
AT&T (MDL 3114)	$177M	Closed Dec 2025; payments late 2026+

The takeaway

Every one of these windows was open for months, was free to file (usually without receipts), and closed with most eligible people never filing. The next big breach settlement is a matter of time — the way to catch it is a standing habit of checking what you qualify for.

Owed watches these windows — including unverified ones like T-Mobile 2023, which we track but won't file until a real window opens. Run the free check.