Millions of business owners across the U.S. who accepted Visa and/or Mastercard credit or debit cards between 2004 and 2019 have until the end of this month to file for their piece of an unprecedented $5.5 billion antitrust class action settlement.
The court-approved settlement stems from claims merchants were charged excessive swipe fees to accept Visa and Mastercard cards during that 15-year period, and that the credit card companies and their member banks allegedly violated antitrust laws in setting those fees.
Any businesses that accepted Visa and/or Mastercard credit or debit cards in the U.S. between Jan. 1, 2004, and Jan. 25, 2019, may be eligible to receive part of the settlement. Eligible owners whose businesses have since closed or went bankrupt can also submit a claim.
The deadline to file a claim is Friday, May 31, 2024. Claims can be submitted on the claims portal PaymentCardSettlement.com online or by mail if a company received a paper claim form. Paper forms were mailed out to millions of businesses in December and January.
To file a claim online, business owners simply scan the QR code on the paper claim form they received to be taken to a personalized, secure page in the claims portal that is pre-filled with business credentials. Business owners without a claim form can use their taxpayer identification number (TIN) to confirm their identity and then follow the steps online to submit a claim.
The online process to file a claim can take as little as five minutes or less.
“We’ve made the claims process easy and quick so as many businesses as possible can submit a claim and get their share from the settlement,” said attorney Alexandra Bernay, co-lead counsel on the case, and partner at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP in San Diego.
“Although it’s taken nearly 20 years to get to this point, we are doing everything possible to get the settlement funds into business owners’ hands,” Bernay said. “I urge business owners not to wait – submit a claim today to see if they are qualified to receive money from the settlement.”
Claims can also be submitted by mail. For instructions, visit PaymentCardSettlement.com.
