T-Mobile was breached in 2021, affecting 76 million customers. The company was sued by customers for not properly safeguarding their information, and it decided to pay $350 million to settle the claim. The payments have steadily been going out since late May, and, as expected, some people are getting way more money than others.
As first spotted by Android Authority, some Reddit users have received more than $4,000 as part of their breach settlement payment. While that was expected since affected customers were promised up to $25,000 by the company, it still surprised a lot of customers, most of whom got no more than $56.54.
The highest payouts to customers were meant for those who spent money to minimize the impact of the data theft and protect themselves from future harm. These customers were required to provide proof of out-of-pocket losses.
Customers who spent time mitigating the effects of the breach could request reimbursement for lost time at a rate of $25 per hour or their hourly wage.
The remaining users were asked to expect a payment of $25, or $100 if they lived in California at the time of the data breach.
Would a $4k check be enough to make you get over the T-Mobile data breach?
The mental agony was worth so much more.
16.2%
For sure.
46.48%
No amount of money could compensate for it.
37.32%
Any money left over in the settlement fund was to be reinjected and distributed to initial claims on a proportional basis. This may explain why even customers who didn't claim out-of-pocket losses or lost time received more than expected.
Some T-Mobile customers have received more than $4,000 as a settlement payment. | Image Credit - Reddit user brokenshells
Data breaches are a sensitive matter and put customers at risk, but since it has been four years, the anger has somewhat subsided. That's why customers are joyously sharing their $4,000 checks, even though in a way, this is money that T-Mobile owed them for what they had to spend as a result of the breach.
One customer even joked that they were happy that their information had been leaked.
This user appears to have forgiven T-Mobile for the breach. | Image Credit - Reddit user OnePiglet3249
After seeing these huge payouts, some customers regret not filing a claim form. Others say they did file a claim but haven't received payment yet.
The bulk of the settlement pool will go to the lawyers, who will apparently receive $46 million. While that's bound to sting, the bigger takeaway here is that T-Mobile was reprimanded for having lax security, and that's what matters more.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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