Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the prepaid phone refund settlement. Detailed information about the settlement is contained in the Class Notice and Settlement Agreement.
If you do not find an answer to your question here, please contact us directly.
What were the class action lawsuits that consumers filed?
Consumers filed the following related cases in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California: Hansell v. TracFone Wireless, Inc., et al., Case No. 13-cv-03440; Gandhi v. TracFone Wireless, Inc., Case No. 13-cv-05296; Blaqmoor v. TracFone Wireless, Inc., Case No. 13-cv-05295; and Browning v. TracFone Wireless, Inc., et al., Case No. 14-cv-01347.
These four lawsuits were combined, for purposes of the settlement, in a single case called In re TracFone Unlimited Service Plan Litigation, Case No. 13-cv-03440-EMC (N.D. Cal.).
The lawsuits claimed that Straight Talk, Net10, Simple Mobile, and Telcel America advertised “unlimited” data plans, but then slowed or cut off data service, or terminated all services, for some customers. The “Defendants” were TracFone Wireless (which owns those four brands) and Wal-Mart.
Who was eligible to receive a refund?
If you purchased a Straight Talk, Net10, Simple Mobile or Telcel America mobile wireless service plan with “unlimited” data in the United States, and, at any time between July 24, 2009 and December 31, 2014, you had your data usage “throttled” (slowed), “suspended” (cut-off), or had all of your services terminated by TracFone prior to the expiration of your service plan, you are a class member and were eligible to file a claim for a refund. The deadline to file a claim has passed.
Why did I receive this check?
The check you received is a supplemental refund from the TracFone class action settlementt.
Please cash your refund check no later than October 7, 2017. After this date, your check could bounce, and you could incur a bank charge.
How much money did eligible consumers receive in this second check distribution?
Refund payments were made to consumers who were in four Categories.
Categories 1 and 2 include Class Members whose data service was throttled or slowed. They received $7.54.
Category 3 includes Class Members whose data service was suspended or cut off. They received $11.61.
Category 4 included Class Members who had all of their services terminated. They received $32.45.
Class Members who were eligible to receive refunds for multiple affected accounts may be in more than one Category. They received one check combining the refunds for all their Categories.
The name or address on my check is incorrect and I can’t cash it — what should I do?
Please mail the original check to Settlement Administrator at the address at the top left of your check, along with a letter containing your corrected name, or new address and ask to have your check reissued.
If the check recipient is deceased, please return the original check along with a copy of the death certificate and a letter explaining how the check should be made out.
Please send your check reissue request to:
Prepaid Phone Refund
Settlement Administrator
PO Box 2011
Chanhassen MN 55317-2011
I haven’t received my check yet — what should I do?
Please allow the Post Office at least two weeks after June 9, 2017 to deliver the check to you before contacting the Settlement Administrator about a missing check. If you changed your address recently, please call the Claims Administrator toll-free at (855) 312-3327 to update your address. You may also want to notify the Post Office about your new address.
What if I have other questions?
If you have additional questions about your check, please call the Claims Administrator toll-free at (855) 312-3327.