Published
January 6, 2024
Updated
August 3, 2026
Verizon’s $100 million administrative charge settlement covered certain postpaid wireless and data subscribers. The claim deadline passed in April 2024, the settlement became effective, and payments began in January 2025.
Current Status
The settlement is closed and payments were distributed beginning January 6, 2025. The April 15, 2024 claim deadline passed, and consumers reported checks and electronic awards that were often much lower than the original maximum estimate because the fund was reduced pro rata across valid claims. No new claims are being accepted.StatusPayments Distributed
Claim DeadlineApril 15, 2024 — Passed
Settlement Fund$100 Million
Historical ProofNotice ID and Confirmation Code
What Was the Verizon Administrative Charge Lawsuit About?
The lawsuits alleged that Verizon advertised postpaid wireless service at one price and then added an Administrative Charge or Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge that was not adequately disclosed in the advertised monthly rate. Plaintiffs characterized the practice as misleading and challenged how the company described and increased the surcharge.Verizon denied wrongdoing and liability. The settlement resolved the covered consumer claims without a trial or an admission that Verizon’s disclosures violated the law. The company also continued to describe the charge as a Verizon surcharge rather than a government tax.
Who Was Included?
The settlement class generally included current and former Verizon postpaid wireless or data subscribers who were charged an Administrative Charge or Administrative and Telco Recovery Charge between January 1, 2016, and November 8, 2023. Verizon’s account records were used to identify and notify potential class members.Eligibility did not extend to every Verizon customer or every service charge. Prepaid service and charges outside the defined period were not automatically included. A mailed or emailed notice with settlement credentials was the strongest indication that the administrator had matched an account to the class.
What Was the Original Payment Formula?
The notice described a base allocation plus an additional amount based on the number of months a claimant paid the challenged charge, with a stated maximum of $100. That was an allocation formula, not a guaranteed minimum or final check amount.Because the $100 million fund had to cover valid claims and court-approved costs, awards were subject to pro rata adjustment. After distribution began, many consumers reported single-digit or low-dollar payments. Those smaller awards did not mean the entire fund was only $100 or that each class member had been promised $100.
What Did a Claim Require?
The online claim process used a Notice ID and Confirmation Code from the administrator’s notice. Claimants used those credentials to connect the filing with Verizon account data and select a payment method. The filing deadline was April 15, 2024.Under OCA’s proof framework, the administrator-issued credentials made this proof-required even though ordinary claimants were not asked to upload years of bills. The credentials were evidence that the filer was associated with an identified account. The old claim portal is no longer a route for new submissions.
When Did the Settlement Become Effective?
The court approved the settlement in 2024. A pending appeal delayed effectiveness, but the final appeal was withdrawn in October 2024. Once that barrier was removed, the administrator could complete the allocation and distribution work required by the agreement.A scheduled hearing and final approval are different from effectiveness. Here, appeal activity mattered to timing even after approval. That is why earlier estimates pointing to a December 2024 distribution changed before payments actually started.
When Were Verizon Payments Sent?
Distribution began on January 6, 2025 through checks and electronic methods. Claimants reported prepaid Mastercard awards and transfers through common digital-payment services. The amount depended on the final pro rata calculation rather than the initial maximum shown in publicity about the case.A genuine settlement payment should connect to a timely filed claim. Consumers should verify unfamiliar messages against their saved confirmation and the official settlement website, and should not pay a fee or disclose account passwords to receive a settlement award.
Can I File or Change a Claim Now?
No new claim can be filed. The April 2024 deadline and payment distribution have passed. A person who finds an old notice now cannot revive the filing period through OCA or by using an archived claim link.Questions about a timely claim, an expired payment instrument, or a reissue request belong with the official administrator. OCA does not have access to Verizon’s class list, claim decisions, or payment records and cannot promise that a stale check or electronic award will be replaced.
Did Verizon Admit the Fee Was Improper?
No. Verizon denied the plaintiffs’ allegations and maintained that its customer agreements disclosed the charge. The settlement was a negotiated resolution of disputed claims and avoided further litigation risk and expense for both sides.The agreement did not necessarily eliminate Verizon administrative surcharges going forward. Current customers should review their own service agreements and bills rather than assuming the settlement permanently prohibited every similarly named charge.
What Should Former Claimants Keep?
Former claimants should keep the settlement notice, submission confirmation, and payment record together. Those materials help distinguish this settlement from phishing messages and explain why the received amount may not match early estimates.The settlement page is now historical. It remains useful for understanding eligibility and the allegations, but there is no open claim form or current $100 payment opportunity.
Why Were Many Payments Below the Early Estimate?
The settlement’s allocation formula began with a base amount and added value for months in which a claimant paid the challenged charge, subject to a stated $100 cap. Public descriptions often shortened that structure to “up to $100,” which made the cap sound like a typical payment even though it was never guaranteed.The agreement also required the fund to cover valid claims across a very large subscriber class as well as court-approved administration, fees, expenses, and representative awards. When the amount needed under the preliminary formula exceeded the money available, the administrator reduced awards proportionally. That is why a valid claim could produce a payment of only a few dollars even when the claimant had paid the charge for years.
A lower payment does not by itself show that a claim was fraudulent or denied. It can reflect the final pro rata factor applied across accepted claims. Conversely, seeing another claimant’s award does not establish what any different account should receive because service duration and claim records varied. Only the administrator had the full data needed to calculate each award.
Official Information
Review the latest information on the official Verizon administrative charge settlement website.
Case
Esposito et al. v. Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless et al.
Court
Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County
Class Period
January 1, 2016–November 8, 2023
Settlement Fund
$100,000,000
Claim Deadline
April 15, 2024
Effective Stage
Final appeal withdrawn October 2024
Distribution
Began January 6, 2025
Official Website
official Verizon administrative charge settlement
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