“2019 Payment Card Settlement” Deadline is 2/4/25

There is currently a $5.54 billion class-action settlement involving Visa and Mastercard, often referred to as the “2019 Payment Card Settlement.” The lawsuit is about claims that merchants paid excessive fees to accept Visa and Mastercard cards because Visa and Mastercard, individually, and together with their respective member banks, violated the antitrust laws. Claim forms were mailed in late 2023, but you can still file your claim online by the deadline.

What You Need to Know

1.  Eligibility: Businesses that accepted Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card payments in the United States between January 1, 2004, and January 25, 2019, may be entitled to a portion of this settlement. If you are a dismissed plaintiff, you are not eligible (see below for more information).

2.  Deadline: You must submit your claim by the deadline of February 4, 2025.

How to File Your Claim

1.  You will file your claim at: www.paymentcardsettlement.com.

2.  Be sure to have documentation ready:

• To begin, you will need your Employer Identification Number (EIN), Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), or your Claimant ID and Control Number, which would be on a claim form you received in the mail back in late 2023 or early 2024.
• You will need to upload proof of your business. This could be a utility bill, Form W-9, certificate of incorporation, etc. Label anything you upload with your business name and TIN/EIN.

Other Important Notes

• The Dismissed Plaintiffs: This is most likely not applicable to you. These are plaintiffs that previously settled and dismissed their own lawsuit or are entities related to the plaintiffs.
• Claims will not be paid out until after the filing deadline of February 4, 2025. Payout amounts will be based on your actual or estimated Visa and Mastercard interchange fees during the eligible time period, and will depend on how many merchants file claims. The $5.54 billion will also be used to pay for attorneys, taxes, and other administrative expenses.

Don’t Miss Out! This settlement represents a rare opportunity to recover funds for fees paid in the past.
However, claims must be submitted before the deadline to be considered. Act now to ensure your business doesn’t miss this chance.