Top Class Actions  |  January 31, 2024

Category: Lawsuits to Join

Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement: Who’s Affected?

Close up of a card being swiped on a point-of-sale machine, representing the Visa and Mastercard settlement.
(Photo Credit: photobyphotoboy/Shutterstock)

Merchants that accepted Visa or Mastercard at any time between Jan. 1, 2004 to Jan. 25, 2019 may be eligible for a share of a $5.6 billion class action settlement known as the “Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement.” The deadline to file a claim is May 31, 2024.

The Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement resolves an antitrust case brought by retailers against Visa and Mastercard for allegedly conspiring to fix high “swipe fees,” which were said to cover processing, while imposing rules that prevented merchants from steering customers to other payment methods. The fees were typically 1% to 2% of the purchase price. 

The case is In re: Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1720 (MKB) (JO), in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (this will be referred to as the Litigation).

Do You Qualify? 

If you took Mastercard or Visa debit or credit cards any time between Jan. 1, 2004 and Jan. 25, 2019, you may be eligible to recover money charged by the companies and their banks.

How to Claim the Visa Mastercard Settlement

Filing a claim is the only way to receive money from the payment card settlement.

Top Class Actions has partnered with the Arizona-licensed law firm LegaFi to make the claim filing process convenient and beneficial for business owners who have not already filed through the Payment Card Settlement Administrator website. Please note that LegaFi is not class counsel in the Litigation or otherwise affiliated with the Litigation.

No Claimant ID? No Problem.

Claim Forms were mailed to merchants containing a Claimant ID and Control Number beginning in December 2023, but the Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement does not require you to have a Claimant ID or Control Number.

The settlement administrator and class counsel are available at no cost to assist during the claims-filing period. Claim forms are available for completion and submission by class members at the settlement website: https://www.paymentcardsettlement.com/en.

Combat Claim Denial

Top Class Actions frequently hears about the frustration of denied claims. By submitting here, you’re securing an ally who will work on your behalf if your claim is denied.

Submit Your Information Now for Representation by LegaFi!

Don’t miss out on the chance to get your portion of the Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement. Fill out the form on this page now.

Is the Payment Card Settlement Legitimate?

Yes! Top Class Actions has been reporting on the payment card settlement and related class action lawsuits since they were first filed.

The class action case was filed in 2005, and finally settled in March 2023, after a rough-and-tumble series of lawsuits and challenges. The amount that was recently settled is what is presumed will compensate merchants who did not withdraw from the case.

This settlement covers about 18 million businesses.

The case is In re: Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1720 (MKB) (JO), in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Key Dates

The payment card settlement was a long time coming. Here are snapshots of the history:

Oct. 20, 2005: Class action filed against Mastercard, Visa and others on behalf of thousands of merchants who accepted the credit or debit cards. Merchants contended that the credit card companies conspired to set high swipe fees.

Dec. 13, 2013: Court approves settlement valued at $7.2 billion. Mastercard and Visa agree to create two cash funds: one to pay damages, and one to provide an eight-month reduction in interchange fees.

June 30, 2016: Federal Appeals Court throws the settlement out, ruling it isn’t adequate for some of the merchants.

Sept. 18, 2018: Parties agree to a new settlement and reduce the final amount of the suit. Because more than 8,000 retailers opted out of the settlement to pursue compensation from the credit card companies on their own, the amount of the class action suit is lowered to reflect fewer claimants.

March 15, 2023: The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit turns down a challenge by gas station owners that argued that the proposed settlement did not resolve the question of whether big oil companies or their gas stations would receive the payout. More than 60% of gas stations are owned by individuals or families. The $5.6 billion settlement is upheld.

Dec. 1, 2023: Claim form mailings began.

May 31, 2024: Claim filing deadline.

Beware of Scams

Be careful! Some scammers have set up fake websites and are making calls to lure merchants into phishing schemes that promise faster and larger payments. You’ve waited this long. Now is no time to try to rush it and risk everything.

The Visa Mastercard settlement is huge. Protect your share with our reputable lawyers.

GET HELP – IT’S FREE

Join the Visa Mastercard Settlement

Submit your information to LegaFi Law LLC below

After you fill out the form, an attorney(s) or their agent(s) may contact you to discuss your legal rights.

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements.

PAID ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT: THIS WEB PAGE IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND THE PARTICIPATING ATTORNEY(S) ARE INCLUDED BECAUSE THEY PAY AN ADVERTISING FEE. Top Class Actions is not a law firm, lawyer referral service, or prepaid legal services plan. We do not endorse or recommend any third-party claims processing company, lawyer, or law firm who participates in the network. We do not make any representation, and have not made any judgment, as to the qualifications, expertise, or credentials of any participating lawyer or processing group. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services or claims processing to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services or claims processing performed by other lawyers or claims processing group. The information contained herein is not legal advice. Any information you submit to Top Class Actions does not create an attorney-client relationship and may not be protected by attorney-client privilege because Top Class Actions is not a law firm. Instead, your information will be forwarded to an attorney(s) or their agent(s) or a claims processing firm for the purpose of a confidential review and potential representation if you qualify. You will only be contacted by an attorney(s) or their agent(s) in response to your inquiry if your initial information appears to qualify you for representation. If you are not contacted by an attorney(s) or their agent(s) within one week, you should consult another firm since all legal claims are subject to filing deadlines. All photos on this website are stock art and do not depict clients.

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Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.