DirecTV settles class action lawsuit for $16.85 million — here’s how much you could get
DirecTV is in hot water, and you might be able to reap the benefits. The best part? You don’t even need to be a DirecTV customer.
That’s because this class action lawsuit against DirecTV isn’t about poor service, or failing to accurately represent features — as is the case with the class action lawsuit Samsung and Best Buy are facing. Instead, this lawsuit is because DirecTV called thousands of people that were on the U.S. National Do Not Call Registry.
Now, DirecTV has to pay the price for its transgressions — literally. Here’s what happened and how to tell if you’re eligible for financial compensation.
Why is DirecTV in trouble?
According to reporting from outlets such as Cord Cutters News, DirecTV is paying up because of accusations that one of its dealers called people who are on the National Do Not Call Registry. The Ohio-based DirecTV dealer AC1 is believed to have called 113,997 known numbers on the Do Not Call Registry, and if you got a call, you can now be eligible for $324 or more in financial compensation as part of the settlement. Average payouts are expected to be over $464.
An important note: DirecTV is settling here, so this isn’t an admission of guilt. And technically the settlement has not been fully approved either. But given that the settlement eligibility is based on if your phone number is called, there seems to be at least some concrete evidence of inappropriate behavior.
How to tell if you are eligible for the DirecTV settlement
To be eligible for the settlement payment, you’ll need to verify that your phone number was one of the 113,997 listed numbers to receive a call from AC1 despite being on the U.S. National Do Not Call Registry.
To check your eligibility go to directvclassactionsettlement.com. This is the site set up by Kroll Settlement Administration to handle payouts of the settlement funds.
Then, once you’re there, click on the blue button that says Phone Number Check. This will take you to a new page where you can enter your phone number. Enter your phone number then click the CAPTCHA to verify you’re not a robot. Then, click Login to see if you’re eligible.
If you’re like me, this will return a message saying “Records do not indicate that this number received a covered call.” People eligible for this settlement will most likely have lived in Ohio or West Virginia, where the lawsuit was filed. The suit was filed way back in December 2017, so if your number is newer than that, you probably won’t be eligible.
Finally, if you want to avoid getting spam calls in the future, or protect yourself in instances like Vance vs. DirecTV, you can register for the U.S. National Do Not Call Registry by going to DoNotCall.Gov or calling 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you wish to register.
