$167.5 Million Nonbank ATM Surcharge Class Action Settlement

Individuals who paid a surcharge to withdraw cash from an independent ATM in the United States between Oct. 24, 2007, and Aug. 14, 2026, and did not receive full reimbursement from their bank may qualify to submit a claim for a payment from a class action settlement.

Visa Inc. and Mastercard Inc. agreed to pay $167,500,000 to settle a class action lawsuit alleging their network rules violated antitrust laws by preventing independent ATM operators from charging lower access fees for transactions processed on less-expensive networks. The plaintiffs claimed consumers may have paid higher surcharges at nonbank ATMs.

Who can file a claim for an ATM fee settlement payout?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

• Visa charged them a surcharge, also called an access fee, to withdraw cash from a deposit account using an ATM or PIN debit card at an independent ATM (not owned by a bank or financial institution) located in the United States or its territories.
• The cash withdrawal transaction occurred between Oct. 24, 2007, and Aug. 14, 2026.
• Their bank did not fully reimburse them for the surcharge.

The settlement includes two types of class members:

• Nationwide class: Individuals in the United States who meet the class member criteria
• Statewide classes: Individuals in California, Illinois, Massachusetts or Michigan who meet the class member criteria

What are the exclusions?

The settlement does not include transactions involving credit cards, cash advances or prepaid cards.

How much are settlement payments?

Pro rata cash payment: Class members can submit a claim to receive a pro rata cash payment from the net settlement fund. The settlement administrator will determine the final payment amount by the number of qualifying transactions and the total number of valid claims submitted.

How to claim a class action rebate

To receive a settlement payment, class members can file a claim online or print and complete the PDF claim form and mail it to the settlement administrator.

Settlement administrator's mailing address: Nonbank ATM Surcharge Fee Settlement, c/o A.B. Data Ltd., P.O. Box 173053, Milwaukee, WI 53217

The claim deadline is Feb. 10, 2027.

Is proof required to submit a claim?

Claimants do not need to provide documentation when submitting a claim. However, the settlement administrator may request supporting documentation, such as bank statements, at a later date.

Payout options

• Digital payment
• Paper check mailed to the address provided

Settlement fund breakdown

The $167,500,000 settlement fund will include:

• Settlement administration costs: Up to $3,000,000
• Attorneys’ fees: Up to $50,250,000 plus reimbursement of costs and expenses
• Service awards to class representatives: Up to $17,500 each
• Payments to approved claimants: Remaining settlement funds

Important dates

• Deadline to opt out: Dec. 11, 2026
• Deadline to file a claim: Feb. 10, 2027
• Final approval (fairness) hearing: Feb. 17, 2027

When is the nonbank ATM surcharge settlement payout date?

The settlement administrator will issue payments to approved claimants after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval of the settlement.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged Visa and Mastercard’s network rules prevented independent ATM operators from offering lower surcharges for transactions processed on less expensive networks. The plaintiffs claimed this practice amounted to price-fixing, causing consumers to pay higher access fees at independent ATMs.

Visa and Mastercard deny the allegations but agreed to settle to avoid the expense and risk of further litigation and a possible trial.

Sources

1. Settlement notice
2. Claim form and instructions
3. Settlement website FAQ page