The Bottoms v. Block Cash App settlement is a $12.5 million class action deal resolving claims that Block, Inc. helped send unsolicited “Invite Friends” referral texts to Washington residents. A federal judge granted final approval on December 2, 2025, and approved claimants began receiving payments of $394.36 on February 2, 2026.
What the Settlement Covers
Cash App’s “Invite Friends” feature let existing users send referral texts to their phone contacts, with both the sender and the new sign-up getting a $5 bonus. The lead plaintiff, Kimberly Bottoms of Clallam County, Washington, received one such text on March 22, 2023, and sued Block later that year. According to court filings, Block’s users sent these referral texts to roughly 1,975,187 unique phone numbers with Washington area codes between November 2019 and the date the data was pulled for the case.
The complaint alleged violations of Washington’s Commercial Electronic Mail Act and Consumer Protection Act, arguing that Block did more than passively allow the messages: it composed the text, generated personalized referral links, provided the in-app tools to send them, and paid users to do it. Block denied all allegations and did not admit wrongdoing. The company said it settled to avoid the burden and uncertainty of continued litigation.
Who Qualified
The class covered Washington residents who received a Cash App “Invite Friends” referral text between November 14, 2019, and August 7, 2025, and who had not given clear, advance consent. Each class member could file only one claim no matter how many texts they got.
Excluded were Block itself, its officers, directors, counsel, and their families, along with anyone who gave prior consent or opted out. The claims deadline was October 27, 2025, and the claims period is closed. Late submissions are not being accepted.
How Much Claimants Are Getting
Approved claimants are receiving $394.36 each. That’s well above the initial projected range of $88 to $147, which suggests far fewer people filed claims than the nearly two million who were potentially eligible.
The rest of the $12.5 million fund was allocated to attorneys’ fees of $3,125,000 (25% of the fund) plus $28,171.16 in litigation expenses, a $10,000 service award to Bottoms, and settlement administration costs estimated between $590,000 and $619,500. What remained was split pro rata among approved claimants.
When Payments Went Out
The settlement administrator, Postlethwaite & Netterville, began issuing payments on February 2, 2026. Payments went out through digital methods first, with paper checks for those who selected them or whose digital payments failed.
According to an April 1, 2026 update on the settlement website, every failed digital payment and every returned check had been reprocessed and reissued as a paper check. Reissue requests submitted by March 18, 2026, were mailed out, with most checks expected to arrive by April 8, 2026.
What Happens If You Don’t Cash the Check
Checks are valid for 120 days after issuance. If money remains in the fund after that window, it may be redistributed to claimants who successfully cashed their first payment. Any residual after a second distribution goes to the Legal Foundation of Washington.
If you were approved and haven’t received a check, or your check was lost or damaged, contact the administrator before your window closes. Once the 120 days lapse, the check is void and you’re relying on a possible second-round redistribution rather than a guaranteed reissue.
How to Reach the Settlement Administrator
Class members with questions about a payment, a reissue, or the status of a claim can reach Postlethwaite & Netterville at info@BottomsTextSettlement.com or 1-877-540-7545. The official settlement website is www.BottomsTextSettlement.com.
The case is Bottoms v. Block, Inc., No. 2:23-cv-01969, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The class was represented by Terrell Marshall Law Group PLLC and Berger Montague PC.