The filing window for the ATM surcharge settlement claim form closed on January 22, 2025, and no new claims are being accepted. If you submitted a form before that date, digital payments are scheduled for April 2026 through the settlement’s authorized payment provider, Tremendous. The case, In re: ATM Fee Antitrust Litigation, resolved allegations that Visa, Mastercard, and several major banks inflated the fees consumers paid to withdraw cash from out-of-network ATMs. Combined settlements total over $260 million.
If You Already Filed, Check Your Status
The official settlement website at atmclassaction.com remains active. You can sign in to confirm your submission was received and review your payment status. Keep the confirmation number you received when you filed; it’s the reference the claims administrator will ask for if you contact them with a question.
You were automatically part of the class if you used an ATM card in the United States and paid a surcharge on a Visa- or Mastercard-processed withdrawal at an ATM not operated by your own bank between October 1, 2007 and the date given in the settlement notice. Personal and business accounts both counted. The only people outside the class were those who had already settled the same claims separately or who opted out before November 22, 2024.
What the Claim Form Required
If you’re unsure whether the form you submitted was complete, here’s what it asked for.
Basic identification: your full legal name, mailing address, and email. Claimants who received a Claim ID and PIN by mail or email could enter those on atmclassaction.com. People who never received credentials could still file by entering personal information manually, which the administrator matched against banking records.
The core of the form was a sworn declaration that you actually paid ATM surcharges during the class period. That statement carries federal penalties for false claims of up to five years in prison, a fine, or both. Old receipts weren’t required. The claims administrator verified transactions through banking databases, so the sworn statement was the main safeguard against fraudulent filings.
When and How You’ll Be Paid
Digital payments are scheduled for April 2026. The administrator is using Tremendous to distribute funds electronically. Legitimate payment emails will come from rewards@reward.tremendous.com.
The amount each claimant receives is prorated. After attorneys’ fees and administrative costs come out of the settlement funds, the remainder is split proportionally across valid claims. With millions of potential class members, individual payments will likely be modest, and estimates have varied depending on the final claim count.
How to Spot Settlement Scams
Class action settlements attract scammers sending fake emails, texts, and letters that demand personal information or upfront fees. A few rules for this one:
- Real settlement payments never require an upfront fee. If anyone asks for a processing fee, wire transfer, or gift card to release your money, it’s a scam.
- The only authorized payment emails come from rewards@reward.tremendous.com. Messages from other addresses claiming to distribute ATM settlement funds are fraudulent.
- When in doubt, go directly to atmclassaction.com rather than clicking links in any message you received.
Do You Owe Tax on the Payment?
Because the settlement compensates consumers for inflated fees rather than physical injury, the IRS generally treats it as taxable income. It doesn’t qualify for the physical-injury exclusion under Internal Revenue Code Section 104(a)(2), and it falls under the broad definition of gross income in Section 61.
In practice, most claimants won’t see a tax form. Starting January 1, 2026, the IRS raised the Form 1099-MISC reporting threshold from $600 to $2,000 per payee per calendar year. Individual payments from this settlement are expected to fall well below that, so most people will not receive a 1099. You are still technically required to report the income on your return.
A Separate Bank of America Case Is Not This Settlement
A different lawsuit produced a $2.25 million settlement with Bank of America over allegations that the bank charged customers two ATM fees for a single balance inquiry at out-of-network machines. It is not part of the Visa and Mastercard settlement above. A final approval hearing in that case is scheduled for August 21, 2026, and if you were double-charged for balance inquiries at Bank of America ATMs, that matter has its own claim process and deadlines.