Some Facebook Settlement Claimants Get Rejection Notices

The simplest way people had to file a claim was to visit a website, facebookuserprivacysettlement.com, and submit an online claim.

They were asked to enter their name, postal address, Facebook username and email address or addresses associated with their Facebook account. They could submit only a single claim on their own behalf, though family members with their own accounts could separately file their own claims. Having multiple Facebook accounts at the same time was not double counted.

Of the 28 million claims filed, about 2 million were duplicates, according to The Hill, and 8 million were flagged as potentially fraudulent.

Worth mentioning: Beware of scammers masquerading as legal beagles who claim they can help you get your piece of a class action settlement. It’s a ruse.

Will I be asked for sensitive personal information?

In a word, no. The settlement administrator won't ask for your Social Security number as part of the claim process. Nor will you be asked for any money.

You also won't receive a text from the settlement administrator, a court-appointed Philadelphia company called the Angeion Group, nor will you be asked to text its representatives. If you receive such texts, it's most likely an attempt to defraud you.

How do I get paid?

You got to choose on the online claim form. Your options were a direct deposit to your bank by providing a routing number and account credentials, prepaid Mastercard, PayPal, Venmo or Zelle.

When might I get paid?

That’s the magic question, and the answer is still not settled. During a Sept. 7 “final” hearing on the case in a San Francisco courtroom, lawyers were granted extra time to file additional documents.

Even if the settlement is approved, post-ruling appeals could prolong matters.

“If a timely appeal is filed, the distribution of settlement funds could be significantly delayed by up to a year or more,” Sullivan told AARP in an email.​

Still skeptical? Many people ignore class action settlements for which they’re eligible. In a 2019 study, the Federal Trade Commission found that the median rate of claims filed in class action cases was just 9 percent.

Why was my claim rejected?

Don’t expect an illuminating answer. The settlement administrator’s methodology regarding potential fraudulent claims remains under wraps to prevent fraudsters from circumventing detection methods, Sullivan says.

Can I appeal?

Yes, but you must do so within 10 days of receiving notice of a rejected claim.

To contest a claim, visit the settlement website and add the Claim ID and Confirmation Code previously issued to you in email. Fill in your name, address, email and phone number where requested and answer the questions about residing in the United States and being on Facebook during the class period.

You will also be asked whether you are filing a claim for a current account, deleted account or combination of both. You can upload any supporting documentation as well as provide a statement of reasons you are contesting the rejection.

Where might you get proof? Click your profile picture | Settings & privacy | Activity log, which among other things will reveal when you became friends with someone, when you’ve commented or liked a post and so on.

Be aware that you are submitting your appeal under oath.

You may also submit an appeal by email or U.S. mail. If the latter, send mail to:

Facebook Consumer Privacy User Profile Litigation, c/o Settlement Administrator
1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Include a statement giving the reasons you're contesting the rejection.

This story, originally published April 21, 2023, has been updated to reflect new information about the number of people who filed claims, the amounts they may get as part of the settlement, and how to appeal if your submitted claim is rejected.