ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Apple customers who use the company’s subscription-share service could be eligible to claim part of a $25 million settlement.
When class action lawsuits are settled, claimants often get emailed notices about money they’re eligible to receive.
But sometimes it’s difficult to know whether these emails are real or scams. VERIFY reader Colette S. asked if the email she received was legitimate.
THE QUESTION
Is the class action settlement involving Apple’s Family Sharing feature real?
THE SOURCES
- Walter Peters v. Apple Inc. court documents
- PetersFamilySharingPlan.com, the claims website
- KCC Class Action Services LLC, the settlement administrator
- Classaction.org, a website that documents and provides information about class action lawsuits
THE ANSWER
Yes, the class action settlement involving Apple’s Family Sharing feature is real.
WHAT WE FOUND
Customers in the U.S. who had a Family Sharing plan and purchased a subscription to a third-party app between June 21, 2015, and January 30, 2019, can file a claim under this $25 million settlement.
The claim submission deadline is March 1, 2024.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit over Apple's Family Sharing feature, which allows up to five other members of your family to share access to apps under one subscription, including Apple Music, Apple News+ and Apple TV+.
According to court documents, the lawsuit alleges Apple ran “deceptive” advertisements for Family Sharing alongside third-party apps that were not actually able to be shared through the feature. The complaint says the company misled millions of customers into subscribing to apps they wouldn’t have otherwise purchased.
Under the settlement Apple denies any wrongdoing.
The court gave preliminary approval for a $25 million settlement between Apple and the plaintiffs in October.
If you received an email notice, your Payment ID and PIN are located at the top of the email.
The settlement claims website is PetersFamilySharingPlan.com. Eligible claimants can submit their claim here. A final approval hearing is scheduled for April 2, 2024.
If you received a postcard notice, your Payment ID and PIN are located on the backside in the paragraph titled "What can you get from the settlement and how can you claim payment?"
The cash amount claimants will receive could be up to $30 but ultimately depends on how many people file claims.
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