Time is running out for Verizon and Sprint customers to apply for their part of a $158 million settlement to consumers hit by bogus cell phone charges, as part of an agreement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
To take part in the settlement, you will need to file a claim: it is not automatic.
And you must apply by midnight Dec. 31, 2015. The window for applying for a refund closes New Year's Eve.
The settlement is for "cramming" charges.
These were unwanted fees on your cell phone bill for things like premium texting or horoscopes.
They were typically $10 a month, and many customers paid them for six months if not longer before they realized they were there.
Both companies no longer pass along these third-party charges, and have now agreed to refunds.
(AT&T and T-Mobile reached their own settlement a year ago, and are not part of this case.)
How to Apply
If you were hit by any cramming fees between 2010 and 2014, you need to apply for a refund by Dec. 31 of this year.
Most people don't save all their old bills, so the good news is that both Verizon and Sprint will post tools online starting July 1, that will help you find these charges on your older bills.
Verizon customers should go to cfpbsettlementverizon.com.
Sprint customers should go to sprintefndpsms.com.
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