Yes, the AMC settlement emails are real

Class action settlements can sometimes feel like “free money,” which often makes people eager to submit claims when they can. But emails notifying possible participants can often look technical and full of legal jargon, leaving people confused and skeptical of the legitimacy of the settlement. 

A Reddit thread on the website’s r/scams subforum asked if an apparent settlement regarding AMC Networks was legit. VERIFY also received multiple emails and text messages asking if the settlement emails were real.

THE QUESTION

Is the AMC settlement real?

THE SOURCES

• Court documents

• AMCVPPASettlement.com, the claims website

• Angeion Group, the settlement administrator

• Classaction.org, a website that documents and provides information about class action lawsuits

THE ANSWER

Yes, the AMC settlement emails are real.

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WHAT WE FOUND

Between January and March 2023, three separate class action lawsuits were filed against AMC for allegedly violating data privacy rights of subscribers of its family of streaming apps, according to court documents. Those lawsuits were combined into a single lawsuit, Vela et al v. AMC Networks, Inc.

The court gave preliminary approval for an $8.3 million settlement between AMC and the plaintiffs on Jan. 10, 2024. Class members are receiving notices now and may currently submit claims.

You are eligible to participate in the settlement if you were a registered user who searched for or watched videos on AMC+, Shudder, Acorn TV, ALLBLK, SundanceNow or HIDIVE between Jan. 18, 2021 and Jan. 10, 2024, the claims website says.

The settlement claims website is AMCVPPASettlement.com, according to classaction.org and documents published by Angeion Group, which court documents identify as the settlement administrator.

Eligible claimants can submit their claim here. The claim submission deadline is April 9, 2024. The cash amount claimants will receive depends on how many people file claims.

Angeion Group has examples of what both the mail and email notices look like on its website. These notices should have a notice ID and confirmation code necessary to submit a claim.

The plaintiffs alleged in the class action complaint that AMC knowingly installed third-party tracking technologies on its streaming sites to collect data on the specific videos searched for or watched by its subscribers. AMC shared this information with third-party tracking companies without its subscribers informed, written consent, the complaint alleges.

AMC is required to suspend, remove or modify these tracking technologies and its disclosure of this data, court documents say.

As part of the settlement, AMC does not admit fault or wrongdoing “of any kind.” AMC denies all the claims and allegations raised in the class action.