BUFFALO, N.Y. — Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been staying home and working through video chat services, including Zoom.
A viewer named Margo from Amherst emailed 2 On Your Side asking about an email she received saying Zoom reached a settlement over a class-action lawsuit and that she could receive a cash payment.
She was suspicious and asked if the email was a scam attempt.
THE QUESTION:
Did Zoom reach a settlement agreement over a class-action lawsuit that will result in customers being paid cash?
OUR SOURCES:
THE ANSWER:
Yes, if you downloaded or used Zoom before July 31, you may be eligible for payments. According to the settlement website, depending on how many people submit claims, payment amounts may decrease.
WHAT WE FOUND:
According to court documents, a class action lawsuit against Zoom was filed last year in District Court for the Northern District of California in San Jose.
The lawsuit alleges privacy and security issues from downloading Zoom's application. According to a court document, Zoom reached a settlement and agreed to pay $85 million despite denying the allegations and any liability.
"Usually, in these types of cases there will be a statute federal or state that sets forth how much you can get and so on," Attorney Gary Mauney said.
According to the settlement agreement, if you paid for a Zoom meeting app subscription between March 30, 2016, and July 30, 2021, you can file a claim for $25 or 15% of what you paid for the subscription.
The settlement also allows people who registered, used, opened, or downloaded the Zoom meeting app between March 30, 2016, and July 30, 2021, to file a claim for $15. Mauney said these types of lawsuits are becoming more common against bigger companies.
"It allows people to combine their efforts in a sense so they can afford a lawyer and have the company stop the conduct and then compensate people for their injury," Mauney said.
Claims must be submitted by March 5, 2022. Click here to submit a claim.