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AMEX Antitrust Settlement

Last verified July 13, 2026Source: claimdepotHow ClaimWatch verifies cases

This settlement is closed to new claims — the deadline was May 19, 2026. You can still see what it was about and follow the case in court below. Looking for money you can still claim? Browse open settlements →

What happened

American Express had rules in its merchant agreements that prohibited merchants from encouraging customers to pay with a different card that charged lower fees. Plaintiffs alleged these anti-steering rules caused merchants to raise prices to cover Amex fees, resulting in all customers—including those not using Amex cards—paying more. American Express denies wrongdoing.

Do you qualify?

You qualify if you held a Visa or Mastercard debit card, or a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover non-rewards credit card without annual fees, and used it to make purchases from qualifying merchants in specific states (Alabama, DC, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, or Utah) during the class period. For Illinois non-rewards credit card holders, purchases must have been made from January 29, 2016 to June 1, 2022.

What you can claim

Read from the official settlement notice. Confirm the terms that apply to you on the administrator's site before filing.

  • Settlement payment

    Class members in the Illinois non-rewards credit card class may receive payment from the settlement by submitting a valid claim form.

Who is in the class

Generally, you are included in one of the debit card classes if you are a person who is a Visa or Mastercard debit card holder, and you, or an authorized user, used this debit card to purchase a good or service from a Qualifying Merchant (see Question 7) in Alabama, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, or Utah. Your account address and the purchase made had to be in the same state and in Alabama, the District of Columbia, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, or Utah from January 29, 2015, to June 1, 2022, or in Kansas, Illinois, or Mississippi from January 29, 2016, to June 1, 2022. Generally, you are included in one of the non-rewards credit card classes if you are a person who is a card holder, you have a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover general purpose credit or charge card account that does not offer credit card rewards or charge an annual fee, and you, or an authorized user, used this card to purchase a good or service from a Qualifying Merchant in the District of Columbia, Kansas, or Illinois. Your billing address and the purchase made had to be in the same state and in District of Columbia from January 29, 2015, to June 1, 2022, or in Kansas or Illinois from January 29, 2016, to June 1, 2022.

Quoted from the settlement notice.

How to file

If you are in the Illinois non-rewards credit card class, complete and submit a valid Claim Form online or by mail postmarked no later than May 19, 2026. The claim form link is available on the settlement website.

Common questions

How much does the AMEX Antitrust Settlement pay?
The total settlement fund is $17.5M. Actual amounts depend on how many valid claims are filed — most settlements divide a fixed fund pro rata, so a higher claim rate means a smaller individual check. An "up to" figure is a cap, not a guarantee.
What is the claim deadline for the AMEX Antitrust Settlement?
This settlement is closed to new claims — the deadline was May 19, 2026. Once a claim deadline passes you generally forfeit your share, even if you qualified.
Is the AMEX Antitrust Settlement notice real, or a scam?
Claims are filed at amexantitrust.com. Filing a class action claim is always free — no legitimate settlement charges you to claim, and no administrator will ask for payment, a gift card, or your full Social Security number by email or text. If a notice asks for any of those, it is not from the administrator. When in doubt, ignore the link you were sent and go to the official settlement website directly.
When will payments from the AMEX Antitrust Settlement be sent?
Class action payouts typically take 12 to 24 months after the claim deadline, and longer if the settlement is appealed. The final approval hearing for this case is set for July 7, 2026; no payments can be issued before a settlement receives final approval.

Who's involved

Plaintiffs

  • Sarah Grant
  • Emily Counts
  • Angela Clark
  • Debbie Tingle
  • Ellen Maher
  • Allie Stewart
  • Sherie McCaffrey
  • Marilyn Baker

+ 17 more

Defendants

  • American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
  • American Express Company

Counsel for plaintiffs

Parties and counsel from the public court docket. Listing an attorney here isn't an endorsement, and ClaimWatch isn't affiliated with any of them.

New to class actions?

This summary was generated from public settlement documents and may contain errors. Confirm eligibility, deadlines, and payment terms on the official settlement website before filing. ClaimWatch is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. Filing a claim is free.

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