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How-To 6 min read · June 14, 2026 · By eosguide team

There's free settlement money you're owed. The hard part is finding it.

Open class action settlements are public and free to claim. But nobody calls to tell you about money you're owed, and the system runs fine whether you notice or not. Here's where to actually look.

TL;DR

Real settlements are always free to file and you never pay to claim. Start with three trusted sources: the eosguide settlements hub, the FTC refunds database, and any notice you got in the mail or by email. You only qualify if you bought the product, used the service, or were affected during the case's specific dates. Before filing, confirm the case is real: search the company name plus "class action settlement" and make sure the claim form lives on the official administrator's site. Never pay a fee to file, and verify you're on the official site before entering sensitive information.

~9%

median claim rate (FTC study)

$0

cost to file a real claim

~5 min

to fill out a typical claim form

Where do I actually find open settlements?

There is no single master list, which is most of the problem. Open settlements are spread across court records, mailed notices, and a handful of trackers that keep up with them. The good news is that a few trusted sources cover almost everything, and all of them are free to browse.

Start with the sources below. Commercial trackers exist too, but they often route you into law-firm sign-ups, so we link straight to the official source instead.

Where to look first

🔎
eosguide — start here Browse the settlements hub for active claims. Each entry links straight to the official filing site, so you skip the hardest part: figuring out whether a page is the real one. Check back every few weeks, since new settlements open all year and each has a deadline.
🏛️
ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds The FTC's official refunds page lists cases where the government is paying people back directly. Government source, no sign-up.
✉️
Notices you already got That postcard or email you almost deleted is often a real notice. It usually has a claim ID and the official site address.
One thing to avoid: Skip any site that makes you create an account or sign up for an unrelated offer before it will show you the list. Free settlements you have to unlock with a separate sign-up are a different product than the one advertised.

How do I know which settlements I qualify for?

This is where most people go wrong. You cannot just file for every open settlement. A class action covers a specific group of people, defined by the court. To qualify, you usually have to have bought the product, used the service, or been affected during the exact dates named in the case.

"No proof of purchase" trips people up here. It means you do not need a receipt to file. It does not mean you did not need to buy the thing. The eligibility window still applies. We broke this down in our no proof of purchase explainer.

So before you file, read the eligibility section on the official settlement page and check three things: the product or service, the dates, and whether your state is included. If all three match you, you likely qualify.

How do I tell a real settlement from a scam?

Scammers copy real settlement notices because they know you are already excited about a payout or worried about a deadline. The tell is usually the ask. A real settlement is trying to give you money and needs little to do it. Anything demanding a fee to release your payout wants something else.

Red flags it's fake

💳
Asks for an upfront fee Real administrators take their costs from the settlement fund, never from you. Any "processing fee" to release your money is a scam.
🆔
Asks for your full Social Security number up front Most real claims only need the last four digits to verify you. Some legitimate settlements do collect a full SSN for tax forms on larger payouts, so this is not always a scam. But it is a reason to stop and confirm you are on the official administrator's site before you enter it.
🔗
Only a link, no case details Real notices name the case, the court, and the administrator. A bare link with no verifiable case info is suspect.
⏰
Pressures you to act this minute Real deadlines are weeks or months out. Fake urgency is meant to stop you from checking whether it's real.
How to verify: Don't click the link in the notice. Search the company name plus "class action settlement," confirm the case appears on a trusted tracker or in news coverage, and make sure the claim form is hosted on the official administrator's site.

What to do once you find one you qualify for

✅
Verify the case is real first Search independently and confirm the claim form lives on the official court-approved administrator's site.
📝
File on the official site Most forms take under five minutes. Pick the cash option if one is offered and you have no documentation.
💾
Save your confirmation Screenshot or save the claim number. You'll want it if a check shows up months later and you've forgotten you filed.
📅
Track the payout date Payouts can land 3 to 12 months later. Our tracking guide shows a simple system so you don't lose the thread.

Is it even worth the effort?

Fewer than 1 in 10 people who get a settlement notice actually file. In a large FTC study, the median claim rate was about 9%, and for email notices it dropped to 3%. The rest of that money goes unclaimed. Filing takes a few minutes, costs nothing, and the money is already set aside for people like you.

You will not qualify for most settlements you read about, and that is fine. The goal is not to file for everything. It is to catch the few each year that fit you, file them quickly, and move on. Check a tracker once a month, verify before you click, and you will catch far more than most people ever do.

Sources: Federal Trade Commission refunds program (ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds) and the FTC's 2019 study of consumer class action notices and claim rates; Better Business Bureau and AARP guidance on verifying settlement notices (2025–2026). eosguide is an information clearinghouse — always verify current details on the official site.

Browse other active settlements

Every link on eosguide goes directly to the official source.

Browse Settlements →
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