You could get a cut of Avast’s $16.5 million FTC settlement – how to file a claim

February 25, 2025 TH Author

You may be able to get a cut of Avast's $16.5 million FTC settlement – here's how — ZDNET

Past owners of Avast antivirus software could score some cash courtesy of a hefty financial settlement between the company and the FTC. On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it’s now emailing notices to qualifying customers on how to get their slice of the $16.5 million that Avast has been ordered to pay out.

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The settlement stems from an FTC order issued a year ago that penalized Avast for selling the web browsing data of its users. The company and its subsidiaries were charged with sharing the data with third parties for advertising purposes after promising that its products would protect users from online tracking.

What happened?

In the initial complaint, the FTC alleged that Avast collected the browsing information of customers through its antivirus software and browser extensions and sold it without notice or consent. Avast then sold that data to more than 100 third parties through its Jumpshop subsidiary.

The data in question contained details about the searches and web pages accessed by users, revealing their religious beliefs, health concerns, political leanings, location, financial status, and other sensitive information, the agency charged.

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Avast claimed that it used a special algorithm to remove identifying information before selling the data. But the FTC said the company didn’t adequately anonymize the information. As one example, the data included a unique identifier for all web browsers, indicating each website visited, the precise timestamps, the type of device and browser, and the exact location of the user.

Were you affected?

To qualify for a piece of the $16.5 million settlement, you had to have bought antivirus software from Avast between August 2014 and January 2020. A total of 3,690,813 consumers are included in that mix, according to the FTC.

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People who are eligible will receive the email notice from the agency between now and March 7, 2025.

How to file a claim

To file a claim after you get the email, visit the FTC’s Avast settlement site. Click the button to apply for a refund. You’ll then be prompted to enter the claim number and confirmation code from the notice. The amount of money you receive will depend on different factors, including how many people file a claim.

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Qualifying Avast customers who need help can call the FTC claims administrator at 866-290-0165 or email the agency at info@AvastSettlement.com.