Robocall and Spam Text (TCPA) Settlements Explained
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act sets damages for unwanted robocalls and marketing texts. Here is how TCPA settlements work and how to find out if your number is included.
TCPA settlements resolve class actions under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a 1991 federal law that restricts robocalls, prerecorded messages, autodialed texts and calls to numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. If a company called or texted your phone number in a way the law does not allow, you may be part of a settlement class, and your phone number is usually what determines eligibility.
What the TCPA covers
- ✓Prerecorded or artificial voice calls to cell phones without the required consent, and certain prerecorded calls to landlines.
- ✓Autodialed calls and texts to cell phones without consent. After a 2021 Supreme Court decision, this rule applies to a narrower set of dialing systems than before.
- ✓Do Not Call violations: repeated telemarketing calls or texts to a number listed on the National Do Not Call Registry.
- ✓Ignored opt-outs: continuing to call or text after you asked to stop.
- ✓Unsolicited fax advertisements, which the law also restricts.
The law sets statutory damages of $500 per violation, which a court can increase up to $1,500 for willful or knowing violations. Because damages are counted per call or text, TCPA cases can add up quickly, which is why companies often settle them.
Common sources of TCPA claims
- ✓Debt collectors and lenders calling the wrong number about someone else's account
- ✓Insurance, health plan and solar telemarketing
- ✓Retail and restaurant marketing texts sent without proper consent
- ✓Car dealerships and service reminders that cross into marketing
- ✓Lead generators that bought your number from a website form
Open robocall and text settlements
Teleflora - Unwanted Calls Class Action Settlement
You may be included in this settlement if you received more than one promotional text from Teleflora in a twelve-month period since May 9, 2021.
Indegene $4.7M TCPA Class Action Settlement
The Money Source Inc. $1.5M TCPA Class Action Settlement
$889K Toyota TCPA Spam Text Messages Class Action Settlement
Updated daily from the SettleScout catalogue. See every open settlement.
Who qualifies
TCPA classes are usually built from the defendant's own call or text records. A class definition might cover everyone who received a prerecorded call from a company on their cell phone during a set period, or everyone on the Do Not Call Registry who got more than one marketing text in a year. The administrator often uses the phone number to identify you.
That means you may get a notice by text or mail, and the claim form may ask for the phone number that received the calls. Some settlements also ask you to confirm that you were the subscriber or regular user of that number.
Since TCPA notices sometimes arrive by text, scammers copy them. Never pay a fee or give bank details to claim a settlement. Check the website against the official notice before you enter anything.
Our guide to settlement text scams shows the warning signs to look for.
How much TCPA settlements pay
Despite the $500 statutory figure, settlement payments are usually far less per call, because the fund is shared among everyone in the class. Some settlements pay per call or text received, so people who got more calls receive more. Others pay an equal share per claimant. The plan of allocation in the notice explains the method, and payouts depend on the number of valid claims.
How to file
- 1Check whether you got a notice with a claim ID, which usually means your number is on the class list.
- 2If not, read the class definition and confirm the company, dates and type of contact match your experience.
- 3File on the official settlement website with the phone number that received the calls or texts.
- 4Keep your confirmation and watch for payment by your chosen method.
If you are getting unwanted calls now
Add your number to the National Do Not Call Registry, reply STOP to marketing texts from real companies, and keep screenshots or a call log. You can also report violations to the FTC and FCC. Those records can help if a lawsuit is filed later, and if you want to go further, a TCPA lawyer can tell you whether you have an individual claim. Also see settlements for phone and internet customers.
Consent is usually the key question
Most TCPA cases turn on whether the company had the right kind of consent. Marketing calls with prerecorded voices or autodialed texts generally need prior express written consent, while some informational calls need less. Companies often point to website forms or terms of service. That dispute is a big reason these cases settle instead of going to trial.
You often cannot tell from a spam call which company was behind it. SettleScout tracks open TCPA settlements alongside other open settlements, so you can check the names and get a reminder before each deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I really get $500 per robocall?
Usually not in a class settlement. The $500 figure is the statutory damage amount a court can award, but settlement funds are divided among all class members, so individual payments are typically much smaller.
Can I claim if the call was not meant for me?
Often yes. Many TCPA settlements cover wrong-number calls, such as debt collection calls meant for a previous owner of your number. The class definition explains whether wrong-number recipients are included.
Do I need records of the calls?
Usually not. Class members are often identified through the company's own call records, and you confirm your phone number on the claim form. Keeping screenshots or call logs is still useful if a claim is questioned.
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