Gamers Have Till February 29 To Claim Their Fortnite Refund From $245 Million Settlement – Forbes Advisor – Technologist

The deadline for eligible Fortnite gamers to claim their slice of a $245 million class-action settlement fund from game creator Epic Games has been pushed back from January 17, 2024, to February 29, 2024.

In 2022, regulators at the Federal Trade Commission had charged Epic with using design techniques to trick millions of users to make unwanted in-game purchases, thereby violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The FTC also alleged that Epic had locked the accounts of customers who disputed such charges with their credit card companies.

The FTC finalized its order against the company in March 2023. Terms of the settlement included the $245 million reimbursement to consumers and a record $275 million COPPA penalty payable to the U.S. Treasury. Epic must also beef up its default privacy settings for minors.

Who Qualifies for a Refund?

If you were a Fortnite player (or a parent funding the gameplay) who experienced any of these situations, you’re eligible to apply for a refund.

• You were charged in-game currency for unwanted in-game items between January 2017 and September 2022.
• Your child made unauthorized credit card charges between January 2017 and November 2018.
• Your account was locked between January 2017 and September 2022 after you disputed wrongful charges with your credit card company.

There are 400 million Fortnite players worldwide, according to FTC data, but only players in the U.S. can file claims.

In September and October, the FTC emailed 37 million people to say they may be eligible for compensation. Emails included individual claim ID numbers.

How Can I Apply for a Refund?

If you’re eligible, you have to apply for a refund online at the FTC v. Epic Games refund site.

You’ll need either:

• The claim number you received in your email from the FTC, or
• Your Epic account ID

If you haven’t received an email with a claim number, you can visit the Epic Games website to locate your account ID.

To complete the claim form, you must be at least 18 years old. If you’re under 18, a parent or guardian will have to fill out the claim form on your behalf.

When Is the Deadline To Apply?

Customers must file their claim by February 29, 2024.

How Much Will I Get?

Nobody knows yet. The FTC has not calculated how much each eligible claimant will receive.

Each person’s payout depends in part on how many people file claims. The FTC has identified and notified 37 million people who may be eligible to do so. However, since customers who didn’t get emails can apply for compensation using their Epic account ID, the number of claimants may turn out to be even larger.

How Will I Get Paid?

You can choose to get your refund by check or via PayPal.