American Express $17.5 Million Settlement: Shoppers Could Get Cash
American Express has agreed to a $17.5 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit alleging the company prevented merchants from steering customers toward lower-fee payment cards.
The lawsuit, filed in 2019, alleged that Amex's anti-steering rules prohibited merchants from encouraging customers to pay with Visa, Mastercard, or Discover cards — which typically charge merchants lower fees. According to the complaint, this forced merchants to raise prices across the board, meaning customers who didn't even use Amex ended up paying more.
A jury sided with plaintiffs in August 2025, returning a $12.5 million verdict. Amex and the plaintiffs then agreed to settle the entire case for $17.5 million. American Express has not admitted any wrongdoing.
Who can file a claim
This one is specific. Only people in the Illinois non-rewards credit card class are eligible to receive a cash payment. To qualify, you need to have:
Check if you qualify for this settlement
- Held a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover credit card with no rewards program and no annual fee
- Had an Illinois billing address between January 29, 2016, and June 1, 2022
- Used that card to make at least one in-person purchase at a qualifying merchant in Illinois during that period
Qualifying merchants include Walmart, Sam's Club, Target, CVS, Walgreens, Home Depot, Best Buy, Kroger, Albertsons, and dozens of others. A full list is available on the settlement website.
If you used a Visa or Mastercard debit card in Alabama, DC, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, or Utah during that period, you're part of the settlement class — but you are not eligible for a cash payment. Being part of the class means you're bound by the settlement and can't file a separate lawsuit.
No receipts are required to file, though the settlement administrator may request documentation later to verify eligibility.
How to file
You have until May 19, 2026 to file your claim.
Download ClassyAction to file your claim in minutes and get a reminder before the deadline.
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