Facebook's $725 Million Privacy Settlement: Second Round of Payments Begins This Week

Millions of Facebook users are about to get a second check from the $725 million privacy settlement, and most of them won't have to lift a finger.

A quick refresher on how we got here: a lawsuit claimed Facebook handed users' private information to thousands of third parties without permission — including Cambridge Analytica, the firm that scooped up data from up to 87 million users and used it for political campaigns. Meta, Facebook's parent company, denied any wrongdoing but agreed to pay $725 million to settle. It's the largest privacy-related class action payout in history.

The case was approved back in 2023, but legal appeals dragged it out until May 2025. The first round of checks finally went out last September, averaging about $30 each. Now the settlement administrator is sending a second, smaller payment — roughly $5 to $7 — starting June 9 and rolling out over about four weeks.

Here's the catch: you can't file for this one anymore. To qualify, you had to submit a claim form back in 2023 and cash your first check. If you did both, you're set — a second payment is on its way and there's nothing you need to do. You'll get an email a few days before it lands.

If you're hearing about this for the first time and thinking "wait, where's my check?" — you're not alone. An estimated 250 million Facebook users were eligible, but only about 19 million actually filed. The rest left money on the table because they didn't know in time.

One more thing: scammers love a settlement headline. The real administrator will never text you, never ask for your Social Security number, and never ask for a photo ID or an "administrative fee." If anyone reaches out asking for that, it's a scam.

Missing this one stings, but there's always another. Download ClassyAction to stay updated on class action settlements you may qualify for — and get a reminder before the deadline, so you're never the person finding out after the window closes.