How to Find Class Action Lawsuits You Qualify For

December 1, 2025 — There's a good chance you're owed money right now and don't even know it. Class action settlements pay out billions of dollars every year, and most of that money goes unclaimed because people never find out they qualify.

Here's how to actually find class action lawsuits you're eligible for — and get paid.

Why Most People Miss Out

Companies that lose class action lawsuits are required to notify people who might be eligible. But here's the problem: they often do the bare minimum. A tiny notice in a newspaper nobody reads. An email that lands in spam. A postcard that looks like junk mail.

The result? Billions in settlement funds go unclaimed every year. Money that should go to people who were actually harmed ends up back in the pockets of the companies that caused the harm in the first place.

Where to Look for Open Settlements

The easiest way to find settlements you qualify for is to check dedicated class action databases. A few places to start:

• Top Class Actions (topclassactions.com) — The biggest database of open settlements. Updated daily.
• ClassAction.org — Good for finding both open settlements and active investigations you can join.
• Consumer Action (consumer-action.org/lawsuits) — Nonprofit that maintains a searchable database sorted by deadline.
• FTC Refunds (ftc.gov/refunds) — Government settlements often have huge payouts and low claim rates.
• Your state attorney general's website — Many state-level settlements fly under the radar.

What to Look For

When you're scanning settlements, pay attention to:

• Eligibility requirements — Did you buy the product? Use the service? Live in the right state during the right timeframe?
• Claim deadline — Miss it and you get nothing. Some deadlines are only weeks away.
• Proof requirements — Many settlements don't require receipts for small claims. You can often claim based on your word alone.
• Payout estimates — Ranges from a few dollars to hundreds depending on the case.

Check Your Email (Seriously)

If you've ever bought something online, signed up for a service, or had your data breached, there's a decent chance you've received a legitimate settlement notice that you deleted thinking it was spam.

Search your email for terms like:

• "class action"
• "settlement notice"
• "claim form"
• "you may be entitled"

You might find money waiting for you.

The Easiest Way: Let an App Track It For You

Manually checking settlement databases works, but it's tedious. You have to remember to check regularly, track deadlines yourself, and hope you don't miss anything.

ClassyAction does the work for you. The app tracks open settlements, sends you deadline reminders, and helps you discover claims you didn't even know you qualified for. It takes about 30 seconds to file most claims.

What Happens After You File

Once you submit a claim:

1. The settlement administrator verifies your eligibility
2. The court gives final approval to the settlement
3. Payments get calculated based on total valid claims
4. You get paid (usually by check or PayPal)

Timeline varies — some settlements pay out in weeks, others take a year or more. But once you file, you're done. Just wait for the money.

Don't Leave Money on the Table

Right now, there are settlements open for everything from data breaches to defective products to false advertising. Many require zero proof. You just need to know where to look.

Download ClassyAction to find settlements you qualify for and never miss a deadline again.