FTC refunds: how the government sends you money from companies it sued (and how to check your name)
The Federal Trade Commission returned hundreds of millions of dollars to consumers last year. How FTC refund programs work, how to check whether a company you paid is on the list, what to do if you got a check or a PayPal payment, and why they never ask for a fee.
- When the Federal Trade Commission wins or settles a case against a company for deceptive practices, it often gets money back for customers and sends it out itself, by check, PayPal, or prepaid card.
- You usually don't apply: the FTC uses the company's customer records. Sometimes it opens a claim form for people the records missed.
- Check ftc.gov/refunds for the list of cases and whether one involves a company you paid (subscription boxes, tech support scams, work-from-home schemes, for-profit schools, phone cramming, fake weight-loss products).
- The FTC never charges a fee and never asks for your bank login or Social Security number to send a refund. Anyone who does is a scammer.
- Checks must be cashed within 90 days; PayPal payments must be accepted within 30 days.
How FTC refunds work
- The FTC sues a company (or settles) and the order includes consumer redress: money to be returned.
- The FTC hires a refund administrator, identifies affected customers from the company's records, and mails checks or sends PayPal payments.
- If records are incomplete, the FTC announces a claims process with a deadline and a form on ftc.gov.
- Refunds are typically a share of what you paid, paid pro rata if the fund is smaller than total losses.
Recent programs have returned money to customers of Fortnite/Epic Games (up to hundreds of dollars per account for unwanted charges), Amazon Prime sign-ups, ride-share and gig companies, Benefytt health plans, and dozens of smaller scams.
How to check if you're owed something
- Go to ftc.gov/refunds and open "Refund programs" (recent cases) and "Cases with claim forms open."
- Look for companies you paid. Each case page says who's eligible, how payments are sent, and whether you need to file.
- If a claim form is open, file it before the deadline. You'll need an email or account number the company had for you; sometimes proof of payment.
- Sign up for the FTC's refund email alerts to hear about new programs.
If you received an FTC payment
- Check: real FTC checks come from the case's refund administrator (often "Rust Consulting", "Epiq", "JND", or "Analytics") with the FTC case named on the check and letter. Cash within 90 days; expired checks can be reissued by calling the administrator on the letter.
- PayPal: you'll get an email from PayPal naming the FTC case; accept within 30 days. You don't need a PayPal account beforehand.
- Prepaid card in some cases; activate as instructed.
Search the case name on ftc.gov to confirm it's real before you act.
Related government refund programs
- CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau): its Civil Penalty Fund pays victims of financial companies it sued; payments are automatic to identified consumers. Check consumerfinance.gov/enforcement.
- State attorneys general: restitution from state cases, often through the AG's website with a claim form.
- Court-ordered restitution in criminal fraud cases: the Department of Justice notifies victims.
Spot the scam
Fraudsters imitate FTC refund programs. Real ones: no fee, no request for account passwords, no "processing charge", no calls demanding gift cards. If someone claims you have an FTC refund and wants anything from you first, report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
FAQ
I paid a company that was sued but I didn't get a check
Check the case page on ftc.gov/refunds: some programs only reach customers in a certain date range or above a minimum amount, and some are still being distributed. If a claim form exists, file it; if not, contact the administrator listed.
How much will I get?
It depends on the fund and the number of victims. Some programs refund nearly everything paid; many pay a portion.
Is the refund taxable?
Generally not when it returns money you paid. The IRS treats it as a return of your own money.