It’s not everyday you find free money, so when a class action lawsuit comes around that you’re eligible for, sign up every time.
This time, Trader Joe’s owes money to some people who shopped there way back in 2019. Does that sound like you? Then you might be able to claim your piece of the $7.4 million settlement the company just agreed to. Here’s everything you need to know about the Trader Joe’s settlement.
What’s the Trader Joe’s Class Action Lawsuit About?
Back in 2019, a shopper noticed that their Trader Joe’s receipt included the first six and last four digits of their credit card number. Normally, only the last four digits are printed, and 10 digits is a violation of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, according to the Keim v. Trader Joe’s Company settlement website. The more digits printed on the receipt, the easier someone can commit fraud.
Trader Joe’s says that the problem only occurred on a small amount of transactions in some stores, and “denies any and all liability or wrongdoing whatsoever,” according to the settlement website. But since litigating the allegations would be extremely costly, the company decided to settle the matter — a.k.a., pay up to everyone that was affected by the problem.
Who’s Eligible to Receive Money?
Trader Joe’s agreed to pay $7.4 million to customers in the settlement, and after payouts like attorney’s fees, it will be split among everyone who submits a valid claim.
In order to be eligible for your portion of the money, you must have received a receipt from Trader Joe’s showing 10 digits of your credit or debit card between March 5, 2019 and July 19, 2019. Now we’re not sure about you, but we don’t keep grocery store receipts for any length of time, let alone seven years. But that’s OK, because Trader Joe’s is sending emails and postcards to the people affected based on their own records.
Attorneys estimate that people who submit valid claims will receive $102.45. That’s not too shabby. But in our experience with class action lawsuits, the amount people get is usually lower than the estimate.
How Do I Submit a Claim?
You can file a claim on the Keim v. Trader Joe’s settlement website. If you receive a postcard or email from Trader Joe’s with a claim ID and PIN, you can enter that information with your claim.
If you did not receive anything from Trader Joe’s but believe you are eligible, you can download a claim form, fill it out, and mail it in. Unfortunately, there’s no way to file a claim online without a claim ID and PIN. The company is probably hoping that will discourage people who are not eligible from filing claims. You have until June 9, 2026 to file a claim.
More From Cheapism
- Trader Joe’s Opening New Locations in 12 States — No other grocery store has a cult following quite like Trader Joe’s. That’s why Trader Joe’s is one of the grocery chains expanding right now — and they’ve just announced new stores in a dozen states.
- 9 New Trader Joe’s Items You Can Find On Shelves This Week — Trader Joe’s is already adding new items to its shelves, from seasonal drops to potential cult favorites that could disappear just as quickly as they show up.
- ‘Filled With Hipsters’: Why Some Shoppers Think Trader Joe’s Is Overrated — Online, some critics argue that Trader Joe’s is more overrated than exceptional — and here are the reasons they say why.
