American Express Antitrust Settlement $17.5M Eligibility & Claim Deadline
American Express has agreed to a $17.5 million class action settlement resolving allegations that it violated antitrust laws by preventing merchants from encouraging customers to use other, lower-fee forms of payment. The claim deadline is May 19, 2026, and only Illinois residents who used a non-rewards, no-annual-fee Visa, Mastercard, or Discover credit card at qualifying retailers between January 29, 2016, and June 1, 2022, are eligible to receive a cash payment. Class members in other states are bound by the settlement but will not receive compensation.
Quick Facts
- Lawsuit type: Class action — antitrust / consumer protection
- Defendant: American Express Company and American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
- Current status: Settlement proposed; fairness hearing scheduled for June 17, 2026
- Who may be affected: Illinois residents who used a non-rewards, no-annual-fee Visa, Mastercard, or Discover credit card at qualifying retailers between January 29, 2016, and June 1, 2022
- Settlement amount: $17,500,000
- Claim deadline: May 19, 2026
- Official website: AmexAntitrust.com
- Settlement administrator: A.B. Data, Ltd.
Settlement Details and How to File
The official settlement website is AmexAntitrust.com. Class members can file a claim online or by mail. To file, consumers need to provide their name, address, and Illinois billing address for their qualifying non-rewards credit card. No receipts or proof of purchase are required, though the settlement administrator may request documentation later to verify eligibility.
If filing by mail, send your completed claim form to: Amex Antitrust, c/o A.B. Data, Ltd., P.O. Box 173092, Milwaukee, WI 53217. Mailed claims must be postmarked by May 19, 2026.
The fairness hearing is scheduled for June 17, 2026, when the court will decide whether the settlement is fair to all class members. Attorney fees and administration costs will also be addressed at that hearing. Payments to approved claimants will be issued after the court grants final approval and the administrator completes claim processing.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The lawsuit alleged that American Express unlawfully subjected merchants to contract provisions that prohibited them from encouraging consumers to use a payment method that would not incur an Amex processing fee, in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. These provisions are commonly called “anti-steering rules.”
These rules prevented merchants from offering discounts, expressing preferences, or otherwise encouraging customers to use a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card instead of Amex. Because merchants couldn’t nudge customers toward lower-fee options, the plaintiffs argued that stores raised prices across the board to offset the higher Amex fees. As a result, consumers who did not use Amex cards ended up paying more than they would have without these rules. American Express has not admitted any wrongdoing as part of this settlement.
Current Case Status
American Express reached the $17.5 million settlement approximately five months after a mixed jury verdict. Plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval on January 23, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The case, Moskowitz v. American Express Co., No. 19-CV-566, has been before Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis.
The trial concluded on August 28, 2025. The jury found that American Express violated the laws of Illinois, but not those of any other states named in the certified classes. Similarly, the jury determined that only the Illinois non-rewards credit card class had been damaged, and not the debit card class. The $17.5 million settlement supersedes the jury’s award and resolves all remaining claims.
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Who Can File a Claim — and Who Cannot
The eligibility rules for this settlement are specific, and most people who are technically “class members” will not receive any cash payment.
Only members of the Illinois non-rewards credit card class are eligible to receive money. To qualify, a consumer must have used a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover card with no rewards program and no annual fee to make purchases from qualifying merchants in Illinois between January 29, 2016, and June 1, 2022. All other class members are bound by the settlement but receive no money.
Qualifying merchants include major retailers. Class members must have made at least one in-person purchase at a qualifying retailer in Illinois during the class period and must not have held an American Express card at any time during that period. Qualifying merchants include Walmart and Sam’s Club, Target, CVS, Walgreens, Home Depot, Best Buy, Kroger, and Albertsons, among others listed in the official settlement notice.
Current or former Amex cardholders and authorized users are excluded from both the debit card class and the non-rewards credit card class. The settlement also does not cover purchases of prescription drugs or other medical services from a pharmacy where the purchaser paid only a flat copay under an insurance plan.
Debit card holders in Alabama, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, and Utah are class members but are not eligible to receive a cash payment from this settlement.
Background: Anti-Steering Rules and Antitrust Law
The legal theory in this case has a long history. The U.S. Supreme Court addressed a related question in Ohio v. American Express Co. (2018), ruling in Amex’s favor. This class action pursued a different set of claims — under state consumer protection and antitrust laws in specific jurisdictions — rather than federal antitrust law alone.
Consumer antitrust cases involving payment card networks have produced varied outcomes in courts around the country. A separate, high-profile case involving Visa and Mastercard interchange fees resulted in a proposed settlement exceeding $30 billion, though that settlement faced legal challenges. The American Express case is narrower in scope, focusing on the “anti-steering” conduct that affected non-Amex cardholders who shopped at specific merchants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a class action lawsuit?
Yes. Moskowitz v. American Express Co. is a certified class action filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The court certified multiple classes, though only one class — the Illinois non-rewards credit card class — is eligible to receive a cash payment.
Has a settlement been approved?
Preliminary approval has been sought but not yet granted. A fairness hearing is scheduled for June 17, 2026. The court will make a final approval decision at that hearing. Until then, the settlement remains proposed, not final.
Who may be eligible to receive a payment?
Illinois residents who used a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover credit card with no rewards and no annual fee at a qualifying merchant in Illinois between January 29, 2016, and June 1, 2022 — and who never held an American Express card during that period — may be eligible.
Is there a claim form, and where do I file it?
Yes. A claim form is available at AmexAntitrust.com. You can also request a paper form by mailing A.B. Data, Ltd. at P.O. Box 173092, Milwaukee, WI 53217. No receipts are required. The deadline to file is May 19, 2026.
Where is the official settlement website?
The court-approved settlement website is AmexAntitrust.com. That is the only official source for claim forms, eligibility details, and settlement notices. The settlement administrator is A.B. Data, Ltd., reachable at 877-315-0587 .
What happens next? The fairness hearing is set for June 17, 2026. If the court approves the settlement, A.B. Data, Ltd. will process all submitted claims and issue payments to eligible claimants. Exact payment amounts have not been disclosed and will depend on the total number of valid claims filed.
Last Updated: February 28, 2026
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.
About the Author
Sarah Klein, JD, is a licensed attorney and legal content strategist with over 12 years of experience across civil, criminal, family, and regulatory law. At All About Lawyer, she covers a wide range of legal topics — from high-profile lawsuits and courtroom stories to state traffic laws and everyday legal questions — all with a focus on accuracy, clarity, and public understanding.
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