Warner Music settlement: who gets about $50 or $100
The Warner Music settlement is a $1.25M data breach fund paying about $50, or $100 in California. See who qualifies, the Jan 22, 2027 deadline and how to claim.
The Warner Music settlement is open for claims until January 22, 2027, and pays an estimated $50 per person, or about $100 for California residents. It covers people who paid by card on a Warner Music Group online store between April 25, 2020 and August 5, 2020, during a data breach. No receipts are needed, but you need the Settlement Claim ID from your notice. The $1.25 million fund is split pro rata, so final amounts depend on how many people file.
What the Warner Music settlement is about
The case is In re Warner Music Group Data Breach, No. 1:20-cv-07473, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. People who sued said unauthorized third parties got into payment-card information entered on Warner Music Group online stores during roughly five months in 2020. Warner Music Group denies the allegations.
The settlement is not a finding that the company did anything wrong. Both sides agreed to resolve the claims for a $1,250,000 fund. It is non-reversionary, meaning none of it goes back to the company even if few people claim. The court gave preliminary approval on August 20, 2026. For how these payments generally work, see our data breach settlement guide.
Who qualifies for the Warner Music settlement
You qualify if you live in the U.S. and made a payment-card purchase on an e-commerce website operated by or for a Warner Music Group subsidiary between April 25, 2020 and August 5, 2020. Think artist or label merchandise stores, not streaming or concert tickets. The class is about 122,295 people, including about 20,741 in a California Subclass of members who lived in California during that period.
Notice went out by email or postcard with a Settlement Claim ID. California Subclass members also provide the mailing address they had from April 25 to August 5, 2020. Not sure you were in the class? Our guide to checking if you're part of a class action can help.
How much the Warner Music settlement pays
Payments are a pro rata share of what is left after notice and administration costs, attorneys' fees and expenses, and service awards. Typically class counsel asks for a quarter to a third of a fund like this. Estimates published by aggregators are about $50 for one share and about $100 for California Subclass members, who get two shares. These are estimates and will move up or down with the number of valid claims. No receipts or purchase records are required.
| Group | Shares | Estimated payout | Proof needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class member outside California | One | About $50 | No, just the Claim ID |
| California Subclass member | Two | About $100 | No, plus a California mailing address from the class period |
How to file a Warner Music settlement claim
Filing directly with the administrator, EisnerAmper, is free. Owed Pro is $2 for the first week, then $49 per year — one flat membership. Owed never takes a percentage of any payout. Members open the official form and submit it themselves. If you are unsure what the ID is, read about claim IDs and notice IDs.
- Find the email or postcard notice and your Settlement Claim ID.
- Go to the official site, wmgdatasettlement.pnclassaction.com, and open the claim form, or mail a paper form to the administrator.
- Enter your ID and contact details. California Subclass members add their mailing address from April 25 to August 5, 2020.
- Pick how to be paid: PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or a paper check.
- Submit online or mail it postmarked by January 22, 2027. If you have no ID, contact EisnerAmper at 844-372-1010; whether the form allows a no-ID path was not confirmed.
Key Warner Music settlement dates
The opt-out and objection deadline comes first, about two months before the claim deadline. Opting out keeps your right to sue but means no payment. If unsure, read how to opt out of a class action settlement.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Preliminary approval | August 20, 2026 |
| Opt-out and objection deadline | November 23, 2026 |
| Claim deadline | January 22, 2027 |
| Final approval hearing | January 29, 2027, 10:00 a.m. ET |
| Payments | Not announced; after final approval and any appeals |
Is the Warner Music settlement legit?
Yes. It is a federal court case with a published case number, a hearing date and a named administrator. We could not open the official site with automated tools (it blocked access), so we confirmed the terms with two independent settlement listings, OpenClassActions and ClaimDepot, which agree. Type the official address yourself rather than clicking a link in a text. Real notices never ask for your card number or a fee; see how to spot settlement scams.
What happens after you file
Payments go out only after the judge grants final approval on or after the January 29, 2027 hearing and any appeals end. Digital payments must be verified by email or text, or a check is sent instead. Timelines vary; see how long settlement checks take.
This is general information, not legal advice. Owed is not a law firm or a settlement administrator; the court and administrator decide eligibility and amounts.
Glossary
- Non-reversionary
- A fund where leftover money is paid to class members or others and never returned to the company.
- Pro rata
- A share calculated from the money left divided among all valid claims.
- Subclass
- A smaller group within the class, here California residents who get two shares.
- Claim ID
- The code on your notice that identifies you as a class member.
- Preliminary approval
- The judge's first okay that lets notice go out before the final fairness decision.
FAQ
The fund is $1,250,000. Estimates are about $50 per valid claim and about $100 for California Subclass members, but final amounts depend on how many people file.
The claim deadline is January 22, 2027. The opt-out and objection deadline is November 23, 2026.
U.S. residents who paid by card on a Warner Music Group subsidiary's online store from April 25, 2020 to August 5, 2020.
No receipts are needed. You need the Settlement Claim ID from your notice, and California residents add their mailing address from the class period.
Yes. It is a federal case in the Southern District of New York with a named administrator, EisnerAmper, and a final approval hearing set for January 29, 2027.
Options are PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or a paper check. Payment comes only after final approval.
- Official settlement website (WMG data settlement)
- OpenClassActions: Warner Music Group data breach settlement
- ClaimDepot: WMG data settlement
This article is based on public information as of Nov 1, 2026; features, prices and deadlines change. Owed is not a law firm and nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. Corrections →
Keep reading
Data breach settlements open now: check if you're owedOpen data breach settlements in 2026: who qualifies, what you can claim without receipts, and how to spot fake settlement emails before you file.
How to file a class action claim (step by step)How to file a class action claim step by step: find the official form, enter your claim ID, sign the attestation, pick a payment method and track it to payout.
Open class action settlements: the 2026 list and how to fileThe 2026 list of open class action settlements by category, with deadlines, payout ranges, proof rules and step-by-step filing tips.