Claim audit
A claim audit is a check by the administrator that claims are real and eligible, which may include asking you for documents after you file.
Also called: claims audit, claim verification, claim review
A claim audit is a check by the administrator that claims are real and eligible, which may include asking you for documents after you file.
What it means
A claim audit is a review of submitted claims to confirm they are valid and that the people filing them are eligible. The settlement administrator does it, and the settlement agreement usually describes how. It can be routine, like matching your claim to the class list, or targeted, like asking you for proof after you filed.
Audits look for problems such as repeat claims, invented details, filers outside the class, and documents that do not match the claim. Settlements that do not require receipts rely on them more, since your signed statement is the main proof. The administrator can ask for records and may deny the claim if you do not provide them.
Courts want a balance. The notes to the federal class action rule say a claims process should deter or defeat unjustified claims, but a judge should watch for one that is unduly demanding. A Federal Judicial Center checklist also asks whether the claims process, the claim form and the administrator together guard against waste, fraud and abuse.
What it means for you
Most honest claims clear review without anything extra from you. If you get a request for documents, answer by the date and send what it lists. Reply through the official settlement website or phone number, not through a link in a message you cannot verify. Keep records of your claim for a while after you file, even in a no-proof settlement, in case you are asked later. If you cannot find a document, explain and offer another, such as a card statement.
Example
Say a no-receipt settlement receives thousands of claims with sequential email addresses and the same mailing address. The administrator flags them and asks each filer for a receipt before paying. A claimant who filed with their real name, home address and account email is not flagged and is paid on schedule.
FAQ
Administrators can verify claims, including no-proof claims. A request does not mean you did something wrong. Confirm it came through the official settlement website, answer by the date given and send the records it lists.
Yes. A claim can be denied if it is incomplete, does not fit the class definition, duplicates another claim or goes unanswered. In a 2019 FTC staff study, administrators approved about 86 percent of the claims filed and denied others.
Related terms
- Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23 and committee notes (Cornell LII)
- Federal Judicial Center, Judges' Class Action Notice and Claims Process Checklist and Plain Language Guide (2010)
- FTC staff report, Consumers and Class Actions: A Retrospective and Analysis of Settlement Campaigns (September 2019)
Updated Oct 18, 2026. Plain-English definitions for general information — not legal or tax advice.