Consumers May Be Eligible for Share of $167 Million ATM Fee Settlement
A class-action lawsuit settlement involving Visa and Mastercard could provide payouts to individuals who paid access fees at independent ATMs.
Millions of U.S. consumers who paid fees to use independent ATMs could be eligible for a portion of a proposed $167 million settlement involving Visa and Mastercard. The settlement stems from a class-action lawsuit that alleged the payment networks' rules prevented independent ATM operators from charging lower fees when transactions could be routed through competing networks.
The case, Burke v. Visa Inc., claims these restrictions led consumers to pay more for cash withdrawals than they otherwise would have. Visa and Mastercard deny the allegations and have agreed to the settlement without admitting wrongdoing or liability.
The proposed settlement covers qualifying ATM transactions made between October 24, 2007, and August 14, 2026. Consumers who wish to claim a payment must submit their claim by February 10, 2027. The exact amount each eligible consumer will receive is not fixed and will depend on the number of valid claims submitted and the qualifying transactions reported by each claimant.
A court hearing is scheduled for February 17, 2027, to determine if the proposed settlement will receive final approval.
The settlement applies to individuals who paid an access fee when withdrawing cash at an independent ATM in the U.S., provided the fee was not fully reimbursed by their bank. The transaction must have involved an ATM card or PIN debit card. Credit card transactions, cash advances, and transactions involving prepaid cards are excluded.
Independent ATMs are machines not owned by banks or other financial institutions and are commonly found in convenience stores, gas stations, hotels, and bars.
Visa is contributing $88.8 million to the settlement fund, while Mastercard is providing $78.7 million, totaling $167.5 million. The lawsuit asserted that Visa and Mastercard violated federal and state antitrust laws through their rules concerning the fees independent ATM operators could charge, alleging these rules resulted in higher ATM access fees for consumers.
Visa and Mastercard have not admitted liability as part of the proposed agreement. Claimants should not expect a predetermined payout. Claims must be submitted by February 10, 2027, and can be filed online or by mail. Further information, including the claim form, can be found on the official settlement website, or by contacting the settlement administrator at 1-866-893-1052.