Customers may qualify as Bank of America settles $2.25M ATM fee class action lawsuit

ATM fee settlement may pay customers

Some Bank of America customers may receive money from a $2.25 million settlement tied to ATM fees at 7-Eleven stores. It centers on out-of-network balance inquiry fees charged during certain ATM visits.

The settlement does not mean Bank of America admitted wrongdoing. It gives eligible customers a possible payment while avoiding more years of litigation and trial costs.

The lawsuit began in 2019

The class-action lawsuit was filed in 2019 and focused on how some Bank of America customers were charged at out-of-network ATMs. The complaint said customers faced multiple fees during one transaction.

According to court documents, the issue involved balance inquiry fees charged when only one balance inquiry was made during the same visit at an eligible ATM.

The ATMs were inside 7-Eleven

The fees were assessed at ATMs owned by FCTI, Inc., a company that operated machines located inside 7-Eleven convenience stores. These were not Bank of America’s own branch ATMs.

That detail matters because the case focused on out-of-network fees, which can apply when customers use machines outside their bank’s regular ATM network for account services.

Who may qualify for payment

Eligible customers may include Bank of America account holders who were charged more than one out-of-network balance inquiry fee during the same ATM visit. The machine must have been owned by FCTI, Inc.

The ATM also had to be located in a 7-Eleven store, and the fee activity must fall within the settlement’s covered time period.

The covered dates matter

The settlement covers qualifying ATM visits from May 1, 2018, through November 16, 2021. Customers outside that window are not included in this settlement class.

Those dates help determine whether a fee qualifies, so customers who received notice should review their account history and settlement details carefully before important payment deadlines arrive in the case.

One earlier claim can affect eligibility

Customers also must not have made a valid claim and received payment in the Weiss v. FCTI case. That rule prevents duplicate recovery for the same type of fee issue.

For affected customers, this means eligibility depends not only on Bank of America account history, but also on whether they have already received related settlement money before.

Current customers may be included

Current Bank of America account holders who qualify may receive a share of the settlement funds after approved expenses are removed. The exact payment amount is not fixed yet.

Payments will depend on how much money remains and how many current account holders qualify under the class terms approved by the court later on too.

Past customers can file claims

Past Bank of America account holders may also qualify, but they may need to submit a valid claim to receive payment from the settlement fund. Claim rules can differ from those of current customers.

Final amounts will depend partly on how many valid claims are submitted by former accountholders before the settlement process closes for eligible people.

Notices may have arrived already

Settlement class members may have received notice by mail or email. That notice is important because it can explain rights, deadlines, claim options, and how payments may work.

Customers who believe they qualify should read any official notice closely and avoid ignoring court documents, since settlement deadlines can affect whether money is received later on.

Little-known fact: Some Bank of America customers will automatically receive settlement money in their accounts without filing a claim if they are still active customers.

The settlement is not final yet

The settlement has received preliminary approval, which means the court allowed the process to move forward. Final approval still requires another court step before payments can be issued.

A final fairness hearing is scheduled for Friday, August 21, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. PT. If the court grants final approval, payments will be distributed only after final approval and any appeals are resolved.

Why both sides settled

According to the settlement website, both sides agreed to settle to avoid the costs, delays, and uncertainty of continuing the lawsuit through trial. Settlements often resolve claims without admitting fault.

The website said class members may receive relief sooner through settlement than they might have after years of further court proceedings and possible appeals.

Bank of America denies wrongdoing

Bank of America has denied any wrongdoing in the case. The settlement resolves the claims without the bank admitting that it violated the law or improperly charged customers.

That is common in class-action settlements, where companies may agree to pay money while continuing to dispute the allegations made in the lawsuit against the company directly.

Wondering why the Oklahoma school took action? Learn what the allegations involve and how district leaders responded.

Customers should watch deadlines

For customers, the key question is whether their ATM fees match the settlement rules. The account, ATM owner, location, dates, and earlier claims all matter.

If final approval is granted, eligible people may receive payments from the remaining fund. Until then, customers should watch notices, deadlines, and official settlement updates closely as the process continues.

How is Harris County balancing a record budget with a $100 million deficit? See what officials are weighing as spending decisions move forward.

Do you think class action settlements like this help customers recover unfair fees? Let us know in the comments.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

Read More From This Brand:

• Trump administration official signals support for possible gas tax suspension
• California bans sell-by dates to cut food waste
• The lost French village of Hocquart: Vermont’s first European settlement