Almost 3.7 million people are now eligible to collect some cash from Avast, a popular antivirus software company that stole and sold customer data for years. Here’s what you need to know if you bought any Avast products in the last decade.
Avast Customers Are Now Able to Claim Refunds
If you’ve ever bought antivirus software from Avast, such as its malware security applications or browser extensions, you may well be eligible for some compensation to make up for the company’s wrongdoing. Starting on February 24, 2025, anyone who bought software from Avast between August 2014 and January 2020 can apply for a refund. This payment will come from a $16.5 million settlement ordered by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The lawsuit came after the FTC discovered Avast had been collecting user data without consent, from religious beliefs and political leanings to location and financial information.
Not only did Avast collect this data unlawfully, but the company also sold it to over a hundred companies through a subsidiary called Jumpshot. On Avast’s website, the company labels its actions as “misrepresentation” rather than intentional stealing:
“The U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the United States’ consumer protection agency, alleges that from August 2014 to January 2020, Avast, misrepresented how it would share browsing information collected from some of its products, specifically how it would share information in a deidentified form with its subsidiary Jumpshot.”
The whole thing is pretty ironic coming from a brand that has “Browse With Privacy” as the tagline for its browser extension. Luckily, there are other ways to keep your data safe from advertising poachers, such as privacy-focused search engines.
Avast claims to have shut down Jumpshot in 2020, promising to delete all Jumpshot data. If it makes you feel any better, Avast has also “reached out” to the companies that bought said data from Jumpshot, asking “that they do the same.”
How to Check Your Avast Refund Eligibility and File a Claim
According to the FTC’s notice, the millions of customers who bought software from Avast during the establishd timeframe will receive an email with a Claim Number.
Once you’ve received an email from the FTC:
- Go to www.avastsettlement.com/file-a-claim.
- Enter your Claim Number to apply for a payment online.
You have until June 5, 2025 to file your claim, and payments are expected sometime in 2026.
If you have not received an email from the FTC, but you know you bought an Avast product between August 2014 and January 2020, you can reach out to the FTC’s refund administrator to ask for support.
The FTC reports that the actual amount of the payment will “depend on several factors, including how many people file a claim.” This means that it may not actually equal the amount you paid for the software back in the 2010s—though it could possibly exceed that.
While settlements aren’t always worth your while, particularly when they apply to a very specific timeframe or only amount to pennies on the dollar, this is a case where an application feels productive. First, at $16.5 million in the settlement pot, there’s a good chance of landing a significant chunk of change. Second, it feels important to stand up to companies operating under the guise of protecting you, while they secretly violate your privacy to sell ads.
