Trader Joe's Is Paying Out $7.4 Million to Shoppers: Here's How To Claim Your Share Before the Deadline

Trader Joe's has agreed to pay out £5.87 million ($7.4 million) to customers whose card details were improperly printed on receipts in 2019, and the window to file a claim closes on 9 June 2026.

The settlement resolves a federal class action lawsuit alleging that Trader Joe's violated the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) by printing too many digits of customers' payment card numbers on till receipts at certain store locations.

Eligible shoppers who used a credit or debit card at a qualifying Trader Joe's store between 5 March 2019 and 19 July 2019 may receive an estimated £81 ($102.45) in cash, depending on how many valid claims are submitted. The official settlement website has full details, claim forms and case documents.

What the Lawsuit Alleged

The case, formally known as Keim v. Trader Joe's Company, was filed in 2020 by plaintiff Brian Keim. He alleged that Trader Joe's payment processing software caused printed receipts at some of its US stores to display the first six and last four digits of a customer's debit or credit card number, ten digits in total. Under FACTA, merchants are prohibited from printing more than the last five digits of a card number on any receipt provided to consumers. Printing ten digits, the lawsuit argued, gave bad actors enough information to reconstruct card numbers and exposed customers to potential identity theft.

Trader Joe's has denied all allegations and, per the settlement website, 'vigorously denies any and all liability or wrongdoing whatsoever.' The company has also noted that not all of its stores were affected, only those where the payment software produced the non-compliant format, and that even within those stores, the problem applied to a small minority of transactions.

Crucially, the settlement website confirms that more than five years after the lawsuit was filed, no customer has reported identity theft to Trader Joe's as a result of the conduct alleged. Under FACTA, proof of actual identity theft is not required to bring a valid claim.

Trader Joe's insurer, rather than the company directly, agreed to fund the £5.87 million ($7.4 million) settlement, concluding that 'further litigation would be protracted and expensive' given the uncertainty of the case. No court ruling has been made on the merits of the claims or Trader Joe's defences.

Who Is Eligible and What the Payout Looks Like

Class membership covers anyone whose credit or debit card was used in a transaction at a Trader Joe's store during the qualifying window, 5 March 2019 to 19 July 2019, where the payment processing software produced a receipt showing the first six and last four digits of the card number. Because the issue was confined to specific store locations and specific transactions within those stores, not every Trader Joe's shopper during that period will qualify.

The settlement fund will be distributed on a pro rata basis, meaning each valid claimant receives an equal share of whatever remains after attorneys' fees, administrative costs, and other expenses are deducted. Class counsel have signalled they will petition the court for attorneys' fees of £1.96 million ($2,466,666.67) plus reasonable expenses, and an incentive payment of £7,940 ($10,000) to plaintiff Brian Keim.

Based on projected claim volumes, the settlement website estimates each approved claimant will receive approximately £81 ($102.45). If the available funds allow for a second distribution after the first round of payments, that will occur; if not, any residual funds will be donated to the Identity Theft Resource Center.

How to File Before the 9 June 2026 Deadline

The claim deadline is 9 June 2026, the same date by which class members must also submit any objections to the settlement or formally opt out. Claims can be filed in three ways: online through tj-factasettlement.com, by phone on 1-888-444-7415, or by post to Keim v. Trader Joe's Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 301134, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1134. Claimants with a Class ID number, which may have been sent via notice, should use that number when filing. The settlement administrator may request additional information to verify claims.

Shoppers who do nothing by 9 June forfeit any payment and automatically give up the right to pursue future legal claims against Trader Joe's over this matter. The only way to preserve that right is to formally opt out, also by the same deadline. Filing a claim and opting out are mutually exclusive, submitting a claim means accepting the settlement terms and releasing future claims.

The settlement still requires final court approval. A fairness hearing is scheduled for 10 August 2026, and payments will only be issued after approval and after any appeals are resolved. Shoppers who file before 9 June should be prepared to wait several months for any payout to arrive.

For anyone who bought groceries at Trader Joe's with a card in early 2019, spending five minutes on a claim form before midnight on 9 June could put roughly £81 ($102) back in their pocket.