FTC urges Avast users to claim a cut of $16.5M settlement funds

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urges Americans who purchased Avast antivirus software between August 2014 and January 2020 to claim their part of the $16.5 million settlement.

The FTC has released a statement for 3.7 million people who bought antivirus software from Avast, urging them to file claims by June 5, 2025. FTC has also sent email notices between February and March 2025.

Last year, Avast settled for $16.5 million over alleged privacy failures, including unfairly collecting consumers’ browsing information through browser extensions and antivirus software, storing it indefinitely, and selling it without providing adequate notice and without consumer consent.

According to the FTC, Avast deceived users by claiming that the software would protect consumers’ privacy by blocking third-party tracking and did not adequately inform consumers that their detailed and re-identifiable browsing data would be sold.

“You may apply for a payment if you bought antivirus software from Avast between August 2014 and January 2020,” the FTC explains.

The payment amount will depend on several factors, including how many people file a claim. Dividing the total amount of the settlement by the total number of eligible people suggests that the minimum amount would be around $4.47, however, there are likely administrative costs.

It only takes a few minutes to submit a claim. If you’re an affected user, go to the FTC’s Avast Settlement page at ftc.gov/Avast, click “Apply for a Refund,” and enter the claim number and confirmation code from the received email.

“We expect to mail payments in 2026. We don’t have a mailing date yet for payments. We will update this page when we have more information,” the FTC said.