I got a text saying I'm owed money from a class action lawsuit settlement — is it real?

Real settlement notices exist, but a text or email urging you to click a link and enter your bank details to “claim” your share is the scam riding along on genuine news. Legitimate settlement administrators contact claimants by mail or through a court-approved settlement website — never by unsolicited text with a payout link, and never asking for a bank login to “process” a payment. Search the case name plus “settlement” yourself, and file a claim only through the official site you find that way.

Educational verdict from documented scam patterns — not a live report. For a 0–100 risk score on the exact link in your hand, run the checker.

From the research desk — this pattern is one of those documented in This Week's Scam Wave, in Numbers — August 9, 2026 →