Deadline set for Canadians to claim money from $1.25M Apple settlement
There are only a few months left for Canadians to claim money in a settlement from an alleged Apple gift card scam.
Apple has agreed to pay $1.25 million to settle allegations that the company could have done more to prevent gift card fraud in Canada. The lawsuit was filed in Ontario against Apple Inc., Apple Value Services LLC, and Apple Canada Inc. on behalf of Canadians who were victims of a gift card scam and didn’t receive refunds or compensation.
The settlement agreement was approved on Sept. 16, 2026, in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and Canadians can now file a claim before the deadline.
What’s the lawsuit about?
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The class-action lawsuit against Apple was brought forward by a Canadian who had purchased iTunes, App Store, or Apple Music gift cards and lost the value of the card in gift card scams “conducted by third-party fraudsters.”
The lawsuit alleges that since the cards are used on Apple platforms, the company had control and “could have held and reversed transfers to fraudsters, and flagged suspicious transactions.”
Apple allegedly refused to refund customers who lost money after being tricked into sharing redemption codes with scammers.
The class-action website states, “Apple, which was not the party that perpetrated the scams, denies that it had any responsibility to provide such refunds and denies all allegations of wrongdoing, and none of the claims were proven in court.”
Are you eligible to file a claim?
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You may be able to file a claim if you meet the following criteria:
- You are a person in Canada
- You purchased one or more iTunes, App Store, or Apple Music gift cards between Jan. 1, 2016 and Sept. 16, 2026
- You provided the redemption code of one of those gift cards to a third party who was unknown to you, and who sought the code under false pretenses
- You suffered a loss that was not fully refunded or otherwise compensated by Apple or another third party
- You reported the fraud
How much could you receive?
The claims website does not specify exactly how much each eligible recipient could receive from the $1.25 million settlement. However, it does state that 75 per cent of the funds will be distributed among eligible claimants “whose report to Apple can be verified,” while the remaining 25 per cent will be distributed to other eligible claimants.
“The amount of any payment will depend on the number and value of approved claims,” states the site.
What should you do next?
If you think you’re eligible to file a claim, make sure to fill out the form online and provide your personal information and contact details. You’ll be asked to provide proof of purchase (receipts, bank or credit card statements, screenshots, or other documents). You’ll also be asked for proof that you reported the fraud.
When is the deadline?
Canadians are urged to submit a claim online by Feb. 20, 2027. Paper claim forms are available online and must be postmarked no later than Feb. 20.
Check out the website for details.
There are several other class-action lawsuits Canadians should keep an eye on, including those against CAE and CIBC, as well as the newly filed lawsuit against Crime Stoppers.