Class action settlement
Vanilla Gift Card $1.53M California Class Action Settlement
Last updated from the official settlement website (veritaconnect.com). Re-checked .
Individuals who bought or received a Vanilla gift card in California and lost funds due to unauthorized charges may be eligible to claim up to the full loss.
Who qualifies and how to claim
What you could get
- Up to$15Class members who submit a valid claim without any proof of claim are eligible for a flat payment of up to $15 per card with a maximum of two cards ($30 total).
Pulled from the write-up below. The official settlement website and the court's documents have the final word.
Vanilla Gift Card $1.53M California Class Action Settlement
October 29, 2026 11:45 AM
California residents who purchased or received a non-reloadable Vanilla prepaid gift card in California between Nov. 1, 2019, and Sept. 30, 2024, and could not use some or all of the funds due to unauthorized charges caused by package tampering may be eligible to claim up to the full value of their lost funds from a class action settlement .
InComm Financial Services Inc. agreed to pay $1.53 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging its Vanilla gift cards were vulnerable to theft due to insufficient packaging security and that the company often denied refunds to cardholders with stolen funds.
Who can file a claim?
Class members must meet all of the following criteria:
- They are a California resident.
- Purchased a non-reloadable Vanilla gift card in California between Nov. 1, 2019, and Sept. 30, 2024, OR
- Received a Vanilla gift card purchased in California during that period, including as a gift or by other lawful means
- They could not use some or all of the money on their Vanilla gift card because of unauthorized charges, which they believe resulted from someone tampering with the card’s packaging.
- They did not previously receive a refund from InComm for the lost funds.
Read the full details
How much can class members get?
The settlement administrator will distribute the $1.53 million settlement fund as follows:
- Class members who submit a valid claim with a complete proof of claim, including receipt, photos of the card, transaction history and any correspondence with InComm, are eligible to receive the full value of the funds they lost on each eligible card. There is no limit to the number of claims a class member can submit with full documentation.
- Class members who submit a valid claim without any proof of claim are eligible for a flat payment of up to $15 per card with a maximum of two cards ($30 total). Class members who submit one or two claims without documentation can still submit unlimited claims with documentation for other cards.
- Class members who submit a valid claim with incomplete proof of claim (some but not all of the required documentation) may be eligible for up to 75% of their reported lost funds for each card, depending on the documentation they provide.
After the administrator reviews all claims, it may adjust payments for claims without proof of claim up or down depending on the number and value of valid claims compared to the settlement fund. This will. not affect claims with proof of claim.
How to claim a class action payment
Class members must submit an online claim form or print and complete the claim form at the same link and mail it along with any supporting documentation to the settlement administrator. Class members who have more than one eligible Vanilla gift card may submit claims for multiple cards using the same claim form.
Settlement administrator's mailing address: Gift Card Claims Administrator, P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles CA, 90030-1132
The deadline to file a claim is Feb. 19, 2027.
What proof or documentation is required to submit a claim?
Class members can submit a claim without documentation for a flat payment. Those providing proof of claim documentation are eligible for a higher payment. Incomplete documentation may still increase class members' payments compared to submitting no documentation.
Proof of claim may include:
- Receipt for the Vanilla gift card purchase
- Photos of the front and back of the card
- Transaction history for the card with notes on which transactions the class member believes were fraudulent (available at https://balance.vanillagift.com/)
- Any correspondence with InComm about the class member's refund request if applicable
Payout options
- Class members who file online can choose to receive payment electronically (Venmo or PayPal) or by check.
- Class members who file by mail will receive payment by check sent to the address provided.
Documents & history
The public record, word for word. Every line below is what the court or the settlement administrator published; we only add short notes on what each item means. The original document has the final word, and it is always one click away.
The story so far
Claims are open until Feb 19, 2027, 110 days left. Final approval is still ahead.
- Next
- Claim deadline Feb 19, 2027 · in 4 months
Below is every step on record. The key moments come first; tap one to read about it, or pick a filter to see more. Read the graph left to right: each line is one place where things happen, the 0 court cases and the settlement’s website, and the big labelled marks are the moments that matter. Tap one to read about it. Puzzled by a word? See court words, in plain English.
- A decision by the judge
- A date to know
- Money paid out
- A request to the judge
- Paperwork or an update
- Still to come
Coming up 1
- DeadlineDeadline coming up
Claim deadline
Nothing of this kind in the list.
Court filings come from the court's public docket through the free RECAP archive; official documents from the settlement administrator's own site. Other dates come from the official settlement site and the summary above. We show the record as published and do not interpret it for your case. Nothing here is legal advice.
Where this information comes from
- Official settlement websiteveritaconnect.com
Court words, in plain English What words like “motion” or “docket” mean. You never need them to file a claim.
- Attorneys’ fees money
What the lawyers for the group ask to be paid for bringing the case. It comes out of the settlement fund, and the judge decides the amount, often less than asked.
For example: The lawyers asked for a quarter of the fund in attorneys’ fees; the judge decides how much they get.
- Claim form what you fill in
The form you send to get your share of the settlement, online or by mail. Filing one is free.
For example: Send the claim form before the deadline, or you may not be paid.
- Class member you, probably
Anyone who fits the group the settlement covers. If you qualify, you are a class member, even if you never heard of the case before.
For example: If you bought the product during the years the notice lists, you are likely a class member.
- Class certification a decision
The judge agreeing that one case can speak for a whole group of people in the same situation.
For example: After class certification, the case went ahead for all the customers, not only the two who sued.
- Docket /DOK-it/ the court’s record
The court’s diary for a case: a numbered list of every paper filed and every step taken, in order.
For example: The judge’s order was added to the docket on May 20.
- ECF number /E-C-F/ a page number
ECF is the courts’ online filing system (Electronic Case Filing). "ECF 233" is item 233 on the case’s docket; "ECF 213-1" is the first attachment to item 213.
For example: A settlement agreement filed as ECF 251 is the 251st item on that case’s docket.
- Final approval hearing a date
Also called the fairness hearing: the day the judge listens to anyone with concerns, then decides whether the settlement is approved for good.
For example: The final approval hearing is usually the last big date before payments go out.
- Motion a request
A formal "please" to the judge: one side asks for something, like more time or approval of the deal. Nothing changes until the judge answers.
For example: The lawyers filed a motion to extend the claim deadline.
- Object /ob-JECT/ your choice
Staying in the settlement but telling the judge what you think should be better. You can still be paid.
For example: If you think the fees are too high, you can object before the deadline.
- Opt out your choice
Choosing to leave the settlement. You get nothing from it, but you keep your right to bring your own case.
For example: If you opt out, you will not get a payment from this settlement.
- Order a decision
The judge’s answer, and the part that counts. "Granted" means yes, "denied" means no, "granted in part" means yes to some of it.
For example: An order granting the motion means the judge said yes.
- Preliminary approval /pre-LIM-in-airy/ a decision
The judge’s first "this looks fair enough to move ahead". Notices go out and claims open, but it is not the final say.
For example: After preliminary approval in June, the claim form went online.
- RECAP /REE-cap/ a source
A free public library of federal court papers run by the non-profit Free Law Project. The court documents on this page link to its copies.
For example: We found the judge’s order in the RECAP archive.
- Service award money
A small thank-you payment to the people who brought the case on everyone’s behalf (the class representatives). It comes from the fund and the judge decides it.
For example: The two people who started the case each asked the judge for a service award.
- Settlement administrator a company
The company that runs the claims for the court: it sends the notices, checks the claims and mails the payments. Questions about your claim go to them.
For example: The settlement administrator mails the checks once the judge approves the deal.
- Unopposed /un-uh-POZED/ a word in requests
Both sides agree on the request, so it usually goes through smoothly.
For example: An unopposed motion to move a deadline is almost always granted.