Trader Joe's shoppers are running out of time to claim their cut of a $7.4 million settlement

At the center of the case is Brian Keim, a shopper who sued Trader Joe's claiming that receipts he received showed an excessive number of card digits — specifically the first six and last four — in a way he argued exposed customers to potential identity theft. Federal law sets a firm limit on how much card information can appear on a printed receipt, capping it at the final five digits of any credit or debit card number, according to CBS News. Keim initiated the litigation in Florida, where the triggering transaction took place at a Palm Beach Gardens location, though jurisdiction eventually shifted to California courts given that Trader Joe's home base is in Monrovia, in Los Angeles County.

While maintaining that no customers experienced identity theft as a result of the receipts and rejecting any admission of fault, Trader Joe's nevertheless chose to resolve the matter through a settlement rather than continue contesting the case in court. Before any money changes hands, a judge must sign off on the agreement at a court hearing set for Aug. 10.

Only a limited group of customers qualifies for a payout. Eligibility is narrow: the problematic receipts were tied to a specific stretch of time — March 5 through July 19, 2019 — and even then, only certain locations and a fraction of individual transactions were involved. Receipt of a notification — whether by email or postcard — means a shopper has been flagged as a possible class member, though that designation alone does not trigger a payout; an actual claim must be submitted.

The per-person payout is pegged at an estimated $102.45, a figure that could shift up or down depending on claim volume and what is left in the fund once legal fees and administrative expenses are deducted. Assuming no appeals delay the process, payments should be distributed to claimants roughly two weeks after a judge grants final approval of the settlement.

The settlement administrator has set up several ways to participate: the dedicated website tj-factasettlement.com accepts online submissions, a paper form can be mailed in, and a phone hotline at 1-888-444-7415 is also available. Holding onto a physical receipt from 2019 is not a requirement to file.