Seeing a sudden infusion of cash in your bank account? If the deposit line reads “Lopez v. Apple,” then for once, it’s probably not a scam.
Payments appearing as “Lopez Voice Assistant” have begun appearing in the accounts of eligible customers affected by a 2021 Apple class-action lawsuit over alleged privacy violations.
Last year, Apple agreed pay $95 million to settle the lawsuit accusing the tech giant of using its virtual assistant, Siri, to “eavesdrop” on users without their knowledge.
Payments were set to go out on Friday, Jan. 23, according to the settlement website. Social media posts appear to show consumers beginning to see cash trickle in on that date as deposits hit checking accounts and money apps like Venmo and PayPal. Class members could choose how they wanted to be paid, including direct deposit and physical checks.
Payments were capped at $20 per claim, with each person eligible to submit up to five claims for five separate affected Apple devices. As is often the case with large class-action settlements, payouts are ultimately based on how many people file valid claims. According to reports and posts on social media, the average payment per device was reduced to around $8, with multiple claimants across platforms reporting receiving up to $40 for five devices.
USA TODAY contacted Apple and the settlement’s administrator on Jan. 27, but has not received a response.
Violation of privacy is the main complaint alleged in Lopez v. Apple. The class-action lawsuit, filed in a California federal court in 2021, alleges that Apple was recording users’ private conversations without consent.
The recordings allegedly happened after users accidentally activated Siri, the built-in AI voice assistant that can be turned on by pushing buttons or saying “Hey, Siri” aloud. Usually, people use the “Hey, Siri” feature to set reminders, send or read texts, control smart home devices and perform other hands-free functions.
According to the lawsuit, Apple allegedly obtained consumers’ confidential or private communications and then sold them to third-party advertisers.
Users claimed they saw ads on their phones for specific brands after discussing them aloud, and others said their devices listened to them without them having said anything to activate Siri. The initial lawsuit, filed on March 17, 2021, cites a 2019 article from The Guardian that found Apple’s third-party contractors regularly heard confidential information. At the time, Apple said only a small portion of data was shared to help improve Siri and dictation.
