The FTC Is Mailing 640,038 Checks and Throwing Yours Away Means the Money Is Gone

The Federal Trade Commission is sending $23.8 million to 640,038 people. The average payment is about $37. If the check sits unopened for 90 days, the money goes back.

Where the Money Came From

The FTC announced the payments on August 12. They come from a settlement with Grubhub, which the agency alleged deceived drivers about how much money they would make delivering food, blocked diners from their accounts and funds, and unfairly and deceptively listed restaurants on its platform without their permission.

Payments are going to both drivers and diners affected by that conduct.

The Deadlines Are Short and They Are Different

Most recipients receive a paper check. Some receive a PayPal payment instead.

Checks must be cashed within 90 days. PayPal payments must be accepted within 30 days. Miss either window and the payment is forfeited. For anyone paid through PayPal in the first wave, that 30 day clock is already running down.

Why This Money Gets Thrown Away

Older adults are trained, correctly, to treat an unexpected check as a fraud attempt. That instinct is what puts this particular refund at risk.

The distinction is simple. The FTC will never ask for money, a fee, or account details to release a refund. Anyone who does is running a scam. On August 3 the agency issued a separate alert warning that scammers specifically target people who have already lost money by posing as recovery services.

How to Check Before the Clock Runs Out

The refund administrator is Analytics Consulting LLC, reachable at 1-888-446-4992. Questions about whether a payment is legitimate go there or to the FTC’s refund page directly.

Recipients do not need to file anything or claim anything. The payment arrives on its own, which is exactly why it looks suspicious to people who have been told for years that unsolicited money is a red flag.

At about $37 a payment, no single check changes anyone’s month. Across 640,038 people, the amount that will be thrown in the trash because it looked like a scam is the part worth paying attention to.

References: FTC Sends More than $23.8 Million to Drivers and Diners Harmed by Grubhub’s Deceptive Advertising Claims and Other Unlawful Conduct