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Got an FTC Refund Check? How to Tell If It's Real

By CalculateBenefits Editorial Team · Mark Phaneuf, Publisher
AI-assisted source check: October 27, 2026. What these dates mean.

Yes, a check from the FTC can be real. The FTC is sending 65,022 checks right now to people who made money transfers at Walmart. A real FTC payment never asks you to pay a fee or give your bank or Social Security number. To be sure, look up the case on ftc.gov/refunds before you cash it.

CalculateBenefits is not the FTC, and we cannot check a payment for you. But here is how the FTC says to tell a real payment from a fake one, and who it is paying now.

Is a check from the FTC real?

It can be. The FTC is the federal agency that stops unfair business tricks. When it wins or settles a case, it often sends money back to people who lost it.

Most of the time, you do not have to ask for it. The FTC says most of its cases do not need a claim form. Court orders usually make the company hand over a list of customers and how much they paid. That list is what the FTC uses to send refunds.

So a check can show up even if you never asked for one. That alone does not make it fake. What matters is what comes with it, and what it asks you to do.

Does the FTC ever ask you to pay to get a refund?

No. The FTC says it "never requires you to pay upfront fees." It also says it never asks for private facts, "like your Social Security number or bank account information."

If someone says they are from the FTC and asks for money, the FTC says it is a scam. According to the FTC, the agency will never threaten you, tell you to move money to "get a refund," or promise you a prize.

Watch for these red flags:

• A fee, tax, or "processing" charge you must pay before you get your money.
• A request for your Social Security number, bank account number, or card number.
• A request to pay with a gift card, a wire transfer, or crypto.
• A check for more than you lost, and a request to send back the extra. According to the FTC, that is "always a scam."
• A request to get into your computer. The agency says it never asks for that.

What does a real FTC payment look like?

According to the FTC, it now pays people by check, prepaid debit card, PayPal, or Zelle. A real payment or claim form comes with a note that explains the case.

Private companies hired by the FTC send the money. It names five: Analytics Consulting, Epiq Systems, JND Legal Administration, Rust Consulting, and Simpluris. So you may hear from one of these firms, not from the FTC itself. For most cases, the FTC's refund list names the firm and gives a phone number.

• Check: It comes in the mail. The FTC's own refund pages we read say to cash a check within 90 days.
• PayPal: The FTC says it emails you first, from an address that ends in .gov. Then PayPal sends you an email about the refund. Most pages say to accept it within 30 days. You only need your name and email to open a PayPal account, the FTC says.
• Zelle: For one case, the FTC says the money goes right into your bank account "with a note about the settlement."

Scammers can fake emails, too. Its advice is not to click links in emails that seem to be from the FTC or PayPal. Type ftc.gov/refunds or PayPal.com into your browser instead.

How do I check if my FTC refund is real?

1. Read the letter or email that came with it. Find the name of the case or company.
2. Type ftc.gov/refunds into your browser yourself. Do not click a link in a text or email.
3. Find the case in the list. For most cases, the list shows who is sending the money and a phone number for questions.
4. Make sure the phone number on your check or letter matches the one on the FTC page. If it does not, call the one on the FTC page.
5. If the case is not listed, or someone asks for money or private facts, stop. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Who is the FTC paying now?

We checked the FTC's list on October 27, 2026. These are some of its newest refund programs. None of these pages asks people to file a new claim now.

• Walmart (October 2026): The FTC is sending 65,022 checks totaling more than $9.8 million. They go to people who made eligible money transfers at Walmart between January 2015 and December 2024. The FTC said Walmart did not do enough to stop fraud. Cash the check within 90 days. Questions: Rust Consulting, 1-833-472-1990.
• Cleo AI (October 2026): Starting on October 27, 2026, the FTC will send 2,124,796 PayPal payments totaling more than $15.8 million. They go to people who paid the cash advance app Cleo AI for eligible instant cash advances. According to the FTC, people who are eligible get an email notice from [email protected], sent between October 8 and October 26, 2026. Accept it within 30 days. Questions: 1-877-788-4958.
• AdvoCare (October 2026): This is a second round. The FTC is sending 170,571 payments totaling more than $11.4 million to people who accepted their first payment. Questions: 1-855-744-1802.
• Avast (October 2026): This is a second round. The FTC is sending 91,093 payments totaling more than $1.5 million to people who accepted their first payment. Questions: 1-866-290-0165.
• Amazon (September 2026): Some Prime members may get a refund. Amazon, not the FTC, sends these payments, and the FTC says it is not contacting people about them. Amazon payments expire 60 days after they are issued. See our Amazon Prime refund guide.
• Grubhub (August 2026): The FTC is sending 640,038 payments totaling more than $23.8 million to Grubhub drivers and diners. Cash a check within 90 days. Accept a PayPal payment within 30 days. Questions: 1-888-446-4992.

The full list is much longer. It has older cases, too. You can see it all at ftc.gov/refunds.

What if I am not sure my check is real?

Do not rush. Real FTC checks give you time. The FTC's own refund pages we read say to cash a check within 90 days.

• Call the refund company at the number on the FTC's own case page.
• Never pay anything to get your money.
• Never give your bank account or Social Security number.
• If you think it is fake, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Did your check expire before you cashed it? The agency says it may be able to send a new one if money is still left. Call the number on the case page to ask.

Our guide on how to tell a real program from a scam has more tips.

Why did I get less than I lost?

There is often not enough money to pay everyone back in full. The FTC says the money is most often split "on a pro rata basis." That means each person gets the same share of what they lost. If money is left over, the FTC may send a second round.

Do I have to pay taxes on an FTC refund?

Maybe not. The agency says it does not usually send 1099 tax forms with refunds. If a 1099 form comes with your check, the FTC says to report the payment as income. Ask a tax helper if you are not sure.

The agency also says you do not give up your other legal rights when you take a refund.

Can I sign up for an FTC refund?

Most of the time, no. The FTC says, "Most FTC cases do not require you to file a claim." If a case does need claims, the FTC posts how to file on ftc.gov/refunds.

Did you lose money to a company that is not on the list? You can report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

CalculateBenefits is an independent site. We are not the FTC or a refund company. We cannot send or check a payment. This is not legal advice.

Are there other ways I may be able to get paid?

Maybe. Some class action settlements are open for claims now. See our list of settlements and refunds. Bought an iPhone 16 or iPhone 15 Pro? See the Apple Siri settlement. Used GoodRx? See the GoodRx privacy settlement. You can also search for unclaimed money for free.

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