logo
Millions of Avast antivirus software customers are getting a refund. Here's why.

Millions of Avast antivirus software customers are getting a refund. Here's why.

CBS News24-02-2025

Millions of Americans who purchased antivirus software from Avast may be eligible for compensation due to a $16.5 million settlement by the company with the Federal Trade Commission, the regulatory agency announced on Monday.
Nearly 3.7 million consumers who bought the software from Avast between August 2014 and January 2020 can expect emails to arrive in their inboxes this week or next notifying them of their eligibility to apply for compensation, the FTC stated.
According to regulators, Avast for years collected information on customers through its antivirus software and browser extensions including data on:
religious beliefs
health concerns
political leanings
locations
financial status
Avast claimed its software would protect user privacy by blocking third-party tracking, but sold the their information without people's consent to more than 100 third-parties through a subsidiary called Jumpshot, the FTC alleged in 2024. Starting Monday, the agency will send email notices to nearly 3.7 million people who may qualify for a refund.
Eligible consumers can file a claim online at www.ftc.gov/Avast. If you get an email with a claim number, you can apply for a payment online at www.avastsettlement.com/file-a-claim.
Those who need help filing a claim can call the refund administrator at 1-866-290-0165. To be eligible, consumers must file a claim by June 5. Payments will depend on factors including how many people file a claim.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

The post-Trump tax cliff
The post-Trump tax cliff

The Hill

time32 minutes ago

  • The Hill

The post-Trump tax cliff

The Big Story While Republicans push to make expiring provisions in President Trump's 2017 tax law permanent, additional measures geared toward working-class Americans are being slated for expiration at the end of 2028. © The Associated Press 'It means that's going to be an issue in the next presidential race,' House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) said. The major expiring tax breaks in the House-passed version of Trump's 'big beautiful bill' are boosts in the standard deduction, the deduction for seniors, and the child tax credit, along with the cancellation of taxes on tips, overtime pay, and car loan interest. Budget hawks are saying this sets up a tax cliff in the legislation similar to the one Republicans are now trying to surmount, since most of the 2017 Trump tax cuts expire at the end of this year. 'There's a total tax cliff in there. There's about $1.5 trillion worth of taxes that expire in four years, five years, which means what? In five years, they'll just keep them going. This is why we end up with the same problem,' Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said last week. 'It is 100 percent a gimmick to have tax cuts that you're putting in place for four or five years,' he added. The legislation is likely to undergo substantial changes in the Senate, including a change in the accounting baseline that will allow trillions of dollars worth of deficit additions coming from the extension of previous tax cuts to be ignored. But senators are sounding open to maintaining the split between making the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) permanent and allowing the additional cuts for workers, families, retirees and consumers to expire. The Hill's Tobias Burns and Aris Folley have more here. Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter, I'm Aris Folley — covering the intersection of Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads Key business and economic news with implications this week and beyond: Top earners to receive lion's share of income boost from GOP bill: CBO The top one-tenth of the U.S. income spectrum is set to receive the biggest annual boost to its wealth as a result of the House-passed Republican tax cut and spending bill, according to a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), while the bottom three deciles are set to lose wealth and the fourth lowest decile will break even. House GOP approves first batch of DOGE cuts House Republicans voted on Thursday to claw back billions of dollars in federal funding for public broadcasting and foreign aid, locking in the first set of slashes made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Senate votes to end debate on stablecoin bill, teeing up final vote The Senate voted Thursday to wrap up debate on a stablecoin bill, teeing up a final vote on the legislation that would establish regulatory rules of the road for the dollar-backed cryptocurrencies. Walmart heiress funds anti-Trump ad A billionaire Walmart heiress has again taken aim at President Trump — this time encouraging people to participate in protests against his second presidency while Trump holds a military parade in Washington on Saturday. The Ticker Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: In Other News Branch out with more stories from the day: Wall Street ticks closer to its record after Oracle rallies NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes ticked higher on Thursday following another encouraging update … Good to Know Business and economic news we've flagged from other outlets: What Others are Reading Top stories on The Hill right now: Padilla forcibly removed from Noem press conference, handcuffed Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was forcibly removed and then handcuffed after he interrupted a press conference Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held in Los Angeles. Read more Republicans lay groundwork for 'total tax cliff' at end of Trump's term Congressional Republicans are laying the groundwork for a tax cliff at the end of President Trump's term in office. Read more What People Think Opinions related to business and economic issues submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here

'One Big Beautiful Bill' boosts highest earners most, Congressional Budget Office says
'One Big Beautiful Bill' boosts highest earners most, Congressional Budget Office says

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

'One Big Beautiful Bill' boosts highest earners most, Congressional Budget Office says

The legislation dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill'' by President Donald Trump would increase resources for middle and top earners at the expense of lower-income Americans, according to a new analysis from the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan CBO analyzed the combined effects of many of the House bill's tax reductions and its cuts to federal programs, including Medicaid and nutrition assistance, over the period between 2026–2034. The mega bill's now in the Senate, which is considering changes. Benefits of the bill increase with income, with the lowest tier households losing out, CBO said. The agency compared the bill with current tax law, which encompasses Trump's 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The current pending bill would extend the 2017 tax cuts, add work requirements to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps), give seniors an additional tax credit to help offset Social Security taxes, and create savings accounts for babies, among other things. Here is how the CBO says the bill would affect Americans: Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Those in the lowest income group would lose about $1,600 in resources per year, which is about 3.9% of their income, mostly because of reductions in non-cash transfers, such as Medicaid and SNAP. Since many in this group pay little to no federal taxes, they would benefit less from tax cuts than higher income groups. Middle-income households would see their resources increase by $500 to $1,000, or 0.5% to 0.8% of their projected income. The top 10% of households would see a gain of about $12,000, or about 2.3% of income, mostly because of tax cuts. Medora Lee is a money, markets, and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. You can reach her at mjlee@ and subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday.

GOP tax bill would cost poor Americans $1,600 a year and boost highest earners by $12,000, CBO says

timean hour ago

GOP tax bill would cost poor Americans $1,600 a year and boost highest earners by $12,000, CBO says

WASHINGTON -- The Republican tax bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives would cost the poorest Americans roughly $1,600 a year while increasing the income of the wealthiest households by an average of $12,000 annually, according to a new analysis released Thursday by the Congressional Budget Office. Middle-income households would see a boost of roughly $500 to $1,000 per year under Republican President Donald Trump's tax bill, the CBO found. The cuts to the lowest-income households come from proposed cuts to social safety net programs including Medicaid and a food assistance program for lower-income people, known as Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program. The bill also proposes expanding work requirements to receive food aid and new 'community engagement requirements' of at least 80 hours per month of work, education or service for able-bodied adults without dependents to receive Medicaid. Some proposed tax breaks would be temporary, including a tax break on tips and overtime, car loan interest and a $4,000 increase in the standard deduction for seniors. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other Republicans have sought to discredit the CBO's analyses of the bill and say that the U.S. could head toward economic catastrophe if the measure is not passed. GOP Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Thursday that the tax bill "recognizes the solution to our debt crisis is not to tax Americans more, it is to spend less.' 'The legislation recognizes that extending proven tax reform is critical for working families," he said. Administration officials have said the the cost of the tax bill would be offset by tariff income. Recently, the CBO separately estimated that Trump's sweeping tariff plan would cut deficits by $2.8 trillion over a 10-year period while shrinking the economy, raising the inflation rate and reducing the purchasing power of households overall. The CBO was established more than 50 years ago to provide objective, impartial analysis to support the budget process. It is required to produce a cost estimate for nearly every bill approved by a House or Senate committee and will weigh in earlier when asked to do so by lawmakers. The office's analysis released Thursday considers Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' in isolation, excluding the potential impact of the tariffs that Trump has imposed and paused on nations around the world. Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, who requested the CBO analysis released Thursday, said in a statement that "this would be one of the largest transfers of wealth from working families to the ultra-rich in American history. It's shameful.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store