By the Midtown Times
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 – 3:00 PM
New York Attorney General Letitia James is urging residents across the state to check whether they qualify for restitution from a massive $700 million nationwide settlement with Google, stemming from allegations that the tech giant illegally dominated the Google Play Store marketplace.
The agreement, finalized in December 2023 by James and a coalition of 53 attorneys general, accused Google of maintaining an unlawful monopoly over both app distribution and in-app payment systems on Android devices. Investigators said these practices forced consumers to pay inflated fees of up to 30% on apps and purchases made through the Google Play Store.
Who Will Receive Restitution?
A substantial portion of the settlement fund is earmarked for consumers who made purchases through the Google Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023 and were financially impacted by Google’s conduct. Alongside monetary restitution, Google must also implement business reforms to end the practices challenged in the lawsuit.
Google has already transferred $630 million to the consumer restitution fund. Beginning December 2, 2025, affected users started receiving notifications with details about their payment. In most cases, refunds will be processed automatically once the settlement receives final approval from the court.
How Payments Will Be Issued
According to the Attorney General’s Office, payments will be delivered through PayPal or Venmo, using the email or phone number associated with a consumer’s Google Play account. If a user does not already have one of these accounts, they can:
- Create a new PayPal or Venmo account using their Google-linked email or phone
or - Update their payment information when instructed
A secondary claims process will be available at a later date for individuals who:
- Prefer not to use PayPal or Venmo
- No longer have access to the email or phone number tied to their Google Play account
- Believe they should have received a payment but did not
Consumers can sign up on the settlement’s official website to be notified when this supplemental claims option becomes available.
Important Deadlines
- February 19, 2026 – Last day to opt out of the settlement or submit objections
- April 30, 2026 – Court hearing to determine final approval
A Message From Attorney General James
Attorney General James emphasized that this settlement was designed to put money back into the pockets of everyday people.
“When major corporations abuse their market power to suppress competition and drive up prices, it’s consumers who suffer,” James said. “Google used its control of the app marketplace to overcharge customers and shut out rival developers. I encourage every New Yorker who may qualify for restitution to carefully follow the settlement instructions so they receive the funds they are owed.”
By the Midtown Times, Adopted from ABC news
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 – 3:00 PM
