What do you provide as part of your Settlement Recovery Service?

If you choose to engage MCAG for our Settlement Recovery Service, we will:

• Provide guidance and assistance in retrieving the applicable documentation and information,
• Prepare any required forms and ensure an accurate and timely claim submission,
• Work with settlement administrators to reconcile and distribute the appropriate recovery under the terms of the settlements, and
• Find future settlement opportunities applicable to your organization.

What are some examples of past settlements you have pursued for your clients?

Some notable past settlements include:

• Washington State LCD Antitrust Indirect Purchaser Settlement
• Illinois State LCD Antitrust Indirect Purchaser Settlement
• Polyurethane Foam Antitrust Indirect Purchaser Settlement
• Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Indirect Purchaser Settlement
• US Foodservice Pricing Litigation Settlement
• Hypodermic Antitrust Settlement
• Plasma-Protein Derivative Therapy Settlement
• DRAM Settlement
• Deepwater Horizon Settlement
• Oxford NY and NJ Class Action Settlements
• United Health Care Ingenix Settlement
• Anthem/Wellpoint Settlement
• BlueCross/Highmark/Cap Settlement
• Healthnet Settlement
• Wellbutrin SR TPP Settlement

Do you provide legal advice?

No. We do not practice law so we don't provide legal counsel. We are not an attorney, class counsel or claims administrator. MCAG is a class action settlement expert, we handle all of the settlement administration details including preparing and submitting any required documentation and claim forms. We also work with settlement administrators to reconcile and distribute appropriate recoveries under the terms of the settlements. If you want legal advice or legal services, you should contact class counsel or an attorney of your choosing.

Can I file for recovery from a class action settlement on my own?

Absolutely. You do not have to engage our services or any other third-party claim filing firm to obtain a recovery. You can prepare and file your own settlement claim. However, over 150,000 companies have engaged MCAG so they can focus on their core business while our team of class action settlement experts monitor and manage the process on their behalf.

So what makes you different from other settlement recovery consultants?

• Since 2003, MCAG has provided services for over 50 class action settlements. We are extremely familiar with the process of preparing, submitting, tracking and reconciling claims for our clients. In addition, we work effectively and successfully with the nation’s preeminent class action litigators and settlement administrators.
  
• Our approach to settlements recovery is both strategic and data driven. Whenever possible, MCAG uses data, often provided by our partners and trusted vendors of our clients, to increase client recoveries.
  
• MCAG has partnered with many of the nation’s largest healthcare IT companies, payment card processors and acquirers, as well as select law firms and consultants. Through these relationships, we have unrivaled expertise as well as access to relevant data for more than 3 million businesses.
  
• MCAG provides dedicated account management for all recovery services. Our “turn-key” operation for businesses helps them to recover the maximum available to them under settlements, and other programs. MCAG does all the data analysis, forms preparation and filing, and the reconciliation and distribution of recoveries.
  
• We have distributed hundreds of millions in cash to clients through our recovery services. In most cases, MCAG has greatly improved client recoveries under settlements, exceeding what a client would have received using their own efforts.
  
• MCAG is committed to continuously identifying and implementing innovative approaches and tools to help deliver and enhance the settlement recovery process for our clients.
  
• MCAG is making a significant investment in innovations that enhance our research quality and ultimately enrich the client experience.

How much does your service cost?

MCAG only works on a contingent fee basis when providing recovery services for clients. You avoid upfront fees and enjoy the comfort of knowing that our motivation is in harmony with your needs and expectations.

Okay, I'm interested.  What's next?

Click Here and enter your access code, then you may complete our enrollment form. The access code can be found on a communication from MCAG or one of our strategic partners. If you have not received an access code or are not yet ready to enroll, complete our contact form and an MCAG representative will contact you shortly. Or, give us a call at 800-355-0466 or email us at settlements@mcaginc.com.

What is this settlement about?

The Visa/MasterCard Settlement arose from a lawsuit claiming that merchants paid excessive interchange or swipe fees for accepting Visa and MasterCard payments because of an alleged conspiracy among Visa, MasterCard and the Bank Defendants.

After years of delays, the Court granted Final Approval of this Settlement on December 13, 2019. Some organizations have filed appeals to the final-approval order. A claims process will not begin until all appeals are resolved, and at this time it is unknown how long the appeals process will take.

When a claims process is available, merchants must submit a claim to the Settlement Administrator, or have a claim submitted on their behalf, to be eligible to receive any cash from the $5.54 billion settlement fund.

Although the claim forms are not yet available, you can engage MCAG now to ensure that a proper and timely claim is filed on behalf of your business.

What time period of transactions does this settlement cover?

The settlement covers payments your organization accepted made via Visa or MasterCard from January 1, 2004 to January 25, 2019.

What is a MCAG access code? How do we obtain a code?

The MCAG access code, which is also referred to as a login, processor, or campaign code, is a unique code assigned to your organization that allows you to access the appropriate site to enroll in our service.

This is a 6-digit alphanumeric code that you should have received from one of our strategic partners such as your merchant services provider, healthcare association, retail association, EHR provider, attorney, or benefits consultant.

What is a Merchant ID Number or MID?

A Merchant ID Number is assigned by your credit card processor/merchant services provider. This can be found either on your billing statement or by contacting your merchant services provider.

What is an Interchange Fee?

When a cardholder makes a purchase with a credit or debit card, there is an interchange fee charged to the merchant. This fee is usually 1% to 2% of the purchase price. Interchange fees typically account for the greatest part of the fees paid by merchants for accepting Visa and MasterCard.

Visa and MasterCard set interchange fee rates for different kinds of transactions and publish these rates on their websites, usually twice a year.

Is there a claim filing deadline?

The filing deadline has yet to be determined. Claim forms are not available at this time and will not be available until the appeals to the final approval order are resolved. This timing of the appeals process is unknown at this time. MCAG will update clients enrolled in our service via email as soon as the Court sets the deadline for submitting claims.

Can we file our own claim?

Yes. Once claim forms are available you can go to the court website for more information (www.paymentcardsettlement.com).

Why would I use MCAG?

MCAG is an expert at identifying and recovering non-traditional high margin revenue for all types of organizations from class action settlements. We have experience and credibility in getting the most for your claim with the least effort on your part.

As part of its comprehensive services, MCAG will:

• Acquire as much of the historical data applicable to the settlement as possible,
• Fill out all of the necessary documentation,
• Submit a comprehensive claim in an effort maximize recoveries,
• Correspond with the Settlement Administrator,
• Reconcile returns on behalf of our clients, and
• Distribute net recoveries from the settlement funds.

All of these services are performed on a contingent fee basis – if there is no recovery, there will be no fee.

If you do not file a valid and timely claim, or have a claim filed on your behalf by an authorized third party filing agent like MCAG, then you will not recover any money from the settlement.

Do I need to provide any merchant statements or transaction data if I use MCAG?

No, we simply need your merchant identification numbers, associated credit card processor/merchant service provider names, associated tax id’s, and associated address locations.

What if we have more than one location with different Tax ID Numbers and/or Merchant ID Numbers?

If your business has multiple locations, we ask that you complete our Enrollment Form using information corresponding to your headquarters/primary location. Once you complete that submission, you will receive instructions to register for MCAG’s Settlement Recovery HUB where you can easily provide additional information for your organization such as additional locations, tax IDs, and merchant IDs. You may also provide merchant information for a location that has closed that you owned during the settlement period.

If you own more than one business and the businesses operate as separate entities, then we suggest that you complete primary enrollment form for each distinct business.

If you did not process with your current payment card processor / merchant service provider all the way back to 2004, then you can provide information from you previous processors, but your current merchant information is what is most critical.

How do we get paid? What do we owe you?

MCAG works on a contingent fee basis so MCAG retains a portion of your settlement recovery amount. If your business is not entitled to a settlement recovery, then MCAG will not charge a fee. Your specific fee, which would include any applicable discounts negotiated by your processing company, can be found on your processor’s communications as well as online at www.mcagenroll.com. Once at the website, enter your six-digit code to access the site that contains the fee for MCAG’s service.

I believe we already enrolled in your services for the VMC Settlement. How can I verify?

Please use our chat window or contact form to provide us with your business name, address, phone number, email and a MCAG account manager will get back with you.

How do we receive updates on this settlement?

Once you enroll in MCAG’s services, we will send out emailed updates to all of our clients once updates are given. Please periodically check your junk folder in case these filter there. Also, you can go to the court website for any additional updates. The website is www.paymentcardsettlement.com.

Can my business exclude itself from the settlement / not participate in the settlement?

Merchants had until July 23rd, 2019 to exclude themselves from the settlement.

If you excluded yourself from the settlement, you cannot get any money from this settlement. You can also find more detailed information on this topic at the Official Court-authorized settlement website www.paymentcardsettlement.com.

How much money will I get back?

This is a fixed-fund settlement, and since we expect that the settlement will be oversubscribed (meaning the dollar value of the claims submitted will exceed the total of the settlement fund), all submissions will be pro rata reduced (meaning that claimants will receive a portion of the total of their estimated interchange fee volume during the settlement period). At this time, there is no way to accurately estimate your return.

For example, if the total settlement fund = $5 billion and the total amount of valid claims submitted = $125 billion, then the payout from the settlement will be a pro rata portion of each $1.00 submitted as claim. In this example, where $125 billion in claims is submitted to a $5 billion fund, each claimant would receive a gross payout of $0.04 for every $1.00 of valid claims submitted.

Returns could be significant because over 150 of the largest merchants, such as Wal-Mart, Amazon, Delta Airlines, American Airlines, and Google have already been compensated by the Defendants, or have opted out of the settlement class, and are not eligible to be paid from the $5 billion in net settlement funds.

What if I do nothing – will I receive proceeds from the settlement fund?

Class members are required to submit a claim in order to receive any proceeds (monetary relief) from this settlement. Therefore, if you do not submit a claim on your own, or have MCAG or another third party submit a claim on your behalf, then you will not receive any of the settlement funds (cash payment from the settlement).

I already enrolled in MCAG's service - what is the latest update?

The judge granted final approval of the Visa/MasterCard Interchange Fee Settlement on December 13, 2019.

As is the case with the vast majority of class action settlements, a handful of groups have appealed the final approval. Fortunately, it is our expectation that the impact of the appeals will be limited to a delay in the claims process.

Next Steps for MCAG Clients

Claims cannot be submitted until all appeals have been resolved, and the length of that process is unknown. When claim forms do become available, merchants who have already contracted with MCAG will not have to gather nor submit claim forms because MCAG will handle the claims submission on their behalf.

Stay tuned, as we will send updates to our enrolled clients via email as this matter progresses and more information is circulated.

Can I sell my future claim to MCAG in return for money now?

Yes, you can assign your claim to MCAG in return for cash. Settlements take time. Some class members run into financial issues as they wait for them to be finalized and the funds to be distributed. It is advantageous for some businesses to assign their settlement claim to MCAG in return for urgent cash before settlement administrators distribute the funds.

For large settlement claims, you can reach out to us and we will help you determine the estimated value of your upcoming claim – before the settlement administrator distributes any funds – and make an offer to pay your organization a mutually agreed upon cash sum in return for your organization assigning the future settlement funds to MCAG.

How do I sell my claim?

Assigning your claim is simple. First you need to complete our claim assignment application and then go over any questions we may have over the phone. This only takes a few minutes and then we are ready to move forward with your application. Most applicants get their money within 30 days.

Why would I assign my claim?

This type of unique funding provides your organization money you need now, by allowing you to assign your future settlement claim. Settlement class members can benefit from settlements now by obtaining cash prior to the settlement funds being distributed, helping class members to pay for business expenses while the settlement is being finalized. MCAG’s claim purchase funding is 100% risk-free because you repay NOTHING if the settlement funds are never distributed or less than what was forecasted. We also share back additional funds if the final settlement is more than what we mutually agreed was the forecasted worth of your settlement when we purchased your claim.

Is this a loan?

A settlement claim assignment is not a loan. MCAG purchases the assignment of the future settlement proceeds. In other words, your organization receives cash today in exchange for assigning your future settlement claim to MCAG.

How are we approved for a claim assignment?

Unlike typical bank loans, this type of funding does not require credit checks for approval. MCAG treats this funding as an investment, so the stronger your case as a class member, the more likely we will take the risk to approve your application. There are no credit checks and no risk to you. If the settlement never pays out, you owe nothing. Guaranteed.

What qualifies as a large settlement claim for MCAG’s program?

For the Visa/Mastercard (Payment Card) Interchange Fee Settlement, an example would be a business that generates approximately $50 million in annual revenue. The revenue threshold will vary depending on the type of your business.

What is the MCAG Settlement Recovery HUB?

A secure online solution where MCAG clients can update their account information, keep abreast of potential future settlements, and view your settlement recovery history (this last portion is not available just yet, but it is coming soon).

Can I get The HUB now?

Yes, The HUB is available to MCAG clients as of 2/8/2021.

Is there a fee to use the HUB?

No. The HUB and its tools are free for MCAG clients.

What security features are part of the Hub?

Your online experience at MCAG is backed by our strong commitment to security and privacy. Learn more by reading our Security Notice.

Is the HUB accessible from my smartphone?

Yes, the HUB is smartphone-enabled so you can easily access it on your iPhone or Android device.

How do I register for the HUB?

Complete our Contact Form or email us at info@mcaginc.com to receive a link to the HUB.

Do I need a new username and password?

Yes. To log in for the first time, use your email address on file with MCAG to register and create your password. You will then receive a confirmation email confirming your ownership of the email account and a link to log into the HUB.

Does the HUB work with all our accounts?

Yes.

How do I navigate within the HUB?

If you have more than one account with MCAG, you will be shown a list of your accounts when you log in to the HUB. After you select an account you wish to manage, the HUB will display the Account Dashboard. If you have a single account, you will be shown the Dashboard once you log in.

The HUB Dashboard contains the basics you need to manage your MCAG account online. Here you can review your account, update information, provide additional information and stay up to date with the latest settlement news from MCAG.

Can I make a suggestion for possible improvements to the HUB?

We’re glad you asked! We’ll occasionally ask for your feedback through pop-up messages, but you don’t need to wait for that to share your ideas. Just send us an email at info@mcaginc.com.

What information should I provide for the Visa/MasterCard Settlement?

You should use the HUB to provide information on additional merchant locations to ensure that all of your locations are included in your claim submission.

Entry of an additional location requires submission of an additional Tax ID in the Location Information, or additional Current Merchant ID in the Visa / MasterCard Settlement Information. You do not need to provide additional Addresses that share a previously provided Tax ID or Merchant ID.

You may provide merchant information for a location that has closed that you owned during the settlement period. Enter the last known processor and merchant ID in the Current Credit Card Processor and Current Merchant ID fields for that location.