Dish Network may owe you $1,200—But you have to answer the phone

It’s one of those phone calls that sound like a scam: someone is telling you how Dish Network may owe you $1,200.

Your first instinct may be to immediately hang up. But, hold the phone — literally — because fortune could actually be in your favor!

Recently, Dish Network lost a class-action lawsuit filed by more than 18,000 people who sued the company over violations against the National Do Not Call Registry law.

Company Ordered To Pay Multi-Million Dollar Settlement

According to the complaint, representatives from Dish Network knowingly called people on the do-not-call list between May 11, 2010 and August 1, 2011.

As a result, a court ruled against the satellite TV company and ordered them to pay out a $61.3 million settlement.

However, according to the attorney representing consumers in the lawsuit, nearly 70 percent of affected people have not responded to claim their settlement.

Consumers Could Be Missing Out On Payout

Why? It appears many people who have received phone calls, letters or postcards informing them of the payout believed it was a scam!

“What we are trying to do is establish the connect between ourselves and the class members,” attorney John Barrett told The Penny Hoarder. “We want to establish that connection so that when the time comes six to 12 months from now, we can connect with them easily and get them paid.”

How To See If You Qualify For Settlement Claim

If you think you might be entitled to a claim, but don’t have the claim ID or PIN code sent out, then you can visit the claims website to enter your information and see if you’re eligible.

But, hurry. You need to file your claim by June 18, 2018 to receive payment.

According to a website set up for the class-action case, Dish Network made 51,119 calls to 18,066 phone numbers on the Do Not Call Registry.

One Man Stood Up To Big Business And Won

A man named Thomas Krakauer decided to bring forward a lawsuit against Dish in North Carolina.

“He claimed that a DISH authorized retailer illegally made telemarketing calls to him while his number was on the national Do Not Call Registry, and that DISH was responsible for those calls,” according to the website.

Though most class-action cases like this get settled out of court, with the company in question not admitting any fault or guilt, this case actually went to trial in January 2017.

A jury found Dish liable. Now, Dish has a right to appeal the verdict, though you can still apply for your share of the money in the meantime.

$1,200 Payment Could Be Yours

The maximum amount each person can get is $1,200, though it might be less than that after attorneys fees and other costs related to the lawsuit.

Have you gotten any annoying sales calls since joining the Do Not Call Registry?