South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has provided instructions for consumers on how to access funds from a $700 million settlement with Google. The settlement, reached by Wilson and attorneys general from 52 other states and territories, addresses allegations of anticompetitive conduct by Google in its Play Store.
Preliminary approval for the settlement was granted on November 20, 2025. A final court hearing is scheduled for April 30, 2026. If approved, most of the settlement money will go to consumers who made purchases on the Google Play Store between August 2016 and September 2023 and were affected by Google’s practices.
“As I indicated almost two years ago, this settlement shows our commitment to protecting our state and promoting competition. I urge all South Carolinians who were harmed to keep track of the upcoming dates,” Attorney General Wilson said.
Starting December 2, 2025, eligible consumers began receiving notifications about how payments would be distributed. Most affected individuals do not need to take further action; payments will be made automatically without requiring a claim form in most cases.
Once the court approves the settlement, consumers will receive payment notifications via email from PayPal or text message from Venmo at their contact information associated with their Google Play account. If that information matches an existing PayPal or Venmo account, payment will be deposited directly. Otherwise, recipients can create a new account or redirect payment as needed.
A supplemental claims process will be available after automatic payments are completed for those unable to receive funds through the initial process. Consumers can sign up on the official settlement website to get notified when this supplemental process begins.
The coalition behind this agreement includes attorneys general from all U.S. states and several territories.
