How to Claim Your $20 Credit After Last Week's Verizon Outage
After a widespread Verizon outage left many customers without service for nearly 10 hours last week, the carrier is offering a one-time $20 credit to affected users.
But there’s a catch: The credit won’t be automatically added to your account — you have to redeem it yourself.
“This credit isn’t meant to make up for what happened. No credit really can. But it’s a way of acknowledging our customers' time and showing that this matters to us,” Verizon said in a statement on Jan. 15.
Downdetector, an outage-tracking service, reported that roughly 2.3 million Verizon customers experienced wireless and data disruptions on Jan. 14. Verizon has since said the disruption was caused by a software issue, not a cybersecurity breach.
If your phone is still experiencing connection issues, Verizon recommends restarting it to reconnect to the network. But if you were one of the many customers left in SOS mode during the outage last week, you’ll need to take a few steps to get your money.
Here’s how to claim your $20 Verizon credit.
Log in to your My Verizon account to claim your $20 credit
Verizon has been sending out text messages to customers, notifying them that a $20 account credit is available. If you receive one of these text messages, tapping the link should open the My Verizon app, where you’ll see a “Redeem Now” button to claim the credit.
If you’d rather avoid clicking links in texts, you can log in to your Verizon account directly through the app or website and look for the “Take Action” button to claim your credit. Once claimed, the credit should appear on your bill within one to two billing cycles, according to Verizon.
Are customers eligible for more than $20?
Some customers and reports circulating online suggest that when people have documented real losses tied to the outage — for example, missed income because they rely on their phone for work — Verizon support representatives have agreed to larger credits, with one Reddit user reporting a $200 payout after missing a day of gig work due to the outage, as reported by PC Mag.
However, these appear to be case-by-case outcomes based on negotiations with Verizon's customer service, not a guaranteed benefit. Verizon declined to comment on the availability of larger credits when reached by Money.
That said, if you experienced a significant impact from the outage, it may be worth contacting Verizon's customer service to see if a larger credit can be applied.
It's also important to note that the credit is per account, not per line, so multiple phones on the same plan still get only one $20 credit.
Watch out for scam messages
Local law enforcement has warned that scammers are trying to exploit the Verizon outage credit by sending fake text messages and emails claiming to help you get your $20 payout.
For example, the Jones County, Georgia, sheriff's office wrote in a Facebook post that some of these messages include links meant to steal personal or account information or even install malware on your device. "Do NOT click the link," the office said.
While Verizon is sending legitimate text messages with links that direct you to your My Verizon account, Verizon will never ask for sensitive personal or payment information just to redeem this credit. To avoid any confusion and stay safe, log in to your Verizon account directly to claim your $20.
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