$5.6 million in refunds issued to Ring doorbell users: Who qualifies?

More than 115,000 people are in line for a refund from a popular home security camera company, the Federal Trade Commission announced.

The refunds, totaling $5.6 million, are the result of a settlement with Ring over charges the company allowed employees and contractors to have access to consumer’s private videos and failed to implement security protections, making it easier for hackers to take control of user’s accounts, cameras and videos.

Payments are being sent to 117,044 users, including 1,169 Alabamians who will receive a total of $56,273, or roughly $48 each.

In a complaint first announced in May 2023, the FTC said Ring deceived customers by allowing employees and contractors to have access to customer videos, including those filmed with indoor cameras. The complaint also alleged Ring used the videos to train algorithms without consent and failed to implement security safeguards.

“These practices led to egregious violations of users’ privacy,” the FTC said in a statement.

Refunds will be sent via PayPal and must be redeemed within 30 days. People with questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, Inc., at 1-833-637-4884, or visit the FTC website to view frequently asked questions about the refund process.