Do You Need Proof of Purchase to Claim a Settlement?

Not always. Many class action settlements let you claim without proof of purchase. You answer the questions on the claim form and confirm, under penalty of perjury, that your answers are true. Other settlements ask for receipts, statements or account details, especially for bigger payments.

Plenty of settlements do both. A no-proof option usually pays a smaller amount, and a proof option pays more if you can back it up. The official claim form and FAQ tell you which applies to you. Below: how the tiers work, what counts as proof, and where to find records you thought were long gone.

How no-proof and proof tiers work

Every settlement is set up differently, but a few patterns come up again and again:

• No proof at all. You confirm you're in the class, and that's it. These claims are quick, and many pay small amounts.
• No proof up to a limit. You can claim a set number of purchases, or up to a set amount, without documents. Anything above that needs proof.
• Proof for extra money. Everyone in the class can claim a flat payment, and people with records can claim more, for example to be repaid for money they spent because of the problem.
• Proof required. You can't claim at all without documents.

Here's a made-up example. Say a settlement pays a fixed amount per bottle of a product, lets you claim up to three bottles without proof, and lets you claim more if you have receipts. If you bought two bottles and kept nothing, the no-proof option fits. If you bought ten and still have the order emails, you'd claim with proof.

Keep in mind that the amount on a settlement website may not be final. Many settlements split the money among all valid claims, so the payment can go down, or sometimes up, depending on how many people file. Our guide to settlement payout timelines explains this in plain words.

What counts as proof

Each settlement sets its own rules, and the FAQ on the official site lists what it accepts. Common types include:

• Receipts, paper or digital
• Order confirmations and shipping emails from online purchases
• Bank or card statements that show the charge
• Account records, such as an account number, the email address on the account, a bill or a screenshot of your account history
• Serial or model numbers, usually printed on a label or shown in a device's settings

Good proof usually shows what you bought, when, and where you bought it. A statement line that only shows a store's name may not prove which product you bought, so read exactly what the form asks for. Before you upload a statement, check whether the FAQ lets you black out unrelated purchases and account numbers.

Where to find old proof

Most people have more records than they think. Try these places.

Your email

Search for the company or store name along with words like "order," "receipt," "confirmation," "invoice" or "shipped." Check archived mail too, and any old email addresses you can still get into.

Retailer order history

Most online stores keep a list of past orders in your account. Store loyalty or rewards accounts sometimes keep a record of in-store purchases too.

App store purchase history

For apps, games, in-app purchases and subscriptions, Apple and Google both let you look up your purchase history from your account.

Bank and card statements

Many banks and card issuers let you download past statements from their website or app. How far back you can go depends on the bank.

The product and your accounts

For devices and appliances, look for a serial or model number on a label or in the settings menu. For services, your account page may show your plan, your billing history or when you signed up. Warranty registrations can help too.

Save what you find in one folder, named so you can tell which file belongs to which claim. If you're still deciding which cases to file, our guide to finding settlements you qualify for is a good place to start.

If you can't find your proof

Don't give up on the claim straight away. You still have options:

• Use the no-proof option, if the settlement has one. It may pay less, but it's often the right call when your records are gone.
• Ask the store or company. Some stores can look up past purchases from the card you paid with or your rewards account. Service providers may be able to send your billing or account history.
• Read the FAQ for alternatives. Some settlements accept other evidence for part of a claim, such as a signed statement in place of a lost receipt.
• Mix and match if allowed. If you have proof for some purchases but not others, check whether the form lets you combine a no-proof claim with documented ones.

Never create, change or borrow documents to make a claim fit. A claim built on a false document can be rejected, and you signed it under penalty of perjury.

Tips for uploading proof

• Make sure the key details are readable: the product, the date and the amount.
• Check which file types and sizes the form accepts before you scan or photograph anything.
• Name files clearly, for example by store and date, so you upload the right one.
• Keep the originals and a copy of everything you send.
• Send everything before the claim deadline, unless the administrator gives you a different date.

Be honest, even when no one checks up front

No proof doesn't mean no rules. Claim forms usually ask you to confirm, under penalty of perjury, that everything you've said is true. Treat that the way you'd treat signing any legal document.

• Only claim settlements you actually fit.
• Only count purchases you really made. If you're not sure how many, use a number you're confident in, not a high guess.
• Don't file more than once for the same settlement unless the rules allow it.
• Keep the records you have, even if you don't upload them. Administrators review claims and can ask for more information later.

Honest claims protect everyone else in the class, too. When a settlement splits its money among valid claims, every false claim takes a share from people who qualify.

If you're not sure a case applies to you, ask the administrator before you file. We can't decide whether you qualify, and neither can any app. Courts and administrators do.

How Owed labels proof

Every case in Owed's settlements directory, which is free to browse without an account, carries one of three labels, so you can see the effort involved before you start:

The label is a quick guide, not the full rules. A case can have a no-proof payment and a bigger documented one, so read the details on the case page and the official FAQ. Case pages don't link to the claim form itself, and you can always file directly with the settlement administrator at no cost.

Where Owed Pro fits

In Owed Pro, our paid membership, each claim's plain-English instructions say whether proof is needed, alongside who qualifies, what you can get and the deadline. A button opens the official claim form, where you upload any proof and submit the claim yourself. Then you tap "I submitted it," paste the confirmation number and track the claim from there. Our step-by-step guide on how to file a class action claim covers the rest of the form.

Owed Pro is $2 for the first week, then $49 per year — one flat membership. Owed never takes a percentage of any payout. We built it, so weigh our view accordingly: if you're organized and don't mind reading FAQs, you can do all of this yourself for free. See how our settlement finder works or how the $2 first week works.