# Scammed into buying Apple gift cards? Apple's $1.25-million settlement may owe you money

> If a scammer talked you into handing over iTunes, App Store or Apple Music gift card codes since 2016, you can claim from a Canadian settlement until Feb. 20, 2027. Here's how.

- Published: 2026-11-09T22:18:00.000Z
- By: The Circuit Staff
- Type: News
- Topics: Security, Devices
- URL: https://thecircuit.ca/posts/2026-11-09-apple-gift-card-settlement-how-to-claim/

It's a familiar scam: someone posing as the CRA, a utility or a relative in trouble tells you to buy Apple gift cards and read them the codes. If that happened to you and you never got your money back, you may be able to claim part of a $1.25-million class action settlement with Apple. Claims are open until **February 20, 2027**.

## Who can claim

The case is *Ferracci v. Apple*, filed in Ontario in 2020. According to the [court-approved notice](https://www.sotosclassactions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Apple-Gift-Card-Schedule-B-Notice.pdf), the class covers people in Canada who:

- bought one or more **iTunes, App Store or Apple Music gift cards** from January 1, 2016 onward,
- gave the redemption code to a stranger who asked for it under false pretences, and
- didn't get a full refund or other compensation from Apple or anyone else.

The Ontario Superior Court approved the settlement on September 16, 2026, according to [class counsel Sotos LLP](https://www.sotosclassactions.com/cases/apple-itunes-gift-cards/). Apple denies any wrongdoing and says it wasn't responsible for refunding scam victims. The settlement isn't an admission of liability.

## How much you could get

There's no fixed amount. The $1.25 million also has to cover legal fees and administration costs, so what's left depends on how many valid claims come in. After those costs, [iPhone in Canada reports](https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/2026/11/05/apple-gift-card-scam-victims-in-canada-can-now-claim-from-1-25m-settlement/), 75 per cent goes to claimants whose fraud reports to Apple can be verified, shared proportionally. The other 25 per cent is split equally among the remaining eligible claimants. If you told Apple about the scam at the time, that report matters.

## How to claim

1. Go to the official site, **giftcardsettlement.ca**, run by the court-appointed administrator, Verita Global. The claims portal opened October 23, [Sotos says](https://www.sotosclassactions.com/cases/apple-itunes-gift-cards/).
2. Gather what you have: ID, proof of purchase (receipts or bank and card statements) and anything showing you reported the scam.
3. File online by February 20, 2027, or mail a paper form postmarked by that date. You can get a paper form from Verita Global at 1-888-808-3269, according to iPhone in Canada. One claim can cover several cards.

Be wary of anyone who asks for a fee to file for you, and don't give out any more gift card codes to anyone who says they'll speed up your claim.

**Why it's worth your time:** Gift card scams are rarely recovered, and this is a court-approved way to get some of that money back. It takes a few minutes, and the deadline is more than three months away, but proof gets harder to find the longer you wait.