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Key takeaways

• A ParkMobile data breach settlement is paying affected users $1.
• The payment is only good as credit on the app.
• Users have to claim the $1 credit 25 cents at a time.

If you used the ParkMobile app to pay for parking at a meter several years ago, you might be getting a payment as a result of a data breach. Unfortunately, it's probably not an amount you'd expect for the inconvenience of having your data exposed. And while it's a comically low amount, don't spend it all in one place, because, well.... You're literally not allowed to. 

Here's what's happening and why the ParkMobile data beach settlement is raising eyebrows online. 

Also: Hackers stole 1 billion records from Salesforce customer databases with this simple trick - don't fall for it

In 2021, hackers accessed sensitive data from more than 21 million ParkMobile customers, including license plate numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses. The hackers didn't get any payment information.

ParkMobile denied any wrongdoing but agreed to a settlement to avoid the cost and time of going to court. If you filed a claim, you could choose to get your payment in cash -- up to $25. If you didn't file a claim but you were still affected, you probably received an email this week with your alternative payment -- $1. 

"As part of the agreed resolution," the email explained, "you are entitled to receive a benefit." The email went on to say that the benefit is a $1 discount code for the ParkMobile app.

How to use your ParkMobile settlement payment

First, the payment is only good for credit towards ParkMobile service fees (not even the actual parking fee), so you have to park at a ParkMobile-owned lot to use your benefit. Second, you have to enter the code you received manually in your account. Third, you can't use your $1 all at once.

Your code is good for 25 cents off a ParkMobile service fee, the email explained, and it can be used up to four times, equaling $1. When I searched a few ParkMobile lots near me, service fees were between $1.80 and $4.

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Naturally, users who received the email were quick to criticize. Several Reddit posts appeared, with users pointing out that you had to pay significantly more than your benefit to actually use it, claiming the settlement was just a ploy for lawyers to get paid, and some saying they thought the email was a phishing attempt.

Customers who received a $1 code have one year to use it. 

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