I Won a Class Action Lawsuit Against a Parking App. They Gave Me a $1 Credit

A while back, I got an email letting me know I was eligible to be part of a class-action lawsuit against ParkMobile—one of the many self-service mobile parking apps now available just about anywhere municipal parking is worth monetizing. Seems that it did a very fashionable thing and allegedly let a lot of somebodies get access to protected customer data. As with most things like this, I thought nothing of it. Class-action payouts are often paltry at best, and insulting at worst. After following the required steps to become part of the class, I shoved the email into a folder somewhere in the dark recesses of Gmail and promptly forgot about it until this week, when I received an email notifying me of the settlement…and my $1.00 payout.

It’s important to note up front that I don’t use this particular app a lot—we’re talking about a single-digit number of transactions here. If I were a frequent flyer, so to speak, I likely wouldn’t have been so dismissive of the suit to begin with. And apparently, users who elected to take the cash payment option were eligible for up to $25—a potentially life-changing amount for the many 1920s street urchins still taking up many of America’s parking spaces.

Seriously, though—a dollar? And not even a check for a dollar, but a credit. How is this worth anybody’s time? As usual, the answer is in the fine print. See for yourself:

You’re reading that correctly. Not only is it a one-dollar credit, but I can only claim it in 25-cent increments by using ParkMobile’s services four times—something I’d probably have to go out of my way to do even once. In other words, to mitigate my inconvenience, for which ParkMobile claims no responsibility and was not found liable, the company is giving itself four more opportunities to earn my business.

Like a pat on the back, four times! Boy, do I feel compensated.

Did you actually get a payout, or are you going to be kicking back with me in the crappy coupon club? Let me know at tips@thedrive.com or byron@thedrive.com.