Verizon Outage Credit: Get Your $20 Outage Credit Now

After a widespread Verizon outage left many customers without service for nearly 10 hours last week, the carrier is offering a one-time $20 credit to affected users.

But there’s a catch: Credit won’t be automatically added to your account – you have to redeem it yourself.

“This debt is not meant to make up for what happened. There is no debt we can really afford. But it is a way to value our customers’ time and show that this is important to us,” Verizon said in a statement on Jan. 15.

Downdetector, a downtime tracking service, reported that nearly 2.3 million Verizon customers experienced wireless and data outages in Jan. 14. Verizon has since said the outage was caused by a software problem, not a cybersecurity breach.

If your phone is still experiencing connection problems, Verizon recommends restarting it to reconnect to the network. But if you were one of the many customers left in SOS mode during last week’s outage, you’ll need to take a few steps to get your money back.

Here’s how to claim your $20 Verizon credit.

Sign in to your My Verizon account to get your $20 credit

Verizon has been sending text messages to customers, informing them that a $20 account credit is available. If you receive one of these messages, by tapping on the link you should open the My Verizon app, where you’ll see an “Apply Now” button to claim credit.

If you prefer to avoid clicking on links in texts, you can sign in to your Verizon account directly through the app or website and look for the “Take Action” button to claim your credit. Once claimed, the credit should appear on your bill within one to two billing cycles, according to Verizon.

Are customers eligible for more than $20?

Some customers and reports circulating online suggest that when people have documented actual losses related to the outage — for example, income because they rely on their phone for work — Verizon support representatives have agreed to large credits, with one Reddit user reporting a $200 payout after losing a day of gig work due to the outage, as reported by PC Mag.

However, these appear to be case-by-case results based on conversations with Verizon customer service, not a guaranteed benefit. Verizon declined to comment on the availability of super credits when reached by Money.

That said, if you’ve experienced a significant impact since the termination, you may need to contact Verizon customer service to see if a larger credit can be applied.

It’s also important to note that the credit is per account, not per line, so multiple phones on the same plan still only get one $20 credit.

Beware of scam messages

Local law enforcement has warned that scammers are trying to exploit Verizon’s outage bill by sending fake text messages and emails looking to help you get your $20 bill back.

For example, the Jones County, Georgia, sheriff’s office wrote in a Facebook post that some of these messages include links designed to steal personal or account information or even install malware on your device. “DO NOT click on the link,” the office said.

Although Verizon sends official text messages with links to your My Verizon account, Verizon will never ask for sensitive personal or payment information just to use this credit. To avoid any confusion and stay safe, log into your Verizon account directly to claim your $20.

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