Stoff v. Wells Fargo: The $56.85 Million CARES Act Settlement Behind the “Stoff” Checks
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If a check or envelope says “Stoff class action settlement fund,” it comes from Stoff v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. — a $56.85 million settlement for California homeowners whose Wells Fargo mortgage went into a CARES Act forbearance in the pandemic and was then reported to the credit bureaus as “in forbearance.” The court approved it on June 10, 2026. Payment is automatic: no claim form. Checks must be cashed within 90 days.
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology
Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated
What the Stoff Wells Class Action Was About
The CARES Act, signed March 27, 2020, told lenders that if they gave a borrower a pandemic accommodation such as a forbearance, they had to keep reporting an account that was current beforehand as current. The lawsuit alleges that Wells Fargo instead reported California borrowers' accounts to consumer reporting agencies as “in forbearance” (or something similar), that this information was inaccurate or incomplete, and that borrowers were harmed by it.
Wells Fargo denies all of the claims, denies that it violated any law and denies that it furnished inaccurate information. The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing, and the court never ruled for either side on the merits.
Case Details
Stoff v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Case No. 37-2020-00020808-CU-BT-CTL, Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, before Judge Katherine A. Bacal (Dept. C-63). The plaintiff, Michael Stoff, filed the complaint on June 18, 2020. Wells Fargo removed the case to federal court in 2021 (Stoff v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., No. 3:21-cv-00793, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, Judge Roger T. Benitez); the federal judge granted the motion to remand in November 2021 and the case went back to San Diego. That federal file is the same dispute, not a second lawsuit with its own payout.
The state court certified the class on February 5, 2024, granted preliminary approval of the settlement on January 9, 2026, held the final hearing on May 15, 2026 and entered final approval and judgment on June 10, 2026. Official site, run by the administrator A.B. Data, Ltd.: CaresActLitigation.com.
Status: Approved; Mailing Deadline of End of August 2026 Has Passed
That is why so many people are searching for “stoff wells settlement” since late August. The name on a check or a bank deposit line is often the case name, not the bank's, so a payment marked “Stoff” leaves people unsure what it is. Our search data since August 31 is consistent with checks arriving, but that is an inference — see our search-data analysis and the September 30 court-record check. The objection deadline (March 25, 2026) has passed; there is nothing left to file.
Who Gets a Stoff Settlement Check
The class certified on February 5, 2024 covers mortgagors with a mortgage on property located in California whose accounts were “current,” who received a CARES Act forbearance on or after March 27, 2020, and whose accounts Wells Fargo reported to a consumer reporting agency as “in forbearance” or something similar. Under the notice, “current” means your payment was between 0 and 29 days past due when you first contacted Wells Fargo about the forbearance.
You did not need to sign up. Class members were identified from Wells Fargo's own records, and anyone who did not opt out receives an equal share. If you had a Wells Fargo mortgage outside California, or never took a CARES Act forbearance, a “Stoff” check is not for you — and Wells Fargo has settled several unrelated cases, which our Wells Fargo CARES Act tracker helps tell apart.
How Much the Stoff Class Action Settlement Fund Pays
The only per-person figure in the court record is class counsel's own estimate, quoted in the tentative ruling for the December 5, 2025 preliminary-approval hearing: about $255 plus accrued interest per class member if all requested fees and expenses were granted. The court granted no more than was requested, so a check near that figure is plausible — but it is an estimate, not a promise. Our payout calculator shows how pro rata math works.
Uncashed money does not go back to Wells Fargo. It is split evenly among class members who cashed their first check, if that comes to at least $5 each; otherwise it goes to the non-profit Credit Builders Alliance. Cashing your check on time is what keeps you in line for any second round.
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 107,049 federal civil cases of this typeclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2025, 11% of them filed as class actions:
- 46.9% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 27.4% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 46.9% and 74.2%.
- 3.8% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 749 reached a trial (0.1%), after a median of 21.2 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 4.8 months.
- Only 1,144 of them (1.1%) record a money award at all; the median of those is $10,000.
These are base rates for this type of case — not a prediction about this lawsuit, and not legal advice. Source: Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (civil), analysed by Settlement Insight. Cases heard in state courts are not included.
Stoff v. Wells Fargo Timeline
- 1
June 18, 2020 — Lawsuit Filed in San Diego
Michael Stoff files a class action in San Diego Superior Court alleging Wells Fargo misreported CARES Act forbearances to the credit bureaus.
- 2
2021 — Federal Detour, Then Remand
Wells Fargo removes the case to federal court (No. 3:21-cv-00793). In November 2021 the federal judge grants remand and the case returns to state court.
- 3
February 5, 2024 — Class Certified
The court certifies a class of California mortgagors whose current accounts were reported as “in forbearance” after a CARES Act forbearance.
- 4
January 9, 2026 — $56.85M Deal Preliminarily Approved
The court preliminarily approves the $56,850,000 settlement. Notices go out; the objection deadline is March 25, 2026.
- 5
June 10, 2026 — Final Approval and Judgment
After the May 15, 2026 hearing, the court grants final approval and awards 30% in fees, $190,000 in expenses and a $90,000 service award.
- 6
End of August 2026 — Checks Due
A.B. Data's deadline to mail equal checks. As of October 5, 2026, the official site has not confirmed the mailing or posted an amount. Each check is void after 90 days.
Three Stoff Settlement Scams to Watch For
An unfamiliar case name on a check, plus a deadline, is exactly what scammers work with:
“Verify your Stoff check” calls and texts
The real payment is a paper check in the mail. A.B. Data does not need your bank login, Social Security number or a “release fee” to pay you. Hang up and call the administrator yourself at 1-877-307-7268.
“File your Stoff claim” websites
There is no claim form in this settlement and there never was. The only official site is CaresActLitigation.com; type it in rather than clicking a link in a text or email.
Fake or altered “Stoff” checks
Fake settlement checks often come with a request to deposit and send part of the money back. A real Stoff check never asks for anything in return. If in doubt, call A.B. Data before depositing; do not use a phone number printed only on the suspicious item.
Stoff Wells Fargo Settlement — Questions People Actually Ask
What is the “Stoff class action settlement fund” check I received?
It is almost certainly your share of the $56.85 million settlement in Stoff v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., San Diego Superior Court No. 37-2020-00020808-CU-BT-CTL. The case is named after the plaintiff, Michael Stoff. It covers California homeowners whose Wells Fargo mortgage was reported “in forbearance” after a CARES Act forbearance.
Is the Stoff check real?
Genuine payments in this case are mailed checks from the administrator, A.B. Data, Ltd., and require nothing from you. To confirm one, contact A.B. Data at 1-877-307-7268, info@CaresActLitigation.com, or Wells Fargo CARES Act Mortgage Credit Reporting Class Action, c/o A.B. Data, Ltd., P.O. Box 173008, Milwaukee, WI 53217. The site asks people not to call the court.
How much is each Stoff settlement check?
No official amount has been posted. Class counsel estimated about $255 plus accrued interest per class member, as quoted in the court's tentative ruling for the December 5, 2025 hearing, and the court later awarded no more than was requested. Every class member gets the same amount.
Do I need to file a claim form?
No. The official FAQ says you do not need to take any action to receive a share; checks are mailed “without the need for claim forms or documentary proof.” The objection deadline was March 25, 2026, and final approval was granted on June 10, 2026.
How long do I have to cash the check?
90 days. The official FAQ says checks are voided after that. Go by the void date printed on your check; for a check issued August 31, 2026, day 90 would be November 29, 2026. Class members who do not cash in time lose any share of a second distribution.
I qualify but no check arrived. What now?
Contact A.B. Data at 1-877-307-7268 and confirm your mailing address. Many people moved after their 2020–2021 forbearance; before the final hearing, 8,305 notices had to be re-mailed to forwarding addresses and 6,063 more after skip tracing. Asking early matters because of the 90-day void rule.
Is the Stoff check taxable?
Tax treatment depends on what the payment compensates and on your own situation; the settlement documents we read do not address it. Our settlement tax calculator explains the general rules, and a tax professional can answer for your case.
Is this the same as other Wells Fargo settlements?
No. The Stoff case is only about CARES Act forbearance credit reporting for California mortgages. Other Wells Fargo settlements have different classes, administrators and payment schedules. If a payment names neither Stoff nor A.B. Data, it is probably a different case. More open cases are listed under open class action settlements.
Separate from this case: were you injured in the last 2 years?
Class-action payouts are fixed amounts through an administrator. A personal injury claim is a different case — and often worth far more. Free estimate, no obligation.
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