Costco to Pay $14 Million Settlement Over Misleading Emails to Washington Shoppers

Costco Wholesale Corp. agreed to a $14 million settlement to resolve a class‑action lawsuit accusing the retailer of sending deceptive promotional emails that violated Washington’s Commercial Electronic Mail Act. The lawsuit, filed as Aaland v. Costco Wholesale Corp., alleged that subject lines such as “Today is the last day to access Member‑Only Savings” created a false sense of urgency while the offers continued beyond the advertised deadlines.

The settlement will be distributed equally among eligible Washington residents who received the emails between June 2021 and July 2026, after attorneys’ fees, litigation costs and service awards are deducted. Each class member may submit only one claim form, with a filing deadline of August 30 (or August 24, 2026, per later reports). A federal judge in Seattle is scheduled to consider final approval on October 9. Payments, if approved, may be issued by paper check, Venmo, PayPal or other electronic methods. Costco denies wrongdoing but opted to settle, providing a monetary remedy to shoppers who felt misled.