CenturyLink ordered to pay $6.1 million to settle lawsuit

OLYMPIA — CenturyLink has been ordered to pay $6.1 million to Washington state to settle a lawsuit over hidden fees on customer bills.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson says the internet company added charges to customer bills without accurately disclosing those fees, impacting 650,000 Washingtonians.

KCPQ-TV reports CenturyLink also failed to provide discounts that their sales agents had promised to about 16,000 Washington residents.

About $900,000 of the money has been or will be directly refunded to Washington consumers to make up for discounts they were promised, but did not receive, the AG’s office said.

Ferguson will set aside the remainder until a nationwide class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota is resolved.

If the roughly 650,000 eligible Washington residents receive less than full restitution through the class action, the remainder of the $6.1 million will be distributed to residents who haven’t gotten everything they are owed.

If the class action lawsuit does give full restitution, Ferguson’s office will use the money to continue funding the Honest Fees Initiative.