New Mexicans who borrowed from FastBucks between 2007 and 2016 can claim a share of about $964,000 the State recovered for them — but the restitution notice warns that accepting the payment may bar you from recovering damages in your own lawsuit against the same lender over the same practices. That trade-off is the decision to weigh before the November 24, 2026 deadline. Filing is free, no documents are needed, and a borrower who never received a notice can still file.
Status: Claims open (state restitution program, not a class action) | Claim deadline November 24, 2026, 11:59:59 p.m. MST online or postmarked | Payments expected to begin April 2027 | Amount not announced
A State Judgment, Not a Class Action
In 2009 the State of New Mexico sued FastBucks Holding Corporation and related defendants, alleging that after the Legislature’s 2007 payday-lending reforms, the lenders reworked their products to get around the new rules and steered borrowers into costlier installment loans. The case is State of New Mexico v. FastBucks Holding Corporation, et al., No. D-101-CV-2009-01917, in the First Judicial District Court for Santa Fe County.
In 2016 the court entered a Final Judgment concluding the FastBucks defendants should pay restitution to consumer borrowers who appeared in the loan data the defendants gave the State and were adversely affected by the practices at issue. The New Mexico Department of Justice announced that November that the judgment came to roughly $32.25 million in restitution. That money did not reach borrowers then.
What is new in 2026 is the payout program. The Department and its Restitution Administrator, EisnerAmper (Eisner Advisory Group LLC), opened a notice and claims process using the loan data, mailing and email records and address research. Because this is a restitution program under a judgment, there is no certified class, no opt-out, no objection deadline and no fairness hearing.
Read This Before You Cash the Payment
The notice gives a full question to the legal effect of accepting money. Restitution here may be subject to NMSA 1978, Section 57-12-9, which provides that a person does not have to accept restitution, but that accepting it bars recovery of damages in any action by or on behalf of that person against the same defendant over the same unlawful practice.
The notice points to a 2023 ruling in a related New Mexico case, State of New Mexico v. Infinity Loans of Albuquerque, New Mexico, LLC, et al., No. D-101-CV-2021-00667 (1st Jud. Dist. Ct. May 15, 2023), and says plainly that a person who accepts restitution through this program may be barred from recovering damages in their own lawsuit over the business practices or entities involved in this and related litigation. It adds that the effect can depend on where the funds came from, on the law that applies and on personal circumstances.
Neither EisnerAmper nor the Department of Justice can give legal advice. A borrower who thinks a damages claim might be worth more than a restitution check is directed to a lawyer before accepting, depositing or cashing anything. Not filing, by contrast, carries no equivalent risk: the notice says declining to file does not by itself mean accepting restitution or releasing any rights.
Who Can Claim
Eligibility comes from the program’s records, not a class definition. A person may be eligible if those records show they were a consumer borrower in the loan data FastBucks gave the State and were adversely affected by the practices at issue. In plain terms, the notice tells anyone who took out one or more FastBucks loans between 2007 and 2016 that they may qualify.
| You have a notice with a Claim ID (format ABC-1234567) | Enter it on the form. The administrator matches you to existing records, and supporting documents are usually unnecessary. |
| You have no notice or no Claim ID | Complete Part 2: either your FastBucks loan ID numbers (shown on loan documents or payment receipts), or both the approximate dates of your loans and the approximate number of loans. Former names and other addresses tied to the loans are optional. |
| You are filing for someone else | Part 3 covers a deceased borrower, an estate or a legal entity. State your relationship and legal authority; estate, guardianship or power-of-attorney papers may be requested. |
Nothing is uploaded, and the notice asks filers not to send original loan documents or other sensitive information unless the administrator requests them.
Why No Amount Is Published
The gross recovery tied to this matter is approximately $964,000, according to the Department of Justice. The net available for payments will be set under the final program rules after approved administrative expenses and any required adjustments. The notice does not explain the gap between that figure and the 2016 judgment; it says only that the State later recovered funds through related proceedings and negotiated agreements.
Individual awards will follow a final distribution methodology that may weigh the loan-level data for each borrower, net overpayment calculations, the number of valid claims, the net funds available, and minimum or maximum payment rules. A borrower with several loans may therefore be assessed differently from one with a single loan, and no one can estimate a per-person figure until claims close. Receiving a notice does not mean a particular amount is owed.
Filing Checklist
The notice recommends filing online through the official FastBucks restitution claim portal, which runs in four steps: the Claim ID question, claimant information, certification and payment choice, and confirmation. Program information, court documents and a Spanish-language version are on the FastBucks NM Restitution website.
- Payment method: check, PayPal, Venmo or Zelle. Electronic options need the phone number or email tied to that account; checks go to the address in Part 1.
- Address: confirm it if you have moved since your FastBucks loans.
- Signature: a mailed form is signed under penalty of perjury under New Mexico law and is incomplete without it.
- One route only: keep a copy, and do not file the same claim both online and by mail.
Contact and payment details can be updated after filing through the update page on the official website. The administrator will not ask anyone to pay to release a payment; reach the program only through its official site.
After the Deadline
Claims are reviewed against program records, and the administrator may contact filers whose identity, address, authority or entitlement it cannot confirm. Approved payments are expected to begin during April 2027, a schedule the notice says may change. Depending on the final rules and the payment size, tax information may be collected or tax forms issued. Claim information may be shared with the Department of Justice, vendors, payment processors, banks and courts as needed to run the program. Updates are tracked on the FastBucks restitution page at OpenClassActions.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can accepting a FastBucks restitution payment affect my right to sue?
It may. The notice says acceptance may be subject to NMSA 1978, Section 57-12-9, under which accepting restitution bars recovering damages against the same defendant for the same unlawful practice. It recommends talking to your own lawyer before accepting, depositing or cashing a payment if you think you have a damages claim.
Can I file without a Claim ID Number?
Yes. Complete Part 2 of the form with either your FastBucks loan ID numbers, or both the approximate dates and the approximate number of your loans. No documents are uploaded.
How much will I get from the FastBucks restitution program?
No amount has been announced. About $964,000 gross was recovered, and the net available will be set under the final program rules. Individual awards depend on loan data, net overpayment calculations, the number of valid claims and other program rules.
What is the deadline?
November 24, 2026 at 11:59:59 p.m. MST for online claims, or a postmark by November 24, 2026 for mailed forms. There is no opt-out or objection deadline because this is not a class action.
When will payments be made?
The notice says approved payments are expected to begin during April 2027, after claims are reviewed, and that the schedule may change.
Can I file for a borrower who has died?
Yes. Part 3 of the claim form covers deceased borrowers, estates and legal entities. You state your relationship and legal authority, and the administrator may ask for documentation.
Sources
- FastBucks Restitution Program Long Form Notice and Claim Form, State of New Mexico v. FastBucks Holding Corporation, et al., No. D-101-CV-2009-01917 (1st Jud. Dist. Ct., Santa Fe County).
- Official program website and FAQ — FastBucksNMRestitution.com, and the online claim portal, administered by EisnerAmper.
- New Mexico Department of Justice announcement of the November 2016 FastBucks judgment.
- OpenClassActions.com — FastBucks New Mexico Restitution Program.
Source and credit: the settlement terms, deadlines and benefit details described above are drawn from our sister site’s reporting — OpenClassActions.com: FastBucks New Mexico Restitution Program — Payments for Borrowers Under the 2016 Final Judgment — which tracks this case against the court-approved notice and the official settlement website and is updated as the court rules.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. OpenClassActions.org is a consumer news site, not a law firm and not the settlement administrator, and is not affiliated with any party to the case described. The allegations are allegations; unless a court has ruled, the defendants deny wrongdoing and no court has decided the merits. Deadlines, benefit amounts and payment timing can change as the court and the administrator act, so confirm current status on the official settlement website. You never need to pay anyone to file a claim or to receive a settlement payment.