ANZ customers have started receiving hundreds of dollars in their accounts as a result of a class action lawsuit against the major Australian bank. Earlier this year, ANZ agreed to settle the suit related to interest charged on personal credit cards.

The total payout was $57.5 million, however, once lawyer fees were subtracted, Aussies who signed up would share in $34.1 million. The settlement happened in March but payments have finally started to pour in.

One customer said they received $630 — others weren't as "lucky".

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"I got an email ages ago asking me if I wanted to join," class action member George Fox said.

"At first, I thought it was a scam. Turns out, not a scam.

"I got the email today with how much I'm getting ... So the settlement sum is $57 million... my cut of it is $2.71... Yeah, we are going to be eating lobster for Christmas this year."

Others have reported a wide range of payout amounts.

"I got just over $24. I think I’m feeling lucky," said one person.

"$73... What a time to be alive," added another.

"I got like $208 ... But no actual idea what it's for," wrote a third.

"$49 - considering I didn’t even remember having an ANZ card I’m pretty happy," commented a fourth.

What was the class action lawsuit against ANZ for?

The class action lawsuit was launched against ANZ by law firm Phi Finney McDonald.

It was alleged that ANZ's "interest-free" credit card contracts contained "unfair terms" and that the bank engaged in "unconscionable conduct" that caused "loss and damage" to cardholders.

The bank's policy made it virtually impossible for the average customer to understand how interest would be calculated and how much they would be slugged.

Customers were also allegedly charged interest on purchases that had been repaid on time, and also retroactively charged interest on what had previously been interest-free purchases.

Charging retroactive interest on credit cards with an interest-free period has been outlawed since January 2019.

ANZ customers who had an “interest-free” personal credit card between 1 July 2010 to 31 December 2018 and were charged interest on purchases made on that credit card during that period were eligible to join the class action.

“We believe the proposed settlement is an excellent outcome for group members,” Phi Finney McDonald principal lawyer Brett Spiegel said when the settlement was agreed earlier this year.