PARIS – A letter from the U.S. District Court offering a refund on credit cards is legit, according to the consumer outreach specialist of the state’s Bureau of Financial Institutions.

Approximately 30 million people nationwide have received a letter from the District Court saying the bearer is entitled to a refund of credit card fees following a $336 million settlement, according to the Associated Press. The case accused credit card companies of overcharging in foreign currency conversions and failing to disclose all fees.

According to the letter, the fees apply to Visa, MasterCard, and Diners Club credit, charge, or debit cards and are based on foreign transactions conducted between 1996 and 2006.

The letter offers three refund options, the easiest of which offers a $25 refund. The option is recommended for people who spent less than $2,500 abroad.

The other options, geared toward people who spent more time and money abroad, offer a refund based on the percentage of spending. The option offering the largest refund asks the applicant for the last four digits of their Social Security number and bank account numbers.

“Use caution, but it isn’t a scam,” said Linda Hooker, administrator for the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.

Hooker had previously warned that the letter might not be legit. She said several people from the region had called in to question the letter.

“The one thing they all had in common was they had all been to Canada,” she said.

Hooker said she was unsure about some aspects of the letter, including why the credit card companies are offering mail-in refunds rather than account credits.