A class action is filed on behalf of a group of customers harmed by the same practice, for example a fee charged not in accordance with the fee schedule. According to the bank's financial report for the first quarter of 2025, 16 material motions to certify a class action are pending against it and its subsidiaries. This page collects 20 decisions that have already been given.
Claims certified as class actions
Interest on current account credit balances: class action certified against Mizrahi Tefahot and three other banks
Judge Shmuel Bornstein certified a class action against four banks, including Mizrahi Tefahot, over the non-payment of interest on credit balances in current accounts, on the cause of action of unjust enrichment. The period: April 2022 to May 20, 2025.
Class Action 22486-04-20 Cyberlogic: class action certified against Mizrahi Tefahot over the SWIFT fee
Judge Doron Hasdai certified a class action against three banks, including Mizrahi Tefahot, on the claim that they charged large businesses a SWIFT fee in addition to the transfer fee on foreign currency transfers. The claim of an additional charge beyond the fee schedule was rejected.
Bank guarantee issuance fee: class action certified against Mizrahi Tefahot
According to the bank's annual report, the court certified a class action against the bank on one fee, the fee for issuing a bank guarantee to individuals and small businesses, and rejected the motion regarding the other fees.
Zimmerman v. Mizrahi Tefahot: class action certified over the minimum fee on a securities deposit
The court allowed a class action in the scope of tens of millions of shekels to be brought against the bank, and held that the bank's interpretation of the fee schedule regarding the minimum securities deposit management fee is not consistent with its wording.
Approved settlements
Early repayment fee on a multi-track mortgage: Mizrahi Tefahot will pay NIS 5.5 million in a settlement
According to the bank's report, the court approved a settlement that includes a payment of NIS 5.5 million to the Class Actions Fund and improved disclosure to customers on the calculation of early repayment fees on multi-track mortgages.
Class Action 28695-05-16 Shefagat: settlement approved with Mizrahi Tefahot over small business classification
The court approved a settlement in a class action alleging that the bank classified corporations entitled to "small business" status as a "large business" and overcharged them fees. Under the agreement, the bank will pay NIS 17,855,040 for the period through the end of 2024, without admission.
Class Action 18101-09-20 Smooha: Mizrahi Tefahot will pay NIS 1 million in compensation over correspondent bank fees
The court approved a settlement under which Mizrahi Tefahot will compensate eligible customers with NIS 1,000,000 for failing to disclose in advance correspondent bank expenses on foreign currency transfers.
Class Action 56373-06-21 Beck and Tevel: Mizrahi Tefahot will refund fees for duplicate lawyers' warning letters
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will refund 90% of the fee difference it charged for duplicate series of lawyers' warning letters; according to the bank's affidavit, the refund stood at NIS 2,226,900 as of May 31, 2024.
Class Action 10099-05-20 Lapiner: Mizrahi Tefahot will refund at least NIS 2.7 million in currency exchange fees
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will refund customers differences in the currency exchange fee charged on foreign currency purchases online and through the staffed call center without the benefit set in the fee schedule, in an amount of no less than NIS 2,700,000.
Class Action 39049-04-21 Cyberlogic: Mizrahi Tefahot will refund securities redemption fees
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will refund customers part of the difference in the securities redemption fee charged at the teller rate instead of the direct channel rate; the bank estimated the refund at NIS 1,125,500.
Class Action 30742-08-18 Tidan: Mizrahi Tefahot will credit businesses for quarterly management fees
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will credit "large business" customers with the proportional part of quarterly management fees charged in advance after an account was closed; the scope of the refund was estimated at NIS 729,815 in nominal terms.
Class Action 41639-12-17 Shif: Mizrahi Tefahot will refund interest differences to variable-rate mortgage borrowers and grant a future discount
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will refund borrowers part of the interest differences resulting from the activation of an "emergency protection mechanism" on bond-anchored mortgages, and will grant a future discount. The settlement set a refund of 22.5% of the differences; the court reduced the award and legal fees and ordered the amount saved to be added to the refund and the discount. According to the bank's estimate before the addition: a refund of about NIS 26.2 million and a discount of about NIS 18.5 million.
Class Action 35618-05-11 Dimri: Mizrahi Tefahot will align inflated debt balances in execution files
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will align inflated debt balances in execution files with the balance in the bank's books and compensate debtors whose files were closed, due to late reporting of payments and interest gaps.
Class Action 8929-08-11 Hagma: settlement over legal expenses Mizrahi Tefahot allegedly charged without court approval
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will refund customers against whom collection proceedings were taken an average amount to be set by sampling, for legal expenses not approved by a judicial body and interest charged on them.
Early repayment fee on a "supplementary loan": Mizrahi Tefahot will refund overcharged fees
The court approved a settlement under which the bank will automatically refund early repayment fees overcharged due to a computer error, and will refund upon request fees overcharged on a "supplementary loan" given before a directed loan, going back up to seven years.
Excess tax withheld at source: settlement in a class action against Mizrahi Tefahot and other banks
According to the bank's annual report, in April 2013 the court approved a settlement and gave it the force of a judgment, in a class action alleging that the banks withheld excess tax at source from interest and dividends by not deducting the fees from the yield.
Judgments and decisions the bank lost
Class Action 2959-01-19 Keren Aviv: Mizrahi Tefahot ordered to pay NIS 82.4 million over a warning notice fee
The court ordered the bank to pay the class members total compensation of NIS 82,414,646 plus differentials, for unlawfully charging a warning notice fee.
Class Action 24372-08-19 Yuval Amir: court finds prima facie that Mizrahi Tefahot's blanket refusal of crypto funds was not reasonable
The court found, prima facie, that the bank's policy of blanket refusal to deposit funds from the sale of digital currency was not reasonable, but rejected the motion to certify the claim as a class action. An award of NIS 5,000 and legal fees of NIS 35,000 were granted.
Leave to Appeal (Civil) 8674/19 Shefagat: Supreme Court orders Mizrahi Tefahot and Igud to provide data on "small business" classification
The Supreme Court granted motions for leave to appeal filed by class action applicants, ordered Mizrahi Tefahot to provide data on the rate of businesses classified as a "small business" and Bank Igud to provide "know your customer" questionnaires, and ordered the banks to pay costs (Mizrahi NIS 10,000, Igud NIS 5,000).
Class Action 2959-01-19 Keren Aviv: court holds Mizrahi Tefahot unlawfully charged a warning notice fee
The court allowed the class action and held that the bank unlawfully charged a fee for a first notice of an arrear or an excess balance, although its fee schedule allowed charging only from the second notice.
How do I know if I am owed a refund?
- Find the class definition and the period on the decision page. Only those who meet the definition are eligible.
- Read the notice the bank published about the settlement. Mizrahi Tefahot publishes such notices on its website.
- Check your account statements for a credit that mentions the case number. In many settlements the credit is automatic.
- If you did not receive a credit and you meet the definition, contact the bank in writing and keep a copy.
Questions and answers
Do I need to join a class action against Mizrahi Tefahot?
No. Anyone who meets the class definition is included in it automatically. Anyone who does not want to be part of it can ask to opt out by the date the court sets.
What is the difference between class certification and a judgment?
Class certification only determines that the claim will be conducted on behalf of the class. A judgment or approval of a settlement determines whether, and how much, the bank will pay.
How many class actions are pending against Mizrahi Tefahot Bank?
According to the bank's financial report for the first quarter of 2025, 16 material motions to certify a class action. The total number of motions, including non-material ones, is higher.
To the full database of court rulings against Mizrahi Tefahot ›
The database is built from public sources: texts of judgments, the bank's immediate reports, annual reports and reports in the business press. Some decisions may be subject to appeal. If you know of a decision missing here, or a decision that was reversed on appeal, you are welcome to contact us through the site. The database is not legal advice.