Consumerist
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lawsuits
Bank of America Wins Right To Seize Social Security Benefits To Pay Overdraft Fees
The California Supreme Court has effectively reversed a 2004 San Francisco trial court decision that ordered BofA to pay $284.4 million in damages to more than 1.1 million customers. The California Supreme Court ruled that banks can tap Social Security benefits in bank accounts to cover bounced-check fees, a practice consumer advocates say is abusive because Federal law prohibits Social Security benefits from being seized to pay a debt. California law apparently doesn't consider overdraft fees to be debt, so the fee party will be allowed to rock on indefinitely.
[USAToday]
(Photo:The Cornballer) -
class actions
Girls Gone Wild Class Action Settlement Reached
A settlement has been reached in the class action lawsuit against Girls Gone Wild for sending and charging customers for DVDs they didn't order. After ordering one DVD, defendants Mantra Films, Inc., MRA Holdings LLC and Joe Francis were alleged to enroll customers in a monthly video club plan without the member's knowledge or consent and charge their credit card without authorizations. Depending on how much proof of purchase they have, class members can get a refund for the videos, shipping costs, or a discount on future jug-jiggling videos. More info at the settlement website, ggwsettlement.com.
PREVIOUSLY: Girls Gone Wild Customers: "For God's Sake! Stop Sending Me Boobs!" (Photo: Wormbrain)
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class actions
Nationwide Insurance Class Action Settlement Proposed
A settlement has been proposed in a class action against Nationwide Insurance. The suit says Nationwide should pay for both the car's repair and depreciated value for policyholders hit by underinsured drivers or involved in hit-and-run accidents. For those who qualify and file, it could mean thousands.
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class actions
Hey, First Generation iPod Nano Owners, Come And Get Your $25
Apple has agreed to pay $22.5 million to settle a class action suit brought by owners of the notoriously scratchy first-generation iPod Nanos. Under the agreement, owners of the scratch magnets will be entitled to either a $25 or $15 cash refund, depending on whether or not their Nano included a carrying case. More » -
bank of america
Claim Your Share ($78) Of The Bank Of America Overdraft Settlement
Bank of America has settled a class action lawsuit over its dirty overdraft tricks—things like approving transactions that generate overdraft fees, for example, or clearing transactions in high-to-low order to increase the number of overdrafts. If you're a former customer of BoA, Fleet, LaSalle Bank or United Trust Company, you can claim your part of the settlement fund.
More »
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class actions
Mark Your Calendars: Massive Cosmetics Giveaway Set For Inauguration Day
Americans face a tough choice Tuesday morning: watch Barack Obama's historic inauguration, or storm department stores to take advantage of a first-come, first-serve cosmetics giveaway worth $175 million. More » -
class actions
Get $90 Or $35 In The Sprint Early Termination Fee Settlement
A proposed settlement has been reached in the class action lawsuit against Sprint over early termination fees (ETF). It seems to basically apply to anyone who has had a time-based contact with Sprint that had an etf clause it i.e. most Sprint wireless customers. You get $90 if you were charged an ETF and can provide proof, and $35 if you didn't cancel a contract for fear of getting charged an ETF. You can file at www.sprintetfsettlement.com, and get a more in-depth and explainer of the terms over at Top Class Actions.
(Photo: xanteen)
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text messages
Wireless Carriers Tell Senate: "Text Messaging Rates Have Dropped, And Your Queries Have Led To Lawsuits Against Us!"
The national wireless carriers have responded to the Senate's request for information on why its text-messaging fees have doubled over the past three years. Their collective response: they haven't gotten more expensive, they've gotten cheaper—and your public suspicion of our business practices has led to lots of class action lawsuits! More » -
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class actions
Ringtone Scam Class Action Settlement Announced
We've known how "free" ringtones and other "free" cellphone content comeons are often lures to get you signed up on a hidden monthly subscription, and now there's a class action lawsuit settlement to punish MobileMessenger, one of their purveyors. The settlement covers customers from every cellphone provider who bought content from January 1, 2005 to August 13, 2008. If you paid for your kids cellphone plan during that time, chances are they ordered some. You can check your bills for any the "short codes" (listed inside) or call 1-800-416-6129. The deadline for filing a claim is January 30, 2009. More information about Gray v. Mobile Messenger at cellphonedownloads.class-action-admin.com.
[via TopClassActions] More »
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class actions
Cellphone Extras Aggregator Mobile Messenger Agrees To Pay Out Triple Damages
If you or your teen racked up surprise monthly fees from Mobile Messenger after texting a random code to a strange number because the tv told you to, then you may be eligible for a refund, if not triple damages. More » -
apple
Apple Offers Cash To Powerbook, iBook Owners With Defective Power Adapters
Apple has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit prompted by PowerBook and iBook power adapters that could fray, break, or dazzle the eyes with spectacular bursts of dangerous sparks. Anyone whose power adapter failed within three years of purchase and then bought a replacement adapter is a part of the settlement. More » -
timberland
Timberland Offering Up To $150 To Recipients Of Its Text Message Spam
Did you receive text message spam from Timberland between 2003 and last month? If so, you may be eligible for $150 in we're-not-admitting-guilt apology money from them, according to Info World:
Under the terms of a preliminary settlement agreement, [Timberland and e-commerce company GSI] will pay $7 million into a cash fund to reimburse those who received the messages, according to KamberEdelson LLC, one of the law firms that helped bring the suit.
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class actions
Find Class Action Settlements At Topclassactions.com
If you want to know about the latest class action settlements as soon as they're available, check out topclassactions.com. There's an infrequently emailed newsletter to keep you posted as the settlements become available for joining, or just bookmark their open settlement page. Once you get over some of the hyperbolic language and unnecessary all-caps, the site is pretty useful because if you've ever tried Googling for class actions, there's tons of crap and scam sites, and it's nice to have a site with all the information under decent organization.
TopClassAction [Official Site]
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class actions
One Day Left To Register For TransUnion Class Action Lawsuit
September 24, tomorrow, is the last day to register for the class action against TransUnion for selling consumer's private data to businesses without permission. If you held a credit card between January 1, 1987 to May 28, 2008, you're eligible to receive benefits. You can choose from one of three options: More » -
class actions
Vienna "All Beef" Hot Dogs Are Made With Sheep, Pigs
Sorry Chicagoans, your beloved Vienna "100% All Beef" hot dogs are actually encased in sheep and pigs, according to a recently settled class action suit. Under the settlement, all class members—anyone in the U.S. who bought a Vienna hot dog at a hot dog stand in the past five years—are entitled to $3 per consumed hog dog. To submit a claim, visit caclawyers.com/viennasettlement.html and follow the procedures listed there.
In Re Vienna Beef Ltd. Litigation: CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT INFORMATION [The Consumer Advocacy Center]
Just in Time for Lunch: Hot Dogs & the Law, Part I [Wall Street Journal Law Blog]
(Photo: Meghann Marco) -
class actions
Join The Verizon ETF Class Action
Wanna get in on the Verizon Early Termination Fee class action settlement? I did and went to verizonETFsettlement.com just like the postcard told me. Basically, if you were a Verizon Wireless customer from July 23, 1999 to August 10, 2008, and you were either charged an ETF, whether you paid it or not, you could be eligible for a piece of a $21 million pie (after the attorneys get their fees first), just file a claim form by October 14.
In typical fashion, I tried filing a claim but the site keeps timing out. Something to bookmark and check in on later and hope they fixed it. Even when you think you're giving Verizon its comeuppance, somehow you get screwed over.UPDATE: The website seems to be fixed now. By the way, at the end you will have to print out and mail in forms. They want you to attach documentation of your ETF. If you don't have documentation, you can still make a claim but you will get a lesser amount.VerizonETFSettlement [Official Site] (Photo: Ben Vershbow)
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Just a reminder: you can get free credit reporting services for at least six months by participating in a class action settlement against TransUnion. Carey posted details about it back in June; the deadline to participate is September 24th. (Thanks to Michael!)
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lawsuits
AT&T's Arbitration Clause Strips Consumers Of Their Rights
We just love the word unconscionable. You know who doesn't love it? AT&T. Their mandatory binding arbitration clause was ruled unconscionable by the state Supreme Court of Washington, after AT&T tried to prevent a consumer who believed he was being systematically overcharged from filing a class action lawsuit. More »
class actions
New York, 6:57 PM
Thu Jul 2
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