Yesterday, we shared the news that people have started to receive their settlement checks from the class action lawsuit that accused diamond merchants De Beers of price-fixing. (Gasp!) The first reader we heard from, Sean, was upset that he only received $48 back on a $3,000 claim, or about 1.6%. Other readers are happier with their settlements…but, to point out the obvious here, people with larger settlements are a lot happier, and people who spent more on shiny rocks in the first place received larger checks.

Take reader Aimee, for example. She’s happy and surprised with the check that she received in the mail this week, even though the proportion of the original diamond price that she received back is similar to Sean’s settlement. She writes:

I have a very nice engagement ring that was custom made using loose diamonds that my then boyfriend/now husband purchased. I believe the claim I filed for these 3 loose diamonds was in the range of $30,000. I had to go to the jeweler to get proof of the cost of my diamonds to send in with my claim. The jewelers told me I was wasting my time filing a claim. After filing, I really didn’t think about the claim any further. I just figured anything I got out of it would be gravy.

Well, today I received a check for $786.34! Woot! It seemed too good to be true. I googled the settlement. The first result was today’s article on Consumerist. Sean may not be impressed with $48 but I am freaking ecstatic! I am especially happy to know now that my check is legit.

Thank you Consumerist!

Out of a claim of $30,000, that means Aimee got about 2% back. She and her how-husband have $786 more than they did last week, and it’s money they didin’t really expect to see. David sent us a similar note:

Yesterday I arrived home to a completely unexpected $800 from the Debeers settlement and was thrilled. Its not every day you get an extra $800 showing up in your mailbox. Thanks Consumerist!

That’s true. That is not something that happens every day. Maybe it’s about expectations: Sean spoke to other class members who anticipated getting 10-20% back. Maybe people who anticipated such big returns would have been delighted to get a check if they had forgotten about the settlement entirely.

PREVIOUSLY:
Oh Look, It’s My $48 De Beers Class Action Settlement Check
Today Is The Last Day To Join The DeBeers Diamond Class-Action Settlement

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