The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission says it’s filed a lawsuit against Papa John’s Pizza, accusing the company of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act after firing a worker in Utah with Down syndrome. [More]
lawsuits
MGM Threatens To Sue Race For Recreating Rocky Balboa’s Epic Run
By 9.23.14
Here in Philadelphia, it’s rare to walk by the Art Museum steps without seeing some tourist trying to reenact the triumphant conclusion to Rocky Balboa’s training runs in Rocky and Rocky II. Movie studio MGM has no issue with selling out this iconic scene to a questionable payday loan operation, but if someone actually wants to use the word “Rocky” to organize a completely free running event that retraces the Italian Stallion’s jog through Philly, well… MGM has a problem with that. [More]
Court Shuts Down Bitcoin Mining Business For Failing To Deliver Paid-For Computers
By 9.23.14
A federal court has temporarily shut down a Missouri-based business that sold computers specifically designed for aiding users in the generation, or “mining,” of the virtual currency Bitcoin, saying the company took — and spent — customers’ money but waited more than a year to make good on orders for one device and has failed to deliver on another. [More]
Weight Loss Company Sues Website For Posting Customer Complaints
By 9.22.14
While state and federal lawmakers look for ways to outlaw retail terms of sale that penalize customers who publicly complain about a transaction, one diet supplement company is going after an online complaint site just because it allowed customers to post negative reviews in violation of the supplement company’s non-disparagement clause. [More]
Judge Hits Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme With $40.7 Million Penalty
By 9.19.14
If someone convinces you to invest with him by promising returns of 7% weekly, and that he’s never lost money and there’s no risk, you should be incredibly concerned about giving him your money, regardless of whether it’s a dollar or a Bitcoin. But the operator of a Bitcoin-based Ponzi scheme in Texas was able to rake in millions based on completely empty promises — and now has to pay it all back. [More]
Yelp Swears It Doesn’t Manipulate Reviews, Even Though It’s Allowed To
By 9.19.14
Earlier this month, a federal appeals court held that Yelp is free to shuffle positive and negative reviews around at will, and can even use that freedom as a way to urge businesses to advertise on the site. But even in light of this ruling, Yelp maintains that buying ads on the site does not determine which reviews show up for your business. [More]
Court Shuts Down $11 Million High School Diploma Mill
By 9.19.14
Not everyone graduates from high school, but for nearly a decade, a company in Florida has been offering what it claims are “official” diplomas from “accredited” schools to consumers who took an online test (and paid betweeen $200 to $300). Except federal authorities say these diplomas are as bogus as they sound, and this company has allegedly scammed consumers for at least $11.1 million. [More]
Feds Sue Corinthian Colleges For Pushing More Than $560M In Predatory Loans On Students
By 9.16.14
Tens of thousands of students were duped by Corinthian Colleges Inc. into taking out costly predatory, and often financially devastating, private student loans to finance their post-secondary education, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau alleges in a recently filed lawsuit against the large for-profit education company. [More]
Woman Sues McDonald’s After Chowing Down On Nametag Instead Of French Fries
By 9.15.14
It’s nearly impossible to resist the urge to grab a handful of french fries after making your way through the McDonald’s drive-thru on your way home. But as one woman found out recently, patience is indeed a virtue, and it might stop you from munching on a plastic nametag instead of a french fry. [More]
Complain All You Want, California! State Outlaws Silly Non-Disparagement Clauses
By 9.10.14
In the wake of lawsuits over online retailers that try to charge customers huge fees for allegedly violating “non-disparagement” clauses that prohibit customers from complaining about their transactions, lawmakers in California have approved a bill outlawing the ridiculous practice. [More]
Maker Of “Miracle” Green Coffee Weight-Loss Product To Pay $3.5M For Using Bogus Science To Sell Product
By 9.8.14
Months after going after online sellers for creating fake news sites, complete with a fake reporter, to push green coffee extract as a miracle weight loss drug, the Federal Trade Commission has settled its case against one Texas company that supplied the product while unsubstantiated scientific claims about the efficacy of the supplement. [More]
Home Depot Already Being Sued Over Apparent Data Breach
By 9.5.14
As of right now, Home Depot has yet to confirm multiple reports that its in-store payment system was hacked, or given any indication how extensive the breach might be. But that hasn’t stopped people from suing the retailer. [More]
American, Delta Sue Operators Of Scammy Travel Clubs
By 9.5.14
We’ve told you before about travel club scammers who send out notices claiming that you’ve won free trips from Travelocity or travel vouchers from airlines that sound like they exist (but don’t). The airlines have always responded to these stories by saying they would have their lawyers look into these types of scams, but at least two major carriers are actually doing something about it. [More]
Whole Foods Pulls Yogurt With Bogus Nutrition Info From Stores
By 9.5.14
Food companies put nutrition information on the labels of their products, and we consumers assume that information is, you know, true. Maybe naively so. When tests by our calorie-crunching colleagues down the hall at Consumer Reports showed that there was more sugar in Whole Foods’ plain Greek yogurt than the label claimed, the grocery chain pulled the product from shelves. [More]
Appeals Court: Yelp’s Ad Team Isn’t Extorting Small Businesses
By 9.4.14
For several years, some have accused online review site Yelp of strong-arming small businesses into paying for ads on the site, and a handful of these companies have even sued Yelp, hoping to prove their allegations. But this week a federal appeals court shot down extortion claims made against Yelp by California business owners, saying the site’s ad sales methods are just “hard bargaining.” [More]
Court: Domino’s Not Responsible For Sexual Harassment Of 16-Year-Old Employee
By 9.3.14
When a worker at a fast food franchise acts like an a-hole, it’s obviously his boss’s immediate responsibility to investigate and discipline that employee if necessary. But does the corporate office share any liability when things go wrong at the franchisee level? What about when people from company HQ are involved in the decision of whether or not to dismiss an employee? According to California’s highest court, the buck stops at the franchisee’s door. [More]
Sketchy Online Retailer With $250 Fee For Complainers Is “Down For Maintenance”
By 8.29.14
For the last few days, we’ve been following the story of sketchy online retailer Accessory Outlet, which was recently sued over its bizarre policy of penalizing customers $250 for even threatening to publicly complain about a purchase or file a chargeback request with their credit card issuers. Then we revealed how the site was blatantly lying about its various customer service ratings, awards, and certifications. Now it looks like the site has been pulled down, if only temporarily. [More]
