If you got a mortgage through Ameriquest from 1999-2005, you may be eligible for a $325 million settlement Ameriquest reached with 49 states over their shady lending practices, which included failing to disclose that the loans had adjustable rates, failing to disclose the terms of the loan, refinancing homeowners into inappropriate loans, inflating home appraisals, and charging excessive fees such as prepayment penalties and loan origination fees. Ameriquest did not admit wrongdoing.
settlements
Not Canceling The Account Costs AOL $3 Million
By 7.12.07
AOL has avoided what was certain to be an entertaining court battle by settling with 48 states and the District of Colombia over allegations that it made it, uh, difficult to cancel for the many customers who were fleeing to broadband.
Sample Letter For Objecting To Lame BoA Settlement
By 6.28.07
If you’re disgusted by the pitiful compensation proposed in the Bank of America privacy violation settlement, check out Hayden’s sample letter for inspiration for registering your objection.
Proposed Settlement For BoA Selling Your Private Information: $200 Off Your Next Mortgage!
By 6.27.07
The proposed settlement for a class action lawsuit against Bank of America that would affect everyone who has ever had a checking or savings account with them since 1995 is pathetic. In return for selling your private information without your knowledge, and depending on your account, you can get: $200 off your next mortgage with Bank of America! OR…
Some Belkin Wireless Owners May Be Entitled To Full Refunds
By 6.22.07
If you bought one of 37 Belkin wireless products between October 13, 2002 and February 5, 2007, you may be entitled to a full refund.
Judge To RIAA: Students Must Be Allowed To Respond To John Doe Lawsuits
By 6.20.07
The RIAA has argued that it would suffer irreparable harm unless immediate discovery was allowed, but Judge Garcia didn’t find that argument convincing. “While the Court does not dispute that infringement of a copyright results in harm, it requires a Coleridgian ‘suspension of disbelief’ to accept that the harm is irreparable, especially when monetary damages can cure any alleged violation,” wrote the judge. “On the other hand, the harm related to disclosure of confidential information in a student or faculty member’s Internet files can be equally harmful.”
Meet Sarah: She Paid $3,000 For Downloading Spice Girls Songs
By 5.14.07
Sarah Barg is a sophomore at University of Nebraska-Lincoln who used Ares to download 381 songs, most of them 80s ballads and “Spice Girls tunes.” When she got a letter threatening legal action, she thought it was a scam. Turns out, it wasn’t. Sarah’s parents had to fork over $3,000 to keep Sarah from being sued by the RIAA.
“Technically, I’m guilty. I just think it’s ridiculous, the way they’re going about it,” Barg said. “We have to find a way to adjust our legal policy to take into account this new technology, and so far, they’re not doing a very good job.”
Just for comparison’s sake, in Nebraska the maximum fine for a first time DUI is $500. And those are really illegal.—MEGHANN MARCO
NYC Human Rights Commission Drops Charges Against Chinese Restaurant
By 5.2.07
The case of the Wisconsin man who filed a complaint with the NYC Human Rights Commission has come to a close with the commission dropping charges against the restaurant. In the original story, David Lopez, a tourist from Wisconsin, noticed that other (Chinese speaking) customers in the restaurant were given rice with their meals, but when Lopez asked for rice with his dinner he was told that he would be charged $1 extra. “Being Hispanic, we both like rice,” said 46-year-old Lopez. “We saw other customers getting a different menu. We were told we could order from it if we spoke Chinese.” The Chinese menu had prices that were, on average, $1 cheaper per dish.
Iowa Microsoft Users Can Get Some Class Action Settlement Cash
By 4.20.07
Under the settlement, individuals and businesses that purchased certain Microsoft software between May 18, 1994 and June 30, 2006 are eligible for benefits, as well as Iowa state and local governments that purchased software between July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2006. The OSes included in the settlement range from MS-DOS all the way up through Windows NT and Windows XP, and the other applications include Word, Except, and various versions of Office.
Reclaim Unnecessary Credit Cards' Unnecessary Foreign Transaction Fees
By 4.10.07
Several major credit card companies were successfully and recently class-actioned for charging unnecessary fees for overseas transactions.
Fen-Phen Lawyers Run Off With $126 Million of $200 Million Settlement
By 3.27.07
W. L. Carter knew there was something fishy going on when he went to his lawyers’ office a few years ago to pick up his settlement check for the heart damage he had sustained from taking the diet drug combination fen-phen.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Will Not Forward RIAA Letters To Students
By 3.19.07
Jason, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has written in to share what his school is doing in response to the RIAA P2PLawsuit.com campaign. In this campaign, attorneys for Sony, Universal, EMI, Warner Music Group and more sent letters to several colleges demanding that they be forwarded to students. The letter (PDF) threatens students with a lawsuit and instructs them to identify themselves and pay a settlement to the recording companies via the website P2Plawsuits.com.
Cingular To Refund $18.5 Million to California Customers Who Were Charged ETFs
By 3.16.07
If you live in California and canceled Cingular (back in ’00-’02) due to trouble making or receiving calls, this might be of interest to you. From the AP:
Cingular Wireless will refund $18.5 million to thousands of former California customers who were penalized for canceling their mobile phone service because they had trouble making and receiving calls.
RIAA Extortion Site Thanks You, "Looks Forward To Future Business Together"
By 3.5.07
Isn’t that nice? The RIAA knows that even after they’ve extorted $3,456.23 from you, you’re still going to buy their products. The extorted college student posted this anonymously, because they were afraid of the RIAA finding out they’d posted it. This is scary. —MEGHANN MARCO
Public Storage Reimburses Soldier for Selling His Stuff
By 2.9.07
Back in January a solidier returned from Iraq to find that Public Storage had sold everything he owned. As a settlement they offered him $2,500, but the soldier estimated his stuff was worth about 8k.
Sony BMG Settles FTC Charges; Customers to Get $150
By 1.31.07
U.S. regulators said Tuesday Sony BMG Music Entertainment agreed to reimburse consumers up to $150 for damage to their computers for selling CDs with hidden anti-piracy software.
Target Agrees To Stop Selling “Coach” Bags
By 10.25.06
Today, Coach dropped a trademark infringement suit alleging Target sold counterfeit versions of a popular purse, the Python Signature Striped Demi.
