|
|
NEWS
RECALLS
COMPLAINT FORM
SCAM ALERTS
RESOURCES
Small Claims Guide Class Actions Lemon Laws FAQ Newsletters |
Share |
| Automotive Education Employment Electronics Family Finance Health Homeowners Insurance Pets Shopping Travel |
|
|
|
![]() |
Experian, ConsumerInfo.com Named in Class Action Suit |
|||
|
June 10, 2004
Kimberly Taylore of Tucson charges in the suit that in early 2003, she visited www.ConsumerInfo.com to obtain a "free" credit report for herself and her husband. She entered her debit card number as instructed but saw no notification that she would be charged for the report. On June 25, 2003, Taylore said she found two charges of $79.95 each on her debit card statement, each labeled "CIC Credit Monitor Svc." She canceled her debit card and dispute the two $79.95 fees. She received a credit for one of the fees but not for the other. Experian, the parent company of ConsumerInfo.com, is one of the "Big Three" national credit reporting agencies. ConsumerInfo.com, founded in 1995, advertises its services through more than 100 co-branded Web sites and more than 65,000 affiliates, according to the San Francisco Superior Court lawsuit. Major sites promoting ConsumerInfo.com include Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, E-LOAN, Earthlink and Quicken. "Defendants heavily advertise to consumers on the Internet that they offer 'Free!' credit reports," the suit charges. To obtain the "free" credit report, consumers must enter their credit or debit card number and agree to a "free" 30-day trial membership in the CreditCheck Monitoring Service. "The overall impresson of the www.ConsumerInfo.com website offer ... is that accepting the 'Free' credit report creates no duty or obligation on behalf of the consumer," the suit charges, noting that the credit reports are advertised as "Free! Free! Free! and claim repeatedly that there is "no obligation or commitment." In fact, Taylore's attorneys allege, consumers who accept the "free" service incur financial obligations of at least $79.95 through the use of the "negative option" marketing strategy, which requires that consumers cancel their "trial" membership before the 30-day trial period expires. If the consumer does not contact Experian to cancel the CreditCheck service, the company automatically charges the consumer's credit or debit card for $79.95 and continues to do so annually if the consumer does not cancel the service. The defendants' advertising and promotional materials fail to adequately disclose the charges, obligations and other terms of the "free" credit report, the complaint charges, in violation of California laws prohibiting unfair and fraudulent business practices and false advertising. The suit asks the court to issue an injunction barring Experian and its affiliates from continuing the allegedly illegal practices and requiring that consumers be refunded all fees paid as a result of the unfair and misleading practices. The suit was filed on behalf of Ms. Taylore by attorneys Eric Gibbs of San Francisco and Richard J. Doherty of Chicago. Similar class actions have been filed in other jurisdictions. |
|||
Back to the top | |
||||
|
|
Custom Search
|
||||
|
AUTOMOTIVE Dealers Manufacturers Service Extended Warranties Lemon Laws Recalls Tires Transporters FAMILY Aging Children, Parenting Recalls Dating Education Entertainment Pets Weddings |
FINANCE Annuities Banks Credit Cards Debt Collection Debt Counseling Insurance Investing Loans Mortgages Payday Loans Student Loans Tax Prep HEALTH Doctors Drugs, Pharmacies Health Clubs Hearing Care Hospitals Nursing Homes Nutrition, Diets Vision Care Weight Loss |
HOUSE & HOME Appliances Cookware Furniture Home Improvements Lawn & Garden Movers Pools & Spas Realtors, Rental Agents Recalls Utilities ELECTRONICS Cable TV/DBS Cameras Cell Phones Computers Home Electronics Internet Access Local Phone Service Long Distance VoIP |
SHOPPING In-Home Online Retail Stores Sporting Goods Supermarkets Telemarketers TRAVEL Airlines Bus Lines Car Rental Cruises Hotels Travel Agents Trains RESOURCES Class Actions Complaint Form Small Claims Guide Lemon Laws |
CONSUMER NEWS Latest News Automotive Telecom Financial Health Homeowners Scams Seniors Travel More ... RECALLS Automotive Children's Products Drugs Food Household Products Sporting Goods ABOUT US FAQ Privacy Policy Advertise With Us Newsroom Syndication Terms of Use |
Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use
Copyright © 2003-2009 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission. |
|