Consumer

California passed its Invasion of Privacy (CIPA) law in 1967. In its current version, among other things, it forbids the intentional recording of all communications involving cellular and cordless telephones, whether they are confidential or not. The consent of both parties to such a call must be obtained before a call can be legally recorded. The complaint for this class action alleges that American Medical Response, Inc. (AMR) recorded calls with consumers without first getting their permission. 

How does an insurance company determine the actual cash value (ACV) when a vehicle is totaled in an accident? The complaint for this class action alleges that Trumbull Insurance Company uses improper methods to determine the ACV of vehicles, resulting in underpayments to its insureds.

Every week brings the filing of more class actions against companies who are accused of violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Have they never heard of this law, or do they simply not care? In this case, it’s a technical school called Universal Technical Institute, Inc. that is alleged to have violated the law against invading the privacy of consumers with telemarketing calls.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) requires companies who do telemarketing to maintain internal Do Not Call lists and honor consumer requests to be put on these lists. However, the complaint for this class action alleges that Oxford Marketing Partners, LLC does not honor such requests—and that this is in addition to unlawfully contacting consumers to begin with.

Among the treats made by the Hershey Company are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. It sells these in three varieties: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and “white.” This complaint alleges that the company intentionally misleads consumers to think that the “white” variety is made with white chocolate, when that is not the case. 

Michigan’s Preservation of Personal PrivacyAct (PPPA), before its amendment on July 31, 2016, prohibited companies from sharing Personal Reading Information from the subscribers and purchasers of their publications. The complaint for this class action alleges that the Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. at that time shared subscriber information with third parties in violation of the law. 

How would you feel if an invoice for your medical services was sent by the processor, in an unsecured e-mail, to a friend of yours? This seems like an odd and inexplicable event. Still, the complaint for this class action alleges that Square, Inc. sent the private information of the plaintiff in this case to a friend of his, violating his privacy and failing to keep his payment and personal information confidential.

The companies Fidelity Tax Relief, LLC, Tax Rise, Inc., Price Holdings, Inc., and Bridgeley, Inc. share a concern with debt owed for taxes. According to the complaint for this class action they also share two other things. First, they share “a commonality of corporate executives, officers, and offices.” Second, they are all being sued here for violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Sometimes, when a property is damaged, its value is diminished, even after repairs are performed. The complaint for this class action alleges that Integon National Insurance Company does not check properties or pay insureds for this diminution in value, against both the laws of Georgia and its own insurance policies. 

The complaint for this class action alleges that Smitty’s Supply, Inc. and Rural King sell “303” tractor hydraulic fluid (THF) which purportedly meets 303 specifications. What’s wrong with that? The complaint claims that 303 specifications have not been available for over forty years and that that type of fluid is outdated.