Update:ย
- In a joint notice filed July 12 in a California federal court, HP and a certified class of consumers reached a settlement in principle and are working to finalize the agreement.ย
- Consumers sued the printer company in 2020, alleging it pushed a software update to its printers to make them incompatible with other brandsโ ink cartridges.ย
- They allege HP transmitted firmware updates without authorization to HP printers through the internet, with the first update pushed around Nov. 2020. These firmware updates reportedly act as malware, โadding, deleting or altering code, diminishing the capabilities of HP printers and rendering the competitorsโ supply cartridges incompatible with HP printers,โ the plaintiffs claim.
HP ink cartridge class action lawsuit overview:
- Who: HP Inc. is being sued by customers.
- Why: The customers allege HP pushed a firmware update that made its printers incompatible with other brandsโ ink cartridges.
- Where: Nationwide
(Oct. 16, 2021)
A class action lawsuit alleging HP pushed a software update to its printers to make them incompatible with other brandsโ ink cartridges can mostly go ahead, a judge has ruled.
A California federal judge ruled Oct. 15 that most of the class action allegations filed by printer owners against HP, Inc. could go ahead, throwing out only three of the claims.ย
The claims against HP were first filed in Dec. 2020. The plaintiffs allege that HP transmitted firmware updates without authorization to HP printers through the Internet, with the first update pushed around Nov. 2020.
These firmware updates allegedly act as malware, โadding, deleting or altering code, diminishing the capabilities of HP printers, and rendering the competitorsโ supply cartridges incompatible with HP printers,โ the plaintiffs said.
HP forced customers to purchase HP ink cartridges, class action alleges
The class action lawsuit said the company told them that HP printers have a โsupply problem,โ when HP had in fact intentionally caused the issue by sending the โmalwareโ to render third-party ink cartridges incompatible with HP products.ย
โPlaintiffs allege that as a result of this malware, HP printer owners are either forced to buy HP cartridges or they cannot use their printers until third parties can develop workarounds in their products,โ the lawsuit states.ย
They also allege HP used this firmware update process to conceal the fact it is actually collecting data on whether consumers are using HP or its competitorsโ cartridges without their consent.ย
The lawsuit is looking to represent anyone nationwide who had a HP Color LaserJet Pro M254, HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M280, HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M281, or any other model affected by HP malware transmissions.ย
The plaintiffs are Mobile Emergency Housing Corp., Performance Automotive & Tire Center and David Justin Lynchโs.
The plaintiffs are suing under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), the California Comprehensive Computer Data Access and Fraud Act (CDAFA), California False Advertising Law, California Unfair Competition Law and California Consumers Legal Remedies Act.
The order filed Oct. 15 allowed most of the claims to go ahead, apart from allegations regarding one section of CFAA, trespass to chattels and one claim based on one part of CDAFA.
The news comes as HP faces another class action lawsuit, with a consumer alleging that he and others with an HP โInstant Inkโ subscription are experiencing faulty, error-prone cartridges.ย
Do you own an HP printer that suddenly wouldnโt work with other brandsโ ink cartridges? Let us know your experience in the comments!ย
The plaintiffs are represented by Mark L. Javitch of Javitch Law Office and Thomas A. Zimmerman Jr. of Zimmerman Law Offices PC.
The HP Software Update Ink Cartridge Class Action Lawsuit is Mobile Emergency Housing Corp. et al. v. HP Inc., Case No. 5:20-cv-09157, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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1,748 thoughts onHP agrees to settlement in overpriced, incompatible ink cartridge class action
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Iโm a victim of HPโs malicious fraudulent activities โ pushing firmware updates that render competitorโs toner supplies useless. My M281cdw HP Color Laserjet Pro printer was working GREAT, even with recently purchased 3rd party toner supplies (bought from Amazon, ~$55, four toner pack, CMYK) all until I clicked on that stupid button โCheck for Updatesโโฆa new firmware update was available so I clicked install. Now, โSupply Problemโ is all that I see. I returned the Amazon cartriges / replaced themโฆto no avail. USELESS. Iโve attempted to downgrade from the latest 10212020 firmware to the previously working 06122020 firmware. Stillโฆ โSupply Problemโ!!! This โupgradeโ was MALICIOUS MALWARE that DAMAGED MY PRINTER, MAKING IT INOPERABLE UNLESS I PURCHASE CMYK HP TONER AT A COST OF $340 + TAX (WITH OVER A WEEK TO SHIP!!!). I have been reading up on HPโs malicious behavior and am appalled to see how many people are victims of their unlawful, unethical and downright fraudulent behavior. I am SO angry! I earnestly seek relief with the outcome of the aformentioned class action lawsuit against HP (Case 5:20-cv-09157)
Same hereโฆ
HP also freezes up and says out of ink when there is ink in cartridge / have had 4 printers where took out and shook and got a few more prints โ despicable how these companies take advantage of loyal consumers
Please add me
Por favor de aรฑadirme , la tinta esta muy cara y solo tengo la printer sin usar a causa de que esta muy cara la tinta.
Yes please add me
We bought a generic cartage of printer ink for our HP computer the company sent an email stating we had an unauthorized cartage for use in OUR computer. We continued to use it and the printer shut down again stating it was unauthorized. It shut down the blue tooth connection between the computer and the printer. What right do they have to tell us what type of ink cartage to Use? We will have to now buy another computer as I need it for my work as a writer. Yes we definitely what to enter into a lawsuit against this company. All advise listed on the internet to solve the problem has not worked.
Please help stop this greedy company that reportedly makes more money selling their ink then their computers. We are being held up with out a gun but by their greed for profits and their term UNAUTORIZED. How dare they!
I know Iโm not alone yep add me! I have so much to say!
I have a HP OfficeJet 3830,if I had know about the cartridges , I wouldnโt have purchase the printer, which isnโt up to Hp anyway.
Please add me. I have an HP 8610 and an HP 6830.