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
Add me this is a crime
I work at an elementary school in Southern California, and we have used the HP 254 dw to print visuals for students who have disabilities. We have lost the ability to do so since the update and our students are the ones suffering. We have been forced to use a print shop to provide visuals that our students desperately need which takes more time.
Add me. I have an HP Color Inkjet that just locked up because Iโm using third-party cartridges. HP has crippled my printer and are holding it hostage unless I pay their ransom (i.e., buy their overpriced cartridges).
I have an HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M281-cdw. It looks like HP updated Firmware in the last couple days and I am not able to use my printer anymore. I bought another brandโs compatible cartridges and they worked up until today when I tried to print. I have used another brand for over a year and had no problems until now. There is now an error that the cartridges are blocked for containing a non-HP chip.
I would like to be added to the Class Action Law Suit. There have been several class action law suits against HP for the same exact thing in prior years. You would think that they would learn a lesson. I wonโt buy another HP after this. They shouldnโt be able to monopolize the ink market.
Please add me
Please add me to your list of people that have been ripped off by HP. My 7740 used only one set of cartridges before it refused to accept any cartridges even tried the the HP with no success. My old hp 720 was working fine but software updates will not work with it anymore so I purchased a new $300.00 boat anchor. HP has now become yet another thief to the average person by scamming and lying. We all need to get together on one day and return these pieces of worthless junk to Staples or some particular store. Maybe if enough of us did it we could get the media to respond and let everyone know how they are getting ripped off.
Greatly disappointed in HP, a company I respected until now. I purchased remanufactured cartridges in Nov 2020. I have been able to use these until yesterday 12/2/21. 2 cartridges were showing low so I inserted the last 2 from my Nov. 2020 purchase and received a cartridge problem message. Apparently I dodged the bullet until now. My printer is a HP Photosmart 7520. Please add me to this action if not to late.
My HP 8710 printer failed several days ago. it stopped recognizing all 3 of my aftermarket cartridges at once. After paying $126.00 for new HP cartridges, it is working again. HP is back to their dirty tricks and needs to be stopped.
I own Hp Printer and it wonโt even use their own ink cartridges let alone anyone elseโsโฆโฆ.
Yes I own a hp printer