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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1,752 thoughts onHP agrees to settlement in overpriced, incompatible ink cartridge class action
Add, unfortunately, when replacing the cartridges I ran into the issue where the replacements were not recognized. This caused me to purchase a replacement printer because I could not longer get my HP to work correctly.
Iโve struggled with HP printers and replacement cartridges for years. Please add me
I have a HP Officejet Pro 8600 and the cartridges ARE super expensive. I stopped buying the HP Brand after a while because of the cost and tried printing at work, when able. The copy cat ones arenโt the same quality, but in a pinch, are ok.
Iโd like to join this litigation.
Add me
I needs to activate an option that allow you to used third party ink but quality and performance is not the same and it should but they limit it with the software
I have an HP printer and the only ink cartridge that would work (Half way work) is the ones they send to me in the mail.
I own 2 HP printers and Iโve experiencing said issues with both
Please add me to this class action
I have 2 hp printers. I tried using non hp ink cartridges from many different companies only for them not compatible with either printer and the cartridges ended up in the trash. Instead of saving money, it cost me more, since I lost money for the non hp cartridges that I threw out and for having to buy HP brand cartridges. I tried many different brands hoping one would work, yet they all stated they were counterfeit. Again, money I lost due to HPโs greed. I already purchased printers from them.
I have HP printer & I continuously get error messages & am unable to use it. I rarely print, so it doesnโt get a lot of use. I got enrolled in their auto cartridge & paper program. The lady who I first spoke to said it was free for the first month, and then I could upgrade or d/c the plan anytime. Iโve tried canceling & thatโs usually when I start having issues. Please add me.
Iโve definitely been burned more than once by an HP printer that would only take HP cartridges.
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