A class action lawsuit claims that Rite Aid automatically opts customers into donating to the KidsCents charity without their consent.
Plaintiff Katherine Martinez says a KidCents donation was regularly charged to her without her knowledge during multiple purchases she made from Rite Aid’s stores.
The Rite Aid class action lawsuit states that the company’s practice of enrolling customers into the charity program without their knowledge or consent violates multiple California statutes that aim to protect consumers.
The plaintiff is seeking an injunction to prevent the company from continuing to violate these statutes.
Martinez claims that sometime before December 2018, she made a purchase from a Rite Aid location in San Diego.
The Rite Aid class action lawsuit states that during the checkout process, she was opted into the Rite Aid Foundation’s KidsCents program, and as a consequence, Rite Aid rounded every transaction associated with Martinez’s Wellness card to the whole dollar.
Rite Aid reportedly retains the difference to donate to the KidsCents charity after taking a percentage for itself.
According to Martinez, this process continues indefinitely or at least until the customer opts out of the program.
The Rite Aid automatic charity donation class action lawsuit argues that at no time did Martinez knowingly consent to donate to the charity on a continuing basis. She says that over the course of a few months, Rite Aid took a total of $2.56 from her without her knowledge or consent.
Allegedly, Rite Aid sets up the donations in a way that is “inherently misleading and confusing to consumers,” especially to senior citizens.
The Rite Aid KidsCents class action claims that this practice has resulted in money being taken from Martinez and other customers without their consent.
Martinez’s Rite Aid class action lawsuit asserts that Rite Aid knew or should have known that the donations were misleading, because many consumers have complained about being opted into the program without their consent, but the company has taken no action to correct the problem.
The Rite Aid KidsCents class action asserts that a review of the online comments about the program indicates that a majority of consumers were opted into the program without their knowledge.
According to Martinez, since 2014, customers have complained that the opt-in is misleading, and that nothing warns customers of the program details. Some consumers have reportedly criticized Rite Aid for this “underhanded way to get people to contribute to a charity.”
Allegedly, Rite Aid ties all donations to the KidsCents program to a Wellness card, and every time a customer enters in their phone number associated with their card or swipes their physical card, they can have the donation charged to them.
According to the Rite Aid charity class action, after a cardholder is opted into the program, any time they use their Wellness card, they will be charged for the KidsCents program.
Martinez is represented by Abbas Kazerounian, Jason Ibey, and Nicholas Barthel of Kazerouni Law Group APC, and by Joshua B. Swigart of Hyde & Swigart.
The Rite Aid KidsCents Charity Donation Class Action Lawsuit is Katherine Martinez v. Rite Aid Corporation, Case No. 3:19-cv-00569-H-NLS, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
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253 thoughts onRite Aid Class Action Says Charity Donations Collected Without Consent
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Fonally seen they were charging me wonder how much they got me for
I was charged this too on my last few purchases. Had I not looked at my receipt, I would never have known. I never agreed to this nor was I asked. It was automatic. Not happy at all.
I too was not told anything about Kidcents nor did I agree to anything! I began to wonder why my amounts were even every time! I looked at my receipts and it showed Kidcents on multiple occasions. Same with my husband. I was not happy as I’ve never signed up for this or asked about it. Watch all your purchases folks, I am starting to see some fees on my receipts at other places as well without consent. Anyways, I went into my Rite Aid store location. Originally the cashier said they couldn’t take it off and I must’ve signed up for it. I said “NO, I DIDN’T”. But another cashier who I regularly see there said “yes you can take it off from the register” and she did it! If you purchase anything there, there is a way they can stop rounding up for something you never consented to.
January 28, 2022 Yep shopped at Rite Aid yesterday. Looked at my receipt when I got home. Kid strong charge 45 cents? What the hell is that? Googled it and came to this site. So now over 2 years later Rite Aid is still taking away my choice. Yes theft.
Yes I purchased a water at Rite Aid for 99¢ plus 5¢ tax my debit card was charged $2.00 a additional 95¢ I asked the cashier before she handed me my receipt. Why is this machine charging my card $2.00 for a 99¢ water. The clerk lied and said I pushed yes for Kidcents donation on the machine. I told her their is no Kidcents donation on the machine. I never in the past consent to any donations at Rite Aid. I have 5 receipts in which Rite Aid had stolen money from my debit card I video recorded the entire last transaction at Rite Aid to show proof that no Kidcents donation option shows up on the machine but I was charged for Kidcents contribution without my consent which is stealing.
Yes just happened to me today. 0.98 cents. Never signed up but thankfully I just keep going to Walgreens. Pretty soon it be support riteaid.
you are told to opt out log in to your account and you can’t log in?? I’ve tried 3 times this is theft. I am never shopping at rite Aid again!! shame on you thieves!!
I agree. I couldn’t get into an account and then it would tell me my phone number was already registered. Finally got thru to their 800 number to be told that my phone number was affiliated with a prescription. She deleted my email address and I was told to set up a new profile. Nowhere on there is a place to opt out of this donation account. While I am not adverse to donating to kids, I do resent not being told that they automatically do it. How do I know that they are actually donating the money to a charity? I never did find out where to opt out of this program.
Most people know that the donations are taken out. The point is IT CAN’T BE UNDONE at the register. Also, there was never an option to join permanently or one-time. It is very deceptive and is not due to customer stupidity.
They told me the same thing, that it could NOT be undone at the register but one girl at my store location said “yes it can” and she did it and showed my cashier how to do it. I never opted in and began to wonder after a few times why my amount was even every time!
I too am dismayed at this. I remember it was a one-time donation when it started. Not recurring. It is impossible to opt out unless you do not use your Wellness rewards card at all which is supposed to help you save money on other items if you are a frequent customer. I tried to go on-line with a different e-mail address and phone number, but if you use your real name and address it simply says ‘an account has already been set up’ so you can’t really change it. When I tried the 1-800 number to see if Customer Service can help but Wellness rewards has limited hours and it so far has been impossible to get through. Sometimes the checkout clerks know how to opt out using a special key on the register, but you usually need to ask them to do it. I shouldn’t have to do this. It is not right that when my bill is $14.02 it is rounded up to $15.00. Keep going to this store and you have contributed many dollars without consenting to do so or by deciding not to use your Wellness rewards to save money on other items. I think Rite Aid is doing this intentionally to encourage people NOT to use Wellness rewards so they do not have to pass along savings to customers.
This is so irritating! If I’m going to donate then I’m going to get the credit, not Rite Aid. This is robbery and everyone should stop going to Rite Aid because of this. I’m a single mom I work two jobs and maybe every Send counts so when they continuously take $.84 $.92 without my knowledge it really irritates me and I think it is so wrong
same here,I ask the employees to help me out.theyare vague and say I have to call online..they don’t have any info to help me opt out of this scam. I will keep ytying till I get it and come back on this site to share…
This just happened to me not at my regular rite aide. I was so mad went back in they kept telling me I must have done it at some time or another! That isn’t true because I donate with checks to charities of my choice. That way I know they are getting the money. And I can keep track of how much I donate.how can I be a part of this lawsuit?