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
Same thing has happened multiple times here in Genesee County Michigan
Glad I found this article. Just discovered yesterday that I am a victim of this Rite Aid scheme. I’ve been a member for a decade and NEVER look at my receipts, but yesterday I did and I noticed the sketchy line item! Please add my name to this class action lawsuit. Shame on you Rite Aid!
Omg! I JUST LEFT OVERPRICED RITE AID angry. I questioned the cashier about something called KIDCENTS CONTRIBUTION charge and she she it’s too late to opt out and she can’t return my money. I’m so angry that RITE AID would steal from me. I’m on a tight budget.
SAME HERE! I was never told about this charge by the cashier, never asked if I even wanted to contribute, and I have NO idea who this “KidCents” organization even is – never heard of it. Also, I have no knowledge of having opted into being charged for this involuntary “contribution’ while using the keypad to check out with my VISA card. Isn’t this illegal? WHY is this going on for YEARS without Rite Aid being held accountable for this theft? I think I’m going to dispute it with my credit card issuing bank, actually.
Me too, I have been checking all my receipts lately and found the same thing. I have not seen this so-called question when I checked out asking me if I want to participate. I was even charged a recycling fee of $0.90 last month when I ordered a bottle of Rite Aid brand milk of magnesia online. The receipt said I could get the funds back at the store if it did not apply to my purchase. When I asked how to get my money back no one seemed to know anything about it, so that’s another scam they are forcing on customers.
No signage, No divulging from the Cashier. Theft by Deception. Plain and simple.
Occurred to me on 11-22-2022 at the Rite Aid, Store #10970, located on State Route 130 in Irwin, PA.
Never going to use my Wellness Card again.
Same thing to me on 2/4/2023
90+ cents to me today. Did not ask or say Thsnks. This is robbery
I am having the same problem. The first time I noticed (10/12/2022) they had rounded up 97 cents. When I complained the cashier said that since the credit card charge had already been authorized there was nothing they could do. Next time I complained before using the credit card. A manager was called and took of the additional rounded up charge off. I asked him to take me off program. He said he did. Just went today and same thing happened. This time they said I have to call them to op out of the program. To my knowledge I have never signed up to participate in this program.
Same with me. I noticed this a few weeks ago. They never used to do this, that I am aware of. I try to be vigilant with my all my receipts on checking charges. I’m still in RiteAid parking lot just had this same issue today! Cashier said card processor prompts questions to ask for your consent, but it does not ask! I called 1-800-RiteAid and receptionist said prompt may be coming up on cashier’s side and they’re pressing consent. I sure hope not! How convenient RiteAid! Can you imagine how much money they stole from customers! I bought an 80 oz. bottle of Drano Max Gel for $17, kid cents took .70 today. I returned bottle after finding Drano cheaper somewhere else that’s when I noticed that evil charge again. What is wrong with these people! Manager at my local RiteAid said I have to go into store to have myself opted out of a program I didnt even opt into. However, I found out if you call 800RiteAid, they’ll take you off it and refund you your money back in rewards on wellness card. Hopefully this took place. Have yet to see!
I never agreed to this and I just checked my receipt and they have been doing this to me as well
I’ve been trying for 2 hours to figure out how to uninstall and I can’t and it’s pissing me off
Rite Aid charges my credit card .95 every time I shop there!!! I never consented to this. There needs to be a Class Action Lawsuit to stop these fraudulent charges!!! This is THEFT.
I did a purchase at Rite Aid yesterday. i was checking my receipt and noticed a kid cent donation.WTH it that?
After much research and calling the 1-800 number to opt out. I was told Ive been donating without my consent since Sept 2021. I remember the cashier asking me if I wanted to round off my purchase. she said nothing about me joining this kid cent program. The costumer service person I talked to says that it is automatic and I’m no longer in the program. right, I don’t believe it.
The same thing is happening to me EVERY time I purchase something at Rite Aid!!! If there was a class action lawsuit, why are they still getting away with this!?
Right Exactly!!!!!!!
We also have been signed up for this program without our permission. This has been going on for years, and there is no way to stop the auto-round up online, even if you log into your Rite Aid account. I just called the number others had published 1-800 RiteAid and spoke to a representative who assured me she would remove our phone number/wellness card from this program.