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Lead Plaintiff Bernadine Sims alleges in the J.C. Penney class action lawsuit that the store shares its customers’ confidential credit card information with Stonebridge when they make catalog purchases over the phone. Stonebridge then pays a fee to J.C. Penney for every person who “willingly or unwillingly” enrolls in its Membership Loyalty Program.Sims alleges in the J.C. Penney class action lawsuit that Stonebridge deceptively enrolls consumers in recurring monthly membership programs without their consent by offering “free trials”and “fictitious rebate programs.”
These so-called “free trials,” however, are actually negative-option memberships, which means consumer must go through the hassle of canceling their memberships to avoid being repeatedly charged for a program they often do not even know they have “signed up” for. When consumers try to cancel their unwanted Stonebridge membership program, Stonebridge refuses to do so and continues charging them a recurring monthly fee. And when consumers try to use the “rebate programs,” they discover no such benefit exists.
“J.C. Penney has a vested interest in perpetuating and expanding the fraud that Defendant Stonebridge perpetrates on consumers” because the store gets a percentage of the money Stonebridge extracts from each of its victims, the class action lawsuit states.
The J.C. Penney Membership Loyalty Program class action lawsuit is seeking restitution and damages of more than $5 million for allegations of consumer fraud, deceptive trade, violations of the Automatic Contract Renewal Act and Electronic Funds Transfer Act, unjust enrichment, negligence, fraud by omission, and breach of contract.
.C. Penney (NASDAQ: JCP) is in cahoots with a deceptive marketing company, Stonebridge Benefit Services, that has a known track record of “deceptively and without authorization charge(ing) tens of thousands of consumers millions of dollars” for bogus membership programs,” according to a class action lawsuit filed in Cook County Chancery Court.
A copy of the J.C. Penney Stonebridge Membership Program Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.
The case is Bernadine Sims v. Stonebridge Benefit Services, Inc. and J.C. Penney Company, Inc., Case No. 11-ch-27100, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, County Department, Chancery Division.
Updated October 31st, 2011
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25 thoughts onJ.C. Penney Stonebridge Membership Program Class Action Lawsuit
I have two policies with Stonebridge life and accidental. I had no idea that there is a lawsuit pending. I want to know are the policies good or should I cancel? I have been paying since 2001 through my jcp credit card.
HI,I’VE BEEN PAYING STONEBRIDGE INS SINCE 1998.
JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THEY ARE LEGIT.IT’S THRU J.C.PENNY
I been paying this for years still paying for this policy I just found out about this is been fruadulent how can find out about this class action suit
My mother has two policies with Stonebridge Life, one an accidental death and one a cancer policy which she signed up for in the 80’s when we was selling AVON. The cancer policy did pay for some of the care for my dad’s cancer before he died in 2008. Are these policies any good? They are still taking premiums monthly from her checking account!!!! She turns 90 this year!
I desperately want to know if the money I am still paying into life insurance with JC Penney is being taken fraudulently . I have been paying into these policies since 1983…PLEASE give me some feedback as to what legal action I need to take!!!!!!
I never received any notice about this is it too late now I been paying this fee for years. If is not to late how can I be a part of this.
This is the first time I’m hearing about this. I NEVER received anything in the mail, email or anything else. I paid into the for years????
I paid for years i was sent a form mow i hear mothing about it ..
I need to know if its to late to join this lawsuit with Jcpenny stonebridge life insurance i have paid about 15 years and all the sudden the told me my policy was cancelled because they could not collect from my Jcpenny card and Jc penny says its not true so they work together on ripping off people .
Is it too late to join the JCP class action lawsuit? They’ve been taking 9.95 from me for years. First attempt to call I was disconnected; 2nd attempt i received a msg saying the offices were closed due to a business holiday. I can’t get hold of anyone to make this stop. Plus they decreased my credit limit because I don’t use my card enough. How can I make them stop running credit checks w/o my permission?