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Wal-Mart “Sam’s Club” members have filed a class action lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., claiming the company defrauds customers by selling annual Sam’s Club memberships that aren’t really valid for 12 months.
According to the class action lawsuit, the deception occurs when members renew an expired Sam’s Club membership. Instead of starting the 12-month membership on the date it’s actually renewed, Wal-Mart Stores backdates the start date of the membership to an earlier date — the day immediately following the expiration of the old membership. As a result, even though members are paying for a full annual membership, they are actually receiving less than the 12-month membership privileges they’re purchasing.
Valid memberships are required to shop at Sam’s Club, and annual membership prices range from $35 to $100, depending on their type. The lawsuit estimates Sam’s Club received close to $1 billion from sales of membership fees in 2006 — fees that members paid for services they didn’t receive in full. “A portion of these membership fees were obtained using a deceptive, fraudulent and improper scheme” to deprive members of their full 12-month membership privileges, the lawsuit says.
“[Wal-Mart] knowingly and intentionally engages in backdating, despite the fact that it understands that [class members] receive no membership benefits and are not allowed to access [it’s] Sam’s Clubs during the period of time between the expiration of their original membership and the purchase of another annual membership,” the lawsuit states.
The class action lawsuit is brought on behalf of all California residents who purchased a Sam’s Club annual membership (Advantage, Advantage Plus, Business and Business Plus) after the expiration of their previous annual membership from August 19, 2006 through the present. A copy of the Wal-Mart Sam’s Club Annual Membership Class Action Lawsuit can be found here.
Updated August 24th, 2010
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21 thoughts onSam’s Club Class Action Lawsuit
I was promised an adjustment on the account for unauthorized renewal fees. Fess were never removed, account was sent to a collection agent I disputed once again. No contact and I thought account was adjusted like promised, NOPE, the sob’s did a charge off on the account and sent it to a third party. Usually I like to be taken to dinner before being screwed. sorry! Very angry
Add me please
Membership is a communists tactic. Suckers in a free world having to purchase their rights to buy groceries and Chinese products is Ludacris!
Communists!
Been a member for years
Add me
I was promised a continuation of my 2% cash rewards on any purchase when they switched to Mastercard. I havent received any cash back rewards on my statements since August of last year!
ok, you losers—if your membership expires January 2nd- you don’t get to renew it on June 1st and get June 1st to May 31st the next year—-membership is a privilege, and if you’re not using it often, you shouldn’t be having it anyways.
They have different prices at certain times . One prices
prevail at all times for all people .
I have also worked at Sams club in Cola. The membership doesn’t provide most if the services that it originally Did to draw people to purchase it. The price should be decreased just like the services. I will st and against them because if poor management. I was let go in May and had to wait 18 weeks for unemployment benefits to kick in after giving them a year of dedication. Integrity is a big issue with them. I hope that justice is served to all that have been deceived by Sams club including myself.
Sam’s Club Sucks Ass.(pardon My Profanity!)
Sam’s Club Sucks “The Old Dildoe!”
Again Pardon My Profanity).. Former associates tend to be “Colorful!”
I paid to renew our membership at Sam’s Club in Plattsburgh, NY and 3 months later they cancelled it and never refunded my money. Is there anything I can do to get it back?
I was an employee that was removed today for reasons that I have wrote down during my past year working at Sams club. I worked at membership so I am very aware of how members get charged not for the full membership.
I am filing a law suit for discrimination and dismissal of job/.
I can be contacted at the email address and I can provide any information pertaining to memebrship.
I am a former associate of the Seekonk, MA. Club #6648. I was wrongfully terminated due to a medical condition last August, 2013, and have a lawsuit which will commence on 6/26/2014 in Boston, MA.I have osteo arthritis in both knees, and was a Door Greeter. My Dr. filled out a form for me to use a stool to sit on during my shifts. They allowed me for a while, and then took it back.. Claiming I was sitting too much. I was later terminated after complaining to Corporate. I obtained wriiten documents from employees that collaborate my story, and they will be “Paying thru the Nose”. Sam’s Club is the <ost Dishonest, Underhanded operation that I have ever seen. They Held up my unemployment, harassed me on the phone after my attorney initially contacted them, and several that were my friends on a Social Media site, Bashed me on my page. The image that Walmart/Sam's Club Projects to the public is way different than the actual goings on between management and associates. Any "regular Shoppers/Members can attest to this fact.