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Topps, Panini Redemption Cards Class Action Lawsuits Overview:
- Who: Belinda Wheeler filed separate class action lawsuits against Panini America, Inc., and The Topps Company, Inc.
- Why: Wheeler claims redemption cards sold in trading card packs by Topps and Panini constitute an unlawful lottery.
- Where: The class action lawsuits were filed in New York and District of Columbia federal courts.
Redemption cards sold in trading card packs by Panini America and The Topps Company constitute an unlawful lottery and violate federal and state law, two new class action lawsuits allege.
Plaintiff Belinda Wheeler argued in separate complaints filed against Panini and Topps that redemption cards, which may come within a pack and allow a consumer to obtain a “random speciality card”,” constitute an “unlawful lottery” since non-purchasers are not given an option to enter.
“Federal and state law require that a contest which offers a chance at winning a thing of value permit any person to enter, regardless of whether they purchased the item in question,” the class action lawsuits state.
Wheeler claims the packaging for Topps and Panini brand trading cards highlights that they contain redemption cards; however, neither fails to display no purchase necessary (NPN) information in a “clear and conspicuous manner” as required by law.
“NPN instructions are required to be equally prominent to other methods of entry and cannot place a non-purchaser at a disadvantage relative to a purchaser,” the class action lawsuits state.
Topps, Panini Consumers Unaware They Don’t Legally Need To Purchase, Class Action Says
By failing to highlight NPN information, consumers are unaware that they would not legally need to purchase the product to obtain a redemption card, the class action lawsuits allege.
Further, Wheeler argues that a consumer would be unable to purchase and return the product to obtain the NPN instructions since returning packs of trading cards is not allowed.
“By requiring purchase of the Product and rendering it difficult to impossible for nonpurchasers to obtain the redemption cards, consumers are misled to purchase items they otherwise would not have to at higher prices,” the class action lawsuits state.
Wheeler argues consumers end up erroneously believing that the only way for them to enter a redemption card contest, and have an equal chance of winning, is by purchasing the trading card pack.
“Plaintiff did not have to purchase the Products to enter the contests, but due to the practices described here, was not given another reasonable option,” the class action lawsuits state.
Wheeler claims Topps and Panini are both guilty of unjust enrichment and in violation of, among other things, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and multiple state consumer fraud acts.
Wheeler wants to represent a District of Columbia class and multistate subclass of consumers who have purchased either Topps or Panini brand trading cards.
Plaintiff is demanding jury trials in both complaints and requesting injunctive relief along with monetary, statutory and/or punitive damages for themselves and all class members.
Have you purchased Topps and/or Panini brand trading cards? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Scott C. Borison of Borison Firm, LLC,; Steffan T. Keeton of The Keeton Firm LLC; and Spencer Sheehan of Sheehan & Associates, P.C.
The Class Action Lawsuits are Wheeler v. Panini America, Inc., Case No. 1:22-cv-00763, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia; and Wheeler v. The Topps Company, Inc., Case No. 1:22-cv-02264, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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633 thoughts onPanini Trading Cards, Topps Class Action Lawsuits Claim Redemption Cards An Unlawful Lottery
The phone number is working again, but don’t bother. They’ll tell you they’re massively behind, and they can’t do anything. I’ve got redemptions that are years old, and I was told they’d escalated to managers in a few months.
They offered Panini points or sparkle packs in exchange, but I want my cards, or something with face value.
I have a couple redemptions that have been submitted in 2021 and I have sent multiple emails inquiring about them with no response. The phone number when called goes unanswered. Please add me to the list of people who are being scammed by this company.
I have had two redemptions sitting in queue for over two years. Add me to this list.
I have a redemption in 2021 that I haven’t gotten yet, feel like I’m being scam by topps add me to the list
I’ve had many redemptions not filled and add me to this please
Hi yeah i have spent hundreds of dollars and Not once have I received any redemption card let alone had one returned to me or heard of anybody getting there redemption card. It’s rediculous that this is happening. Add me plz
Yes I have been going through this year after year. And lately it has been just bad buying boxes for me and my kids and getting cards that were put back in the packs and sold. Nothing but base cards and many many redemptions not honored. I love this hobby and will til the day I die. Unless I’m just that one guy that has a lot of bad luck
I sm pissed now after all the years of buying endless cards chasing that redemption to find out this whole time I should have been giving the opportunity at no charge. Add me to this class please thank you. I would also like to add that a lot of fraud is going on because I have gotten many packs boxes cases where I did receive the on average non base cards per box pack or case. I just thought maybe bad luck but I do believe someone or persons on the inside is intercepting the inserts and special cards and replacing those cards with all bass cards…I just opened a 2021 22 optic blaster nba and all 30 cards were base. Not one insert as it says on the box 7 on average non bass cards. Bullshit and it’s happened a lot in my purchases. I’m feel so taken advantage of. I wanna cry. This sucks. I never knew that this class even existed until I really wanted some answers.
I would like to join the class action too I have been waiting on my redemption card for almost 4 years from tops now, also I have contacted them and just been ran around and played with and lied to
These companies need to be held responsible for their actions. Over 2 years waiting for a redemption they put in the packs as a prize that you think your going to get to never get it. Panini always tells you they will send you a replacement In 6 weeks and never do, for the money they are making its just neglect at this point to have so many people waiting for so long, if you can’t get the athletes to sign the cards ahead of time you shouldn’t be offering said goods.
Its so bullshit, about time something is being done about panini and this scam redemption program to upsale their products at a higher cost. Have had redemptions in there for 2+ years.. and guess what the players in there, their autographs are literally Coming out in brand new products. HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE. STOP THIS SCAM PANINI
I have had over 600 REDEMPTION CARDS that Panini America has not filled. They have shut down their database so you can’t follow your redemption cards. I’m glad I’ve been printing out their comments under the redemptions and cards that have been over SIX YEARS. I was going to hire my own lawyer, but hopefully I’ll get contacted by one of the Class Action Lawyers?
I have dealt with the hassle of redemption through Topps and Panini numerous times over the years and would love to br a part of this class action suit as well, primarily to show my support for any effort that might finally hold these companies accountable going forward by hitting them at their bottom line, which is the only way to force a company of that size to actually change their practices or to act in a fair and/or reasonable manner. While the premise of the suit seems unconventional & potentially a difficult one to prove in court, I fully support the effort and would love to be a part of it, if I am able to qualify.
I feel you it’s a joke, because this is not just to collect for hobby some of this is for financial gain, like in my case been waiting for Gavin locks/10 Auto for 4 years when he was a rookie it was worth $800 at the time now he is bombed out in the card is worth 50 bucks which is a huge difference, now I have lost out tremendously I understand a year even, but come on 4 years what’s wrong with topps, I thought it was illegal to sell something you didn’t have and it was considered fraud if I did it but now they get away with it on a huge ass scale too not just a little bit of money from what I read it’s thousands and thousands of people that have been scammed on high-end inserts needing claim to these stupid cards with the dumb redemption system, and then a lot of people don’t know tops you can’t access redemption database from a cell phone you have to use a laptop and use the actual desktop version of the site, like they’re trying to hide the information from you now cuz even me I’m tech savvy and it took me a while to figure out why I couldn’t find the redemption site