A federal court has ordered Harris Jewelry to reopen its claims process and renotify consumers, most of whom are active duty servicemembers, to submit their claims for refunds. The court found Harris Jewelry violated its prior settlement with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, 17 other states, and the Federal Trade Commission by prematurely shutting down the claims portal. Eligible service members and veterans should file a claim online for a refund on or before December 21st.
Attorney General Murrill is encouraging consumers who purchased items from Harris Jewelry and paid for a Lifetime Jewelry and Watch Protection Plan, and have yet to file a claim or previously filed a claim but not yet heard back from Harris Jewelry, to request a refund via Harris’s website as soon as possible.
In July 2022, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, 17 other states, and the FTC, took action and stopped the national jewelry retailer from cheating military families with illegal financing and sales practices. According to the complaint, the jewelry company deceptively claimed that financing jewelry purchases through Harris would raise servicemembers’ credit scores, misrepresented that its protection plans were not optional or were required, and added the plans to purchases without consumers’ consent. The company also allegedly violated numerous financial consumer protection laws, including the Military Lending Act.
Under a stipulated order with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, the multistate group, and the FTC, Harris was ordered to stop collecting millions of dollars in debt, provide refunds for purchased protection plans, which could total approximately $10.9 million, issue refunds for overpayments, and assist with the deletion of any negative credit entries pertaining to debt in consumers’ credit reporting files. Harris is also required to complete its shutdown of operations and to dissolve pursuant to applicable state laws, once it meets the obligations of the stipulated order.
The court’s recent action, in response to a request from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, the multistate group, and the FTC, is aimed at allowing consumers fair and sufficient time to file claims for refunds, in response to the 2022 settlement.
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