PayPal Class Action Suit

A study by an anti-spam firm called MailFrontier found that, on average, 28% of computer users are fooled by email scams. But intriguingly, 20% of users misidentify legitimate emails from companies such as PayPal as scams. This becomes relevant because a lot of people recently received an email informing them of the possibility of joining a class-action suit against PayPal (I got one of these emails in my inbox this morning). The suit is real. The email is legitimate. But quite a few people assumed that it was just another scam and deleted it. John Dvorak, at PC Magazine, muses that the email "almost looks like it has been made to look like a hoax on purpose." Make people think it's a hoax and no one will join the lawsuit. Very clever.

Email Hoaxes

Posted on Wed Jul 28, 2004


Comments

It's a class action suit. Class members don't have to join a class action suit to be in it; they have to take action (write a letter, as the e-mail you write about describes) to opt-out. Otherwise, they are in automatically.
Posted by Amy Ridenour  on  Thu Jul 29, 2004  at  04:02 AM
So make it look like a hoax and no one will opt out?
Posted by Paul  on  Thu Jul 29, 2004  at  07:59 AM
At this point, it's moot because they haven't been granted permission to proceed in class status. The firm handling this case has a statement on their web site.
Posted by B.B.  on  Thu Jul 29, 2004  at  11:51 AM
I looked on their website and couldn't find that anything but a notice that the settlement terms had not yet been approved, but maybe i looked in the wrong place. Not that it matters (the pittance largely unaware "plaintiffs" get is dwarfed by the $3 million plus the lawyers will probably get, plus expenses) but if class status has not been approved, the guys writing the notice should drop all their uses of the present tense when referring to "members of the class." Those of us who are presently "plaintiffs" without our expressed permission shouldn't have to send letters to opt-out yet, either, if the clas doesn't exist -- yet apparently, we must. It is annoying enough to have to write snail mail letters to opt-out of court cases one previously never heard of without having to do it in advance of class status being certified. Where do I go to get reimbursed for time and expenses in opting out of these lawyers' get-rich schemes?

Personally, I'm tired of finding out I people without realizing it. I just recently learned I had sued Citibank. I hadn't even realized I was dissatisfied with their service.

Class actions themselves are a hoax and will be as long as class members don't have to opt-in on purpose to be members of the class.
Posted by Amy Ridenour  on  Thu Jul 29, 2004  at  02:04 PM
my account was limited could not get funds lost over 300 dollars in profit and list fees due and can not pay because account was limit i want to sue for damages money refund,pain and suffering embarrasment had to fax in all private information or the limit was not going to be lifted i had to pay fax fees and now my bank account has neg because of paypal
Posted by chalisa scott  on  Thu Mar 15, 2007  at  03:49 PM
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