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Macy’s Beauty Box Lawsuit

Macy’s Faces Lawsuit for Beauty Box Automatic Subscription

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Macy’s Beauty Box Lawsuit

High-end department store Macy’s faces a lawsuit for its Beauty Box automatic subscription service. The company has been accused of violating consumer protection laws by using deceptive practices to enroll customers in an auto-renewal program for one of its popular beauty product services. Law firm Tauler Smith LLP believes that many people have probably fallen victim to Macy’s allegedly unlawful subscription practices. Since a lot of states like New York, California, and others have strict laws regulating automatic renewals, anyone who purchased the Macy’s Beauty Box from the Macys.com website may be able to file a lawsuit for financial compensation.

Tauler Smith LLP is looking to certify a class of plaintiffs nationwide for a class action lawsuit against Macy’s. If you purchased the Macy’s Beauty Box and were later charged for an ongoing subscription to which you did not consent, you should contact one of our lawyers immediately.

Macy’s Accused of Consumer Fraud

Macy’s Beauty Box is a monthly subscription package of deluxe beauty samples and beauty-related products that has attracted many customers. Unfortunately, the Beauty Box program’s terms and conditions are not always made clear to customers, which has exposed Macy’s to being named as a defendant in lawsuits in California, New York, and other states with strong consumer protection laws. For instance, the automatic renewal terms of Macy’s Beauty Box subscription program may be a violation of both the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) and the California Automatic Renewal Law (ARL). Specifically, Macy’s is enrolling customers into an automatic renewal subscription without providing the clear and conspicuous disclosures required by California law.

Some consumers may be unaware that they are being enrolled in an auto-renewal program when purchasing the Macy’s Beauty Box from the store’s website. For example, at least one customer has complained that she did not notice a second charge appearing on her credit card more than one month after her initial purchase. In fact, the entire checkout process on Macys.com appears to be designed to conceal the nature of the automatically renewing subscription and recurring charges. This could make it a clear violation of state consumer fraud laws, including automatic renewal laws.

Does Macy’s Beauty Box Subscription Service Violate Auto-Renewal Laws?

Macy’s, Inc. has been accused of committing numerous violations of automatic renewal laws, including the following:

  • Failure to clearly and conspicuously disclose auto-renewal terms.
  • Failure to disclose when and how often customers will be automatically billed.
  • Failure to inform customers of cancelation policy.
  • Making it difficult for customers to cancel subscription.
  • Failure to send email or other notification to customers after enrollment.

Clear & Conspicuous Disclosure

Macy’s has been accused of failing to clearly and conspicuously disclose its automatic renewal terms to customers who purchase the Macy’s Beauty Box on the store’s website. Although online customers check a box to indicate consent to be enrolled into a monthly subscription service, this box is not clear and conspicuous in the manner required by California’s ARL. For example, Macy’s does not present the auto-renewal offer terms in a larger type font than the surrounding text, nor is the text in the box distinguishable from the surrounding text via contrasting type, font, or color.

One way that Macy’s could have more clearly called attention to the automatic subscription language is by using bold, highlighted, all-capitalized, or different-colored text for the automatic renewal terms. Macy’s also could have employed a “call out” box near the terms so that the subscription enrollment contract was distinct from the product purchase agreement.

Timing of Automatic Charges

Macy’s does not adequately disclose the timing of the automatic charges. For example, the store represents that its customers will be automatically charged “monthly,” but the actual charges to consumers appear to occur in arbitrary intervals. For example, at least one customer was charged on her credit card 49 days after the initial charge.

Cancelation Policy

Macy’s does not adequately disclose how a customer can cancel their subscription. This information could be disclosed either directly on the Macy’s website or in an email sent to the customer after enrollment in the subscription service.

Frustrating Attempts to Cancel Subscription

Macy’s has failed to make it easy for a customer to cancel the subscription. In fact, it appears that Macy’s has intentionally made the cancelation process difficult and frustrating in the hopes that customers will abandon trying to cancel their subscriptions.

Email Acknowledgement After Enrollment

Macy’s fails to send an ARL-compliant retainable acknowledgement consistent with state consumer protection laws. When a customer enrolls in the Beauty Box subscription program, they do not receive an email from Macy’s that accurately explains the terms and conditions of the service. The absence of an email also means that customers are not informed of the policy for canceling the subscription. By failing to provide a permanently retainable post-transaction acknowledgement that allows for cancelation before payment, Macy’s is effectively concealing the nature of the agreement and violating state automatic renewal laws meant to protect consumers.

Macy’s Accused of Violating California’s Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA)

In addition to possibly violating state automatic renewal laws, Macy’s has also been accused of violating broader consumer protection laws, such as the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA). In California, a violation of the ARL can form the basis for a CLRA claim, as well as a claim under California’s Unfair Competition Law. One of the unlawful business practices that Macy’s has been accused of is failing to include a clear and conspicuous explanation of the price that will be charged for its Beauty Box subscription service. Another more general accusation against Macy’s is that the company fails to first obtain affirmative consent from customers before charging their credit and debit cards. All of these practices constitute violations of the ARL, which means that affected consumers may also be able to file lawsuits under the CLRA and other statutes like the Unfair Competition Law (UCL).

Tauler Smith LLP Pursuing Class Action Lawsuit Against Macy’s for ARL Violations

Tauler Smith LLP is a law firm that represents consumers in false advertising claims involving automatic subscription renewals in California, New York, and nationwide. The law firm also files ARL claims on behalf of consumers in federal courts. We suspect that thousands of consumers may have been illegally enrolled in Macy’s Beauty Box subscription program in violation of both state and federal ARL laws. Our consumer protection lawyers are actively seeking plaintiffs for a possible class action lawsuit against Macy’s. The lawsuit seeks the following remedies on behalf of affected consumers:

  • Full financial restitution to all purchasers throughout the United States of all purchase money obtained from the sales of Macy’s services and products that violate automatic renewal laws.
  • Monetary compensation for any damages suffered by consumers because of Macy’s unlawful business practices.
  • Punitive damages for knowing and egregious violations.
  • An injunction ordering Macy’s to cease and desist from the continued misleading sale and advertisement of its Beauty Box services.
  • A corrective advertising campaign by Macy’s to inform consumers about the true price of any services they purchase, including any automatically renewing charges in connection with those services.
  • Payment by Macy’s of all reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs related to the lawsuit.
  • Additions to the Macy’s website that include a clear and conspicuous explanation of the amount customers will be charged for the Macy’s Beauty Box subscription service.
  • The inclusion of a mechanism for obtaining customers’ affirmative consent before Macy’s charges their credit and debit cards.
  • An email or other post-transaction acknowledgement sent by Macy’s to customers that will allow for cancelation of the subscription service before the first payment.

Did You Purchase the Macy’s Beauty Box? Contact the False Advertising Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP

Were you enrolled in a monthly subscription service after purchasing the Macy’s Beauty Box, or any other product, from the Macys.com website? The false advertising attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP represent plaintiffs in pre-trial settlement negotiations and at trial, and we have helped countless clients achieve successful outcomes that include restitution and financial compensation. We are looking for plaintiffs nationwide in a possible class action lawsuit against Macy’s.

Call or email us to discuss your eligibility to join the lawsuit.

Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act

Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act

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Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act

Texas has strong consumer protection laws that safeguard residents against scams, deceptive sales calls, and other illegal practices. Chief among these laws is the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA), which gives plaintiffs the ability to recover additional damages when they have been defrauded by false, misleading, or deceptive business practices. When state lawmakers passed the DTPA, the intent behind the bill was that companies should think twice before committing any kind of fraud against consumers. Texas consumer protection lawyers know just how effective the DTPA can be at holding fraudsters accountable for their unethical actions.

To learn more about the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, keep reading this blog.

What Is the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act?

The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, or DTPA, is a consumer protection law that prohibits businesses from making false or misleading statements in advertisements, contracts, and any transactions involving consumers. The DTPA gives consumers a cause of action for a civil suit when they have been misled by a business. The text of the statute casts a wide net by explicitly forbidding businesses from knowingly deceiving customers in advertisements, marketing materials, and sales transactions. This includes “false, misleading, and deceptive business practices, unconscionable actions, and breaches of warranty.”

The DTPA applies to several different types of consumer transactions, including the sale or lease of commercial goods, products, services, or property. The Texas DTPA law has a lengthy list of examples of deceptive business acts, including the following:

  • Passing off goods or services as those of another.
  • Confusing consumers about the true source of goods or services.
  • Lying about the certification status of a product or service.
  • Misrepresenting whether a product or service has received sponsorship or approval.
  • Lying about the geographic origin of goods or services.
  • Misrepresenting the ingredients of goods such as food products or nutritional supplements.
  • Selling an item as “new” when the product is used or reconditioned.
  • Lying about the quality or grade of a product.
  • Using misleading statements to disparage a competitor’s goods or services.
  • Advertising items as available for sale when they are unavailable or there is only a limited supply.
  • Lying about the reasons for a price reduction.
  • Misrepresenting the need for additional parts, replacement, or repairs.
  • Falsely presenting a salesperson as having the authority to negotiate final terms of a transaction.
  • Secretly resetting the odometer on a motor vehicle for sale.
  • Lying about a “going out of business” sale when the store is not going out of business.
  • Using “corporation” or “incorporated” in the name of a business when it has not been incorporated.
  • Falsely representing that a solicitation has been sent on behalf of a governmental entity.
  • Price gouging during a natural disaster.

Additional Damages Available Under the DTPA

The damages and compensation that may be available to plaintiffs filing lawsuits under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act include actual damages (i.e., economic damages), mental anguish damages, and attorney’s fees. The actual damages could involve things like the money spent on the purchase, as well as repair or replacement costs after the transaction.

Additionally, when a plaintiff in a DTPA case wins their claim, they may be eligible for up to three (3) times the usual damages awarded in a Texas civil suit.

Mental Anguish Damages

If the judge or jury finds that the defendant knowingly deceived the plaintiff, then it may be possible for the plaintiff to receive an award for mental anguish damages. The ability to recover damages for mental anguish is unique in DTPA claims because business transactions typically don’t involve the same kinds of mental or emotional harms as personal injury and wrongful death claims.

Treble Damages

The DTPA also allows for the recovery of treble damages, which means that the judge may impose a multiplier on the judgment or ruling and award up to three times the damages amount. When a defendant’s conduct is deemed egregious, it is not uncommon for plaintiffs to be awarded significantly higher damages as a way of sending a message and discouraging unethical behavior by other businesses in the future.

DTPA Waiting Period & Deadlines

Texas law requires victims of business fraud to wait at least 60 days before filing a DTPA lawsuit. The statute specifically requires plaintiffs to send a demand letter to the business owner or individual so that they have an opportunity to address the alleged fraud and potentially resolve the matter before a legal claim is necessary. Once 60 days have passed since the demand letter was sent to the defendant, then the plaintiff may choose to formally file their lawsuit in a Texas court.

Just as there is a waiting period on the front end of any DTPA claim, there is also a time limit for the plaintiff to take legal action. The deadline for a consumer to file a DTPA lawsuit is two (2) years from the date on which the false or deceptive business practice occurred. This statute of limitations is half the time that a plaintiff typically has available to file a breach of contract lawsuit in Texas.

Contact the Texas Consumer Fraud Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP

The Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) gives Texas consumers the right to file a lawsuit and pursue damages when they have been victimized by a scammer or fraudulent business. If you have been misled or deceived in a commercial transaction, the Texas consumer fraud attorneys at Tauler Smith LLP can help you file a DTPA claim. Call 972-920-6040 or email us today to go over your options.

CLRA Consumer Protection

What Is the Consumers Legal Remedies Act?

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CLRA Consumer Protection

California consumer fraud lawyers know that the state has been at the forefront of the consumer rights movement for a long time. In 1970, the California State Legislature passed the Consumers Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) to safeguard customers against deception by businesses. The CLRA makes it unlawful to engage in unfair or misleading acts when selling goods or services to consumers. The CLRA is often applicable in cases involving false advertising claims and/or consumer fraud. For example, when a company uses a misleading advertisement to persuade someone to purchase a product or service, the misrepresentation may constitute a violation of both the CLRA and the Unfair Competition Law (UCL). The same is true when a deceptive or intentionally confusing ad causes a customer to trigger an automatic renewal policy.

To learn more about the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, keep reading this blog.

What Deceptive Business Practices Does the CLRA Prohibit?

The California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, or CLRA, is a consumer statute that’s codified in Cal. Civil Code §§ 1750. The law allows plaintiffs to bring private civil actions against companies that use “unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in a transaction.”

The CLRA explicitly prohibits certain deceptive business practices, including the following acts:

  • Selling counterfeit goods.
  • Misrepresenting the source of a good or service.
  • Lying about a professional affiliation, certification, or endorsement.
  • Lying about the geographic origin of a product.
  • Selling a used or reconditioned item as new.
  • Misrepresenting the quality of a good or service.
  • Making false statements that disparage another business’ products.
  • Advertising items as being available for sale when they won’t be.
  • Advertising furniture as available for sale without disclosing that it is unassembled.
  • Telling a customer that a repair or replacement is necessary when it isn’t.
  • Offering a rebate or discount with hidden conditions.
  • Falsely presenting a salesperson’s authority to negotiate and finalize a transaction.
  • “Robo-calling” individuals who are not already customers.

One of the advantages of the CLRA is that victims of business fraud in California are not limited to filing lawsuits under the statute. This means that a consumer could bring multiple claims citing both the CLRA and other state or federal laws.

What Remedies Are Available to California Consumers in CLRA Cases?

The CLRA gives California consumers a powerful tool to hold businesses accountable for deceptive practices because the statute allows plaintiffs to recover different kinds of damages. The law is often interpreted broadly by courts to provide strong protections against consumer fraud, false advertising, and unfair business practices. When a consumer has been defrauded, they can file a lawsuit in a California Superior Court.

Consumers who bring a claim under the CLRA may pursue several remedies for any harm they suffered, including:

  • Actual monetary damages.
  • Punitive damages.
  • Restitution of property to the plaintiff.
  • An injunction against the defendant.
  • Attorney’s fees and court costs.
  • Any other relief the court deems proper.

Actual Damages & Attorney’s Fees

The first remedy available under the CLRA – actual damages – has a statutory minimum of $1,000 for each deceptive act or practice. The last remedy – “any other relief the court deems proper” – is a catch-all provision that gives courts wide latitude when determining what kind of monetary relief should be available to plaintiffs in CLRA actions.

In addition to getting damages for fraud, a plaintiff filing a claim under the CLRA may also be able to get attorney’s fees from a defendant who is found to have violated the Act. This can make it financially feasible for a plaintiff to bring a CLRA claim – since the defendant would have to pay the legal costs for both sides if they lose the case.

Additional Damages for Senior Citizens & Disabled Persons

A couple of special categories of consumers may be eligible for additional damages: senior citizens and disabled persons. As set forth by the CLRA, a “senior citizen” is defined as anyone over the age of 65. (In California, a senior citizen is usually defined as anyone over the age of 62, with the age threshold being lowered to 55 years old when the person lives in a senior citizen housing development.) California law defines “disabled person” quite broadly to include just about anyone who has a physical or mental condition that substantially limits at least one major life activity. For both seniors and disabled persons, the CLRA allows an award of up to $5,000 in damages to be tacked on by the court.

Proving a CLRA Violation

Although the Consumers Legal Remedies Act gives plaintiffs many options when seeking damages for consumer fraud, there are still ways for defendants to avoid paying maximum compensation. For example, if the defendant did not intentionally violate the CLRA, and they subsequently made a good faith attempt to correct the mistake, then the court might not award damages to the plaintiff. The complexities of the statute are one reason why it’s so important for you to have a knowledgeable California business fraud attorney handling your case.

Who Is Allowed to Bring a Lawsuit Under the Consumers Legal Remedies Act?

Private Civil Actions & Class Actions

The CLRA may serve as the basis for a civil suit in any consumer transaction where goods changed hands or services were provided, including transactions with a shipping insurance surcharge. Anyone who can show damages having been caused by one of the acts prohibited by the CLRA can file a lawsuit, either individually by the consumer or in a class action involving other consumers who were deceived or defrauded. For class action litigation, the cases must be substantially similar. An experienced California consumer protection lawyer can assist you with a CLRA class action lawsuit and help get your class certified.

Exclusions from the CLRA

Certain types of transactions and business owners are excluded from the Consumers Legal Remedies Act: (1) real estate transactions, and (2) newspapers and other advertisers. Although the CLRA applies to most commercial transactions, the statute cannot be used as the basis for a legal claim when the transaction involved the sale of either a residential property or a commercial property. Additionally, the CLRA cannot be used to bring a lawsuit against the owner of a newspaper, magazine, radio station, or any other advertising medium unless the plaintiff can prove that the business owner knew that the ads were deceptive before disseminating them.

How Long Do You Have to Bring a CLRA Claim?

Three-Year Statute of Limitations

It is important for you to speak with a qualified CLRA attorney as soon as possible because you do not want the statute of limitations to expire before you attempt to bring a claim. The general rule is that a consumer has three (3) years from the date on which the unfair business practice occurred to file a lawsuit under the Consumers Legal Remedies Act. If you miss this deadline, you may be barred from bringing a legal action.

Business Owner’s Opportunity to Cure

In addition to making sure you file within the statute of limitations, an experienced attorney can also ensure that you meet any other important deadlines and filing requirements. For example, before the CLRA suit can proceed in court, the consumer must notify the defendant in writing about the alleged violation. This must happen at least 30 days before the lawsuit is filed, and the business owner will then have an opportunity to take appropriate action to fix or otherwise “cure” the harm. (E.g., repairing or replacing a damaged item that was sold to the consumer.)

Defending Against CLRA Claims in California

It is very important for injured consumers to have an experienced consumer protection attorney handling their case throughout the legal process. The same is true for businesses that are accused of consumer fraud or false advertising. If you have been sued for allegedly violating a California consumer protection law like the CLRA, you need to speak with a qualified defense attorney as soon as possible.

Contact the California CLRA Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP

Tauler Smith LLP is a Los Angeles law firm that focuses on consumer fraud litigation. Our attorneys are extremely familiar with the Consumers Legal Remedies Act, and we have filed both private civil actions and class action lawsuits on behalf of consumers. If you were a victim of business fraud or false advertising in California, we can help you take legal action and get you the financial compensation to which you are entitled. Call or email us to discuss your eligibility to file a CLRA claim.

Diet Supplement Criminal Penalties

DNP Distributor Gets Prison for Selling Deadly Diet Pills

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Diet Supplement Criminal Penalties

In recent legal news, a DNP distributor was sentenced to prison for selling the deadly diet pill to consumers. Barry Clint Wright used to run a website called CrystalDNP.com, which he used to reach consumers who would purchase the diet pill DNP. Wright was accused of using deceptive marketing strategies for DNP, which included mislabeling the drug and selling it on websites for candles and bee pollen. Like a lot of unapproved weight loss supplements, the DNP pills posed significant health risks for users: multiple people died after consuming the pills sold by Wright. As a result, Wright eventually pleaded guilty to the criminal charges and was sentenced to a term of incarceration of seven (7) years.

California consumer fraud lawyer Robert Tauler provided commentary on the Barry Clint Wright criminal case, which can be viewed here.

DNP Is a Deadly Weight Loss Drug

DNP is a chemical substance also known as 2,4-Dinitrophenol. When ingested, DNP can have severe health consequences for users, including cataracts, cardiac arrhythmia, and even death. In fact, DNP is considered so dangerous that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared it to be “extremely dangerous” and “not fit for human consumption.” In this way, DNP is similar to other nutritional and weight loss supplements that can cause adverse health effects. Additionally, when companies sell unapproved supplements for use by consumers, the companies may be both criminally and civilly liable.

Although there are some people like Barry Clint Wright who have claimed that DNP is not dangerous for consumption, those people are wrong. The evidence on DNP is clear: the drug is extremely unsafe and poses significant health risks to consumers, which is why the FDA has made it illegal to market, sell, or otherwise distribute the weight loss drug.

Companies that violate the law by deceptively marketing DNP and then selling it as a dietary supplement may be exposed to civil liability. The experienced consumer fraud lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP help plaintiffs file nutritional supplement lawsuits in courtrooms throughout the country.

Barry Clint Wright Sentenced to Prison for Selling DNP to Consumers

Barry Clint Wright was recently sentenced to seven (7) years in prison for selling DNP as a weight loss drug. Wright was criminally indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, a federal court with jurisdiction in the case. The crimes that Wright was indicted for related to the sale of DNP and how he marketed the weight loss drug to consumers. He later reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, in which he admitted his guilt.

What makes this case so interesting is that the federal government sought an enhancement of the federal sentencing guidelines. In this case, prosecutors wanted the judge to issue a sentence longer than what the guidelines called for. They did this because the way that Wright marketed DNP was particularly egregious and exposed consumers to significant health risks. The government said that Wright failed to label the product accurately, and he also sold it on multiple websites. Moreover, the government said that three (3) customers died after using the DNP – with the possibility that more customers may have died. Beyond that, Wright was accused of using “sophisticated tactics” to ensure that the dangerous diet pill would go unregulated. (E.g., he sold the DNP on a candle website and asked customers to claim that they were buying candles.)

The federal judge ultimately agreed with prosecutors and sentenced Barry Clint Wright to the maximum statutory sentence of seven (7) years in prison.

Contact the California Dietary Supplement Lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP

DNP has dangerous side effects, and the people who mislabel DNP and sell it as a weight loss pill are engaging in criminal activity. If you purchased DNP for use as a diet pill, you may be eligible to file a civil suit against the manufacturer or distributor. Call or send an email to the California dietary supplement lawyers at Tauler Smith LLP today.