MemberWorks, Billy Blank’s Tae Bo and West Telemarketing Class Action Lawsuit Settlement

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We’re sorry! This settlement is CLOSED!

No more submissions are allowed.

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Company(ies):

MemberWorks, Billy Blanks, West Corporation, West Telemarketing Corporation.

MemberWorks programs marketed as: Essentials Connections, HomeWorks Smart Source, Privacy Plus, Health Trends, Premier Health, Leisure Advantage, ValueMax, 24 Hour Protect, Travel Arrangements, Shopping Service, Home and Garden Rewards.

Website Link to access the Class Action Lawsuit Settlement and get YOUR Stake: Settlement Information Website

Address of Class Counsel to submit a claim form (REQUIRED):

Ritt Settlement (Ohio Residents):

Ritt v. Blanks et al. Litigation
c/o Gilardi & Co. LLC
P.O. Box 8060
San Rafael, CA 94912-8060

Sanford Settlement (California Residents):

Sanford v. West Corp Litigation
c/o Gilardi & Co. LLC
P.O. Box 8060
San Rafael, CA 94912-8060

Nationwide Settlement (All residents outside of Ohio and California):

Sanford v. West Corp Litigation (Nationwide Subclass)
c/o Gilardi & Co. LLC
P.O. Box 8060
San Rafael, CA 94912-8060

Phone Number to call for assistance: 1-888-292-8502

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Details: Did you buy a Billy Blanks Tai Bo video and a salesperson signed you up for a “free” trial membership at the same time? No? OK. Did you see a product on TV (not necessarily a Tai Bo video) and order it? After you ordered the product did the telemarketer tell you about one of the membership programs listed below and you signed up for a “free” trial? After a month or two for some strange reason you started seeing charges on your credit card for the “free service or trial.” SAY IT AIN’T SO!

MemberWorks programs marketed as:

• MemberWorks
• Essentials Connections
• HomeWorks Smart Source
• Privacy Plus
• Health Trends
• Premier Health
• Leisure Advantage
• ValueMax
• 24 Hour Protect
• Travel Arrangements
• Shopping Service
• Home and Garden Rewards

You may be able to participate in one of these class action lawsuit settlements. We spoke with Class Counsel (the Plaintiff attorneys) at Coughlin Stoia on this one to make sure we completely understood the case since it’s actually three cases, not one.  Nationwide, California and Ohio residents have individual class action lawsuit settlements. Estimated payment per claimant is anywhere from a $40 phone card, up to $150 in cash PLUS phone cards or more depending on how long you were charged. Only those in California and Ohio (or who were there when they called in their order) can claim the cash settlement. If you aren’t eligible to make a claim in the California or Ohio settlements they’ll automatically move you into the nationwide settlement ($40 phone card) and check your eligibility with that case. If there’s any chance you can claim the California or Ohio settlement submit one of those claim forms.

Overall it’s a simple process to make your claim.

Just hit the Settlement Administrator site and print out the appropriate claim form.

Ritt for Ohio residents – MUST BE POSTMARKED BY 1/12/09

Sanford for California residents – MUST BE POSTMARKED BY 1/22/09

Nationwide for everyone else. If you lived in California or Ohio during the purchased from window we recommend you fill out the Ritt or Sanford settlement claim form. That way you have the option of receiving part of the settlement in cash. If the claim is denied in California or Ohio, don’t worry, I was assured by the Class Counsel at Coughlin Stoia that the settlement administrator will automatically move you to the nationwide class. That way you’re not missing out on your piece of the settlement pie. – MUST BE POSTMARKED BY 1/22/09

That’s it! Print it out, fill out your information, choose how you want to get paid, sign it and send it in. No proof of purchase, credit card statements or receipts required. MAKE SURE TO SIGN THE CLAIM FORM! If you don’t sign it they will automatically invalidate the claim.

If you have any questions just give the administrators a call for help.

Purchased From:

Ritt Settlement – Ohio residents who made the purchase between September 1, 1998 through July 2, 2001.

Sanford Settlement – California residents who made the purchase between September 1, 1998 through July 2, 2001.

Nationwide Settlement – All U.S. residents outside of Ohio and California who made the purchase between January 1, 1998 through December 31, 2002.

Claims Accepted Until (YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR CLAIM BY THIS DATE!): 1/12/09 for Ohio,  1/22/09 for California and the nationwide settlements

Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Amount(s): $39,750,000 which includes $9,750,000 in cash and $30,000,000 in phone cards plus $18,500,000 in attorney fees plus plus $30,000 in lead plaintiff rewards plus administrative costs (advertising the notice, settlement administrator expenses, etc.)

TCA Staff Tidbit: So this one on the surface looks a bit confusing, but, as you dig deeper it clears up. It’s relatively simple. The Telemarketing company is accused of cross selling membership into various consumer programs via MemberWorks after people called in and ordered products they saw on TV (Billy Blank’s Tai Bo videos/DVDs being one of them.) The telemarketing company allegedly read a script which lead people to believe they wouldn’t be charged for the membership. Those who signed up received a charge later for anywhere from $50 – $150 depending on what program they were signed up for.

Kudos to Frank and the rest of the lead counsel team for making this a painless settlement for the claimant. All you have to do is print out the form for your State (or the one you lived in from 9/1/98 – 7/2/01 if claiming the Ohio or California settlements), submit your name, address and select which settlement you want, sign the form and send it in. That’s it! If you mess up and send in the wrong form, DON’T WORRY! They’ll automatically run your name and address through the other State’s database and if you STILL aren’t in the right one they’ll run your name through the national settlement. We recommend you submit the correct claim form, the Ohio or California claim form if at all possible, but at least you’re not out of the settlement if by chance you DO submit the wrong one. In our opinion that’s the way to run what could be a potentially confusing settlement otherwise. At a minimum you should be able to receive a $40 phone card. The max of a $150 cash claim PLUS a phone card is fantastic for those folks in Ohio and California.

The numbers on this one? It’s estimated more than 1,000,000 claimants are eligible to stake their claim on the national settlement. 20,000-30,000 Ohio and 90,000-100,000 California residents are eligible.

Make sure to head over and print out the form. Don’t let this one slip by. Print out the form, fill it out and send it in.