Protecting Consumers

Non-Antitrust Settlements

Settlement With Manufacturers And Distributor Of Children’s Lunch Bags

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Blockbuster Settlement

Customers eligible for a refund from Blockbuster are those who rented products after December 31, 2004, and prior to March 29, 2005. Requests for a refund must be made by April 28, 2005. If, however, a consumer discovers after April 28, 2005, that fees have been charged, a claim must be made within seven days of the discovery. The restitution period will conclude on September 29, 2005.

What to do: Consumers are strongly encouraged to inquire directly at the Blockbuster store from which they rented the items. Blockbuster has agreed to refund the charges to consumers’ accounts in the manner in which they were made. Consumers can also print out the refund request form and mail to: 1201 Elm Street, Suite 2100, Dallas, TX 75270, Attention: Steve Krumholz.

Household-Beneficial Settlement

If you obtained a real estate secured home mortgage loan from Household-Beneficial Finance between January 1, 1999, and September 30, 2002, and did not settle with the company, you may be eligible to collect money as part of a Settlement between Household-Beneficial Finance and the State of Illinois.

Settlement Fund: Household-Beneficial Finance will establish a settlement fund of $11,072,827, from which eligible borrowers may receive payment. The exact amount you are eligible to receive depends on how many people choose to receive a settlement payment and other factors, but it will be at least the amount listed on the mailed form called "Release and Agreement to Participate in Household-Beneficial Finance Settlement." Pursuant to the settlement of the lawsuit, consumers will be receiving a notice from the Household-Beneficial Settlement Administrator, who will administer the restitution fund and who will notify consumers of any actions they must take to receive payment.

What To Do: Your participation is optional. YOU MUST SIGN AND RETURN THE RELEASE THAT WAS MAILED TO YOU FROM THE HOUSEHOLD-BENEFICIAL SETTLEMENT ADMINISTRATOR BY OCTOBER 14, 2003. Watch your mailbox for further notices from the Household-Beneficial Settlement Administrator. For more information about the Settlement, consumers may call the Household-Beneficial Settlement Administrator toll free: 1-888-780-2156.

For More Information Double Click on the Following Link: www.household-beneficial-settlement.com

date posted: 08/26/03

First Alliance Mortgage Company
Class Action Settlement Fact Sheet

If you obtained a home mortgage loan from First Alliance Mortgage Company between January 1, 1992, and March 23, 2000, and did not settle with the company, you may be eligible to collect money as part of a proposed Class Action Settlement between First Alliance and its affiliates, officers and certain employees and the State of Illinois, the Federal Trade Commission, the States of Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, and New York, AARP, and various individual borrowers.

Settlement Fund: First Alliance and other defendants will establish a settlement fund of as much as $60 million, out of which eligible borrowers may receive payment.

What To Do: You don't have to do anything right now. The Court must approve a Class Action Settlement before it is final. Several conditions must be met before the settlement becomes effective and money can be distributed to consumers. These conditions include the court's approving both the settlement and the bankruptcy liquidation plan that First Alliance will be filing. Once the conditions are met and the settlement is approved, the FTC will administer the redress fund and will notify consumers of any actions they must take to receive redress. Pursuant to the settlement of the class action lawsuit, consumers will be receiving a notice from the Court, the Federal Trade Commission or from various lawyers representing individual borrowers explaining the settlement agreement in more detail and what actions consumers should take to ensure receipt of their redress. These notices will not be sent by the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. Watch your mailbox for further notices from the Court and the FTC. For more information about the Proposed Settlement, consumers may call the Federal Trade Commission toll free: 1-877-862-0886, (TTY) 202-326-2502.

For More Information Follow the Link:
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/famco/

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