Please keep us up to date on this suit.


--
AL'S COMPUTERS
"Floyd" <Flooydomit@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:Ab5Li.895$ua4.461@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net. ..
> It's about time someone called them on this practice. Maybe some other
> states will join in if this effort is successful:
> __________________________________________________ ________
> Minnesota Says Sprint Duped Customers
>
> Sep 27, 3:59 PM (ET)
>
> By BRIAN BAKST
>
> ST. PAUL (AP) - Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson sued Sprint Nextel
> Corp. Thursday, accusing the wireless carrier of extending customers'
> contracts without their informed consent.
>
> Swanson said she had received hundreds of complaints from Minnesota
> residents, including some who said they were threatened with a $200
> cancellation fee for trying to get out of contracts they thought had
> expired.
>
> "The company has used hidden trip wires to trap unwary consumers into
> lengthy contracts simply because they made small changes in their plan,"
> Swanson said.
>
> She said Sprint, based in Reston, Va., with operational headquarters in
> Overland Park, Kan., violated state laws that require consumers receive
> enough information and give knowing consent before contract terms are
> altered. She said she did not coordinate her action with officials in
other
> states.
>
>
> Some Sprint customers who accepted a "courtesy discount" were unwittingly
> agreeing to stay with the company longer, according to court papers.
Others
> had contracts extended when they added more minutes to their plans, even
> though they received assurances the change wouldn't affect their
contracts'
> length.
>
> Swanson said she is investigating complaints against other wireless
> companies, but she declined to say which. She decided to sue Sprint first
> because it was cited most often by angry constituents, she said.
>
> She is seeking restitution for victims and wants the court to penalize
> Sprint up to $25,000 per incident.
>
> Sprint spokesman John Taylor said company attorneys were reviewing the
> lawsuit and could not comment.
>
> "It is Sprint Nextel's policy to go over the contract with the customer so
> they understand all aspects of it" before it is agreed to "or before the
> customer initiated changes are made to their account," he said.
>
> Taylor said the company sends written confirmation of all account updates
> and allows customers who change their minds to opt out.
>
> Swanson announced her lawsuit, filed in Hennepin County District Court, at
a
> state Capitol news conference where she was surrounded by people who felt
> duped by the company.
>
> Among them was certified financial planner David Peterson of Andover, who
> said he received a letter in July thanking him for extending his contract
on
> four phones. When he called to question the action, he said he learned
from
> a customer service agent that his contract was lengthened for apparently
> inquiring about a plan discount - something he denies took place.
>
> Peterson said he was able to reverse the charges, but only after he and
his
> wife spent hours dealing with the company.
>
> "I was livid at the way they handled this. They've treated us extremely
> poorly," Peterson said. "I'd like to give their CEO a big swift boot in
the
> patootie."
>
> __________________________________________________ _________
>
>
>