[2007] U.S settlement admistrator/Merged

rynker · Dec 4, 2007

I just received through the mail a letter from the U.S. District Court Settlement Administrator in PA. They gave me 3 different options to choose from for a "refund of fees charged to your elibible cards....." "The fees were based on foreign transactions, including both purchases and ATM withdrawals, from February 1, 1996 to November 8, 2006." I could choose one of three options or all three for a refund. The first two options didn't ask for any information except how many days outside the U.S. I'd spent. The third option asked for acct. and bank #. I don't understand any of this and am suspecting a big scam. Has anyone else received this letter? It all sounds too good to be true. Thanks!

zdxlc9p6 · Dec 4, 2007

I received the same thing last weekend, and was (still) concerned it's a fraud. I searched Google, and can't find anything that states it's a fraud. I find many articles that suggest it's legitimate, but...? Two of the three settlement options only require name & address as far as personal information. The third option does ask for a credit card number. I think I will proceed with option 1 or 2, and if I get a refund, great.

cissy · Dec 4, 2007

Now I'm getting nervous. I just submitted a claim using the $25 dollar option. I assumed it was legit because it didn't ask for any more information than it already had. I entered a claim id which was on the original letter addressed to me, and the same address information was retrieved. That was it. Hopefully I'll get a check for $25 and never hear from them again.

zdxlc9p6 · Dec 4, 2007

The form I had already had the name, address, etc. filled in, so by signing & returning it, I don't see how you have added any risk. I used option 2 since we travel out of the US on vacation and I travel for business too.

T_R_Oglodyte · Dec 4, 2007

Berger & Montague Announces $336 Million Settlement in Credit Card Case

In re Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust Litigation (MDL 1409)

pcgirl54 · Dec 4, 2007

Just got ours today.

Pat H · Dec 4, 2007

I got one as well. I remember getting something a while back on this case in which you could opt out. I have used my credit card many times in Europe between those dates but I don't think I still have the bills so I'll take the $25.

johnmfaeth · Dec 5, 2007

I love these settlements. Have gotten many over the years, mainly from wall street. You send in your form and get a checl for about $2 from most of them, this sounds a little richer.

They always have the name and phone number of the administrator or class action lead legal firm if you want to confirm.

Janis · Dec 5, 2007

If you call your credit card company, they are legally obligated to provide you with your past statements for at least a few years.

I called Citibank yesterday and they are sending me statements from the last 7years.

Lots of paperwork to be sure, but I have travelled far more than 1 week out of the last 10 years and am owed far more than $25!

Travelling only 1 week a year for 10 years and spending $1500/week overseas would be $15,000 and a $150 refund.

If you can approximate your foreign purchases, and it totals more than $2500 over the last decade - then you are better off applying for a 1% refund rather than the standard $25.

dash · Dec 5, 2007

My husband and I just received our yesterday.

Umm I might do some math.....

Dash

Bwolf · Dec 5, 2007

I also used option two, completing the form online, and there was no request for $ amounts spent, only days spent overseas. I filled in the days. Perhaps they'll ask for $ amounts, but my guess is they'll apply some formula and decide a $ amount to refund to me. Naturally, I 'll accept.

#1 Cowboys Fan · Dec 5, 2007

I received mine today---I would only fall into Option #1.

Should I send it back and look for $25?

Pat

marsha77 · Dec 6, 2007

I also received one a couple of days ago & just glanced at it & tossed it in a pile. This one I'll actually submit - the others that I received, I have no idea as to what they are talking about :wall:

Marsha

DaveNV · Dec 6, 2007

Ok, so I received TWO of them today, with different claim numbers. My name and address were identical on both. What's up with that?

Dave

geoand · Dec 6, 2007

Am I reading this correctly? If I purchased something for $1000.00, the transaction fee is more than for a $500.00 item?

Bill4728 · Dec 6, 2007

So if I purchased my $15,000 TS in Canada using one of these cards, I may qualify for a bigger rebate?

Moosie · Dec 7, 2007

Yes, I got something yesterday regarding travel outside USA using Visa, Mastercard etc.

I can't find the gosh darn thing right now,, Buried under all my other nonsense mailings.

I havren't been ouside USA for at least two years I think, will
have to check,.

It looked legit at first, but as soon as I locate it I'll some checking

Fern Modena · Dec 8, 2007

The settlement money covers a period going all the way back to 1996. I'd bet many/most TUGgers have been out of the US more than one week in that time (don't forget, Canada and Mexico count!). In that case you should use Option 2, and add up the total number of days you were out of the country. You can file online, the URL is in the notice, and if you use the identification code from your letter they will know it is you. You get an opportunity to print your form out after you submit it.

Fern

Detailor · Dec 8, 2007

geoand said:
Am I reading this correctly? If I purchased something for $1000.00, the transaction fee is more than for a $500.00 item?

Yes, you're reading that correctly. The settlement documentation reads that the fee was from 1% to 3% of the foreign transaction (purchase) amount. So for a $1000 purchase you'd be charged $10 to $30 while a $500 purchase would have been $5 to $15.

Dick Taylor

Detailor · Dec 8, 2007

I've also received multiple claim forms for this settlement. While looking over the refund forms, though, I noticed that they ask you to "...certify that the information I have provided on this claim is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, and that this is the only claim form that I have submitted. I understand that I will receive only ONE payment from this settlement."
I take that to mean that if you fill out and file additional claim forms you won't get additional refunds. Would anyone conjecture on whether filing additional claims would disqualify all claims since each party certifies that they've filed only one claim?

Dick Taylor

x3 skier · Dec 8, 2007

I got one and my wife did as well. Since we have two different credit card histories, I am sending in both picking door number two and will see what happens.

Cheers

dougp26364 · Dec 8, 2007

Fern Modena said:
The settlement money covers a period going all the way back to 1996. I'd bet many/most TUGgers have been out of the US more than one week in that time (don't forget, Canada and Mexico count!). In that case you should use Option 2, and add up the total number of days you were out of the country. You can file online, the URL is in the notice, and if you use the identification code from your letter they will know it is you. You get an opportunity to print your form out after you submit it.

Fern

Thanks Fern,

You just added 3 more days to our total. I completely forgot about the extra nights we spent pre Alaskan Cruise in Vancouver Canada.

Hoc · Dec 8, 2007

Fern Modena said:
I'd bet many/most TUGgers have been out of the US more than one week in that time (don't forget, Canada and Mexico count!).

74 days since 2002.

Darn! I already submitted my claim and omitted a week I had spent in Mexico before 2001 (my passport was re-issued in 2001, and I did not remember activity prior to reissue).

Luanne · Dec 8, 2007

Got mine today and submitted it using Option 1. Completely forgot about the two trips to Canada during that time. Drat!

Jim C · Dec 9, 2007

Filed my claim back in April. Got the most recent mailing, but I won't be changing the claim to either option 1 or 2. I was able to verify $43,000 in foreign transactions, so option 3 works for me. For what it's worth, here's how I was able to verify the transactions; had a little problem(at first) with Citicards, so I pulled out past income tax records and reviewed the annual credit card statements for foreign purchases. This really provides most everything you need. Since I had already trashed income tax records for the years 1996, 97 and 98, I reconstructed my transactions for 97 and 98 by averaging the transaction amounts for the years 1999 thru 2006 and entering those figures for 97 and 98. I also was able to determine the 1996 amount by going back through our timeshare documents where I found credit card receipts for our purchase of weeks at the Krystal. Records also include notice of the payoff. These totaled about $14,000 for Mexico. We live close to The Canadian border and spend significant time in the Niagara-on-the-Lake and Toronto areas, so the transaction fees really added up over the years. I know this is a little wordy, but hopefully it will help someone.

[2007] U.S settlement admistrator/Merged

rynker

Tug Review Crew: Rookie

zdxlc9p6

cissy

zdxlc9p6

T_R_Oglodyte

pcgirl54

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Pat H

johnmfaeth

Janis

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dash

Bwolf

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#1 Cowboys Fan

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marsha77

DaveNV

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geoand

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Bill4728

Moosie

Fern Modena

Detailor

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Detailor

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x3 skier

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dougp26364

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Hoc

Luanne

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Jim C