Legal notice from Ancestry.com

[piedstilt]

When I saw a email in my inbox with this heading my first thought (after all the discussion about copyright issues) was 'oh-oh, they've found me out'!!

Phew, not so ...

Has anyone else received this notice about a 'pending class action' against Ancestry?

You can read all about it through the link below. Fascinating!

Ros

http://www.ancestry.com/legal/class.aspx?o_iid=21156&o_lid=21156&o_it=20875

[Llwyd]

It's given me a headache............but the legal jargon is amazing and as long as you are not personally responsible for the sums of money they are talking about........

   

[Floss]

Ok I've just looked at the link - and don't understand a word of it    Whats it all about ??

Fiona

[juddee]

All that legal jargon  .....I only understand plain English 

Juddee

[Nicky]

LOL Judee and Floss, I thought I was being thick not understanding a word of that mumbo jumbo!!!!

Please could someone translate and post??

Nicky

[Dragonlore]

As I understand it ........


A group of people are suing Ancestry under US law because they claim that Ancestry failed to tell them about the additional costs of paying their subscription monthly instead of as a one off annual payment.

The people doing the suing ( plaintiffs ) are seeking compensation.Ancestry.com ( defendants ) deny the allegation.

Ancestry.com are required under US law to put a notice up which gives other monthly subscribers the opportunity to add their details to the list for a chance in a share of the "winnings" if the action is successful.



Disclaimer :   At least I think that's what it boils down to.    

[juddee]

Thanks for putting it in plain English Dragonlore

I can understand that...why they have to go into such longwinded explanations is beyond me

Nicky.......love those penguins ....puts a smile on my face every time I see them 

Juddee

[Jean McGurn]

Dragonlore wrote

"Ancestry.com are required under US law to put a notice up which gives other monthly subscribers the opportunity to add their details to the list for a chance in a share of the "winnings" if the action is successful."

Does this also mean that if the action fails then all those with their names on the list would also have to share paying the costs? Perhaps that doesn't happen in the US, otherwise why sue.

 I always thought that if you paid for something in stages instead of all in one go there would be extra to pay anyway.

Jean

[suttontrust]

"Facts Underlying the Lawsuit.
Defendants provide genealogical subscription services over the Ancestry.com Internet website. In the past, a number of the subscriptions were offered on an annual basis, payable in either monthly payments or by a single one time payment. In each instance, the sum of the monthly payments was greater than the one time payment. The maximum amount of statutory damages recoverable in this class action is the lesser of $500,000 or 1% of the Defendants’ net worth. 15 U.S.C. § 1640(a)(2)(B). As set forth below, that is less than one sixth (1/6) the estimated value of the Settlement Benefits under the proposed Settlement."
If US law says you have to tell a customer that it costs more to pay monthly than in one lump, and Ancestry didn't tell people that, they'll be found guilty, I suppose.