Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging Harris Jewelry consumers, most of whom are active-duty service members, to submit refund requests before a new claims window ends. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ordered the jewelry store to reopen its claims process to submit forms for refunds. The new claims process is open now through Dec. 21.
Harris Jewelry sold jewelry, watches and military-themed gifts from its stores strategically located on or near military bases. The company allegedly trained employees to incorrectly tell service members, including new recruits in basic training, that buying on credit from Harris Jewelry improved credit scores regardless of credit history or late-payment record. The court found Harris Jewelry violated its prior settlement by prematurely shutting down the claims portal.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “A federal court required Harris Jewelry to pay consumers millions of dollars in refunds, but the company prematurely shut down the claims portal. Now, the company is ordered to reopen the claims process so that military members harmed by its deceptive practices can be compensated. I encourage consumers who purchased items and services from Harris Jewelry and have yet to file a claim to request a refund as soon as possible.”
In July 2022, Attorney General Ashley Moody, 17 other state attorneys general and the Federal Trade Commission took action against Harris Jewelry for targeting military members and families with deceptive and unfair practices. According to the complaint, Harris Jewelry falsely claimed that financing jewelry purchases through the company would raise service members’ credit scores, misrepresented that its protection plans were not optional or were required and added the plans to purchases without consumers’ consent. The company also allegedly violated numerous financial consumer protection laws, including the Military Lending Act.
Under the stipulated order, the court required Harris Jewelry to stop collecting millions of dollars in debt, provide refunds for purchased protection plans, issue refunds for overpayments and assist with the deletion of any negative credit entries pertaining to debt in consumers’ credit reporting files. Harris Jewelry is also required to complete its shutdown of operations and dissolve pursuant to applicable state laws, once it meets the obligations of the stipulated order.
The court’s recent action is aimed at allowing consumers fair and sufficient time to file claims for refunds in response to the 2022 settlement. Consumers who believe they may be entitled to a refund should visit HarrisJewelry.com as soon as possible to file a claim or seek guidance on a previously filed claim.
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