Uber Reaches $20 Million Settlement in TCPA Class Action Lawsuit
Uber Reaches $20 Million Settlement in TCPA Class Action Lawsuit
Uber has agreed to pay a $20 million settlement to end a class action lawsuit, which accused the ridesharing company of violating federal law by sending out unsolicited text messages. According to a news report in the Daily Hornet, the class action lawsuit was filed by Maria Vergara after she received at least eight unsolicited text messages with confirmation numbers to sign up for Uber, even though she had never used Uber or tried to download the Uber app.
Unsolicited Illegal Text Messages
The class action lawsuit accuses Uber of violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act or TCPA by sending out these unsolicited text messages to people who never gave their phone numbers to Uber. That practice can cost those receiving the texts money because many phone service providers charge individuals for receiving wireless spam.
The lawsuit also states that Uber routinely sent automated text messages to individuals who never gave Uber to use their phone numbers for marketing or advertising purposes. Anyone who got one of these unsolicited text messages from Uber between December 31, 2010 and August 17, 2017 may be eligible for compensation as part of the $20 million settlement agreement.
An Illinois judge will determine whether to approve the settlement and a $10,000 award to reach of the six lead plaintif fs and $6.7 million in attorneys’ fees plus expenses. This means that about $13.2 million could be split between an undetermined number of class members. That payout will depend on the number of people who submit a valid claim form by December 15, 2017. These claims may be filed online or by mail. Information online is at UberTCPASettlement.com.
Consumers’ Rights Under TCPA
The TCPA was passed into law in 1991 and went into effect in 1992. It protects consumers from unsolicited marketing calls such as prerecorded messages, robocalls, telemarketing using live callers and fax transmissions. In general, telemarketing calls, unsolicited faxes and autodialed calls to cell phones are violations of the TCPA and people receiving such unauthorized communications can bring a lawsuit in local state court. The law provides statutory damages between $500 and $1,500 for each violation, which are paid to the consumer.
If you are getting these calls in violation of the TCPA, it is important that you take the necessary steps to document the violations. You can do so by recording the date and time of the call and a summary of the conversations you have. Be sure to save texts or fax messages you receive as well. If you have been the victim of an aggressive, hostile or inappropriate phone call associated to telemarketing, call 1-877-959-2963 for a free case evaluation.
