Lawsuit Filed against Discover for Alleged Deceptive Marketing

As one of the leading credit card companies, Discover is trusted by many consumers. However, a lawsuit has recently been filed against the major credit card company in relation to allegations of enrolling customers in optional fee-based products that were perceived by customers to be free.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Discover made over $295 million from its alleged deceptive marketing. The lawsuit claims that the company made “aggressive, misleading and deceptive” telemarketing calls to customers, getting customers to agree to sign up for financial products without realizing there would be a charge.

Consumers expect credit card companies to help prevent fraud and other deceptive actions on the part of businesses and individuals. While this lawsuit has yet to fully unfold, if it is determined that Discover did in fact deliberately mislead its customers, the company could be held liable for a significant amount of money. The suit is requesting that the court require Discover to put an end to such practices and compensate customers who purchased services that they did not want and did not know they were actually paying for. The lawsuit also seeks an unspecified amount of civil penalties for those involved.

Credit card companies, as well as any other businesses, are expected to put the needs of consumers first. Consumer protection laws provide the means for individuals to seek reimbursement if they are taken advantage of, mislead, or denied services or products that have been paid for. With the current state of our economy in mind, consumer protection is more important than ever in helping individuals stay afloat and ensuring that businesses keep their word.