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Amazingly, NOT A SCAM
Jan. 8th, 2025 05:27 pmAbout a week ago I got a mysterious email inviting me to "Claim Your Settlement Payment" for some old class action lawsuit involving auto parts. Supposedly all I had to do was click the claim button and I would get $100. I of course assumed this was a scam. I don't click on email links.
But the details in the email were sober and specific ("Pursuant to the Court-approved Round 4 Plan of Allocation and Round 5 Plan of Allocation in the matter entitled In Re: Automotive Parts Antitrust Litigation, Lead Case No. 12-md-02311, you are eligible to receive a payment of $100.00.") so I looked it up on the Internet. I found multiple sources insisting that this was a legitimate settlement claim, including the usually angry and skeptical population of reddit. Apparently it's about decades of price-fixing among auto parts suppliers and applies to practically anybody that bought a new car between 2002 and 2018. Well, maybe not any car, but it's a LONG list and both of our vehicles are on it.
As I said, I NEVER click on links in email, but I decided to take a chance. The link went to a 3rd-party processor that did not ask for money or any personal information like bank account numbers. I did have to give them SOME way to pay me, but Paypal was one of them and that's really quite anonymous. So I filled in the very simple form and gave them my Paypal address. A week later, $100 appeared in my account!
But the details in the email were sober and specific ("Pursuant to the Court-approved Round 4 Plan of Allocation and Round 5 Plan of Allocation in the matter entitled In Re: Automotive Parts Antitrust Litigation, Lead Case No. 12-md-02311, you are eligible to receive a payment of $100.00.") so I looked it up on the Internet. I found multiple sources insisting that this was a legitimate settlement claim, including the usually angry and skeptical population of reddit. Apparently it's about decades of price-fixing among auto parts suppliers and applies to practically anybody that bought a new car between 2002 and 2018. Well, maybe not any car, but it's a LONG list and both of our vehicles are on it.
As I said, I NEVER click on links in email, but I decided to take a chance. The link went to a 3rd-party processor that did not ask for money or any personal information like bank account numbers. I did have to give them SOME way to pay me, but Paypal was one of them and that's really quite anonymous. So I filled in the very simple form and gave them my Paypal address. A week later, $100 appeared in my account!
