A yellow pages auto renewal lawsuit may be an option for businesses, as well as individuals, who attempted to cancel a purchased ad and were unable to do so. In some cases, businesses that sign up for certain products and ad services with YellowPages.com may unknowingly agree to be automatically renewed the following year. According to some state laws, customers or businesses that took out an ad with yellow pages (or one of its services) may be able to pursue a claim with the help of a consumer fraud attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group today. Our consultations are free, confidential and without any obligation on your part. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated consumer fraud attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
Yellow Pages
The term “yellow pages” most commonly refers to any telephone directory of businesses and business advertisements. Originally, the directories were printed on yellow paper in contrast to non-commercial and residential directories, which were printed on white paper. Historically, the concept of “yellow pages” dates back to the early 1880’s, and today the term is used throughout the world to represent a number of registered and non-registered trademarked businesses.
In the United States, the term yellow pages in not registered and is used by a number of companies, including YellowPages.com (YP), a U.S.-based website operated by YP Holdings. According to the company’s website, “YP is the original source people use to find and connect with local businesses.” YP offers a range of services for local and national businesses through local search, advertisements and direct marketing. In addition to over 1300 printed directories published under the YP The Real Yellow Pages brand, the company’s primary online publications include yellowpages.com, yp.com and the YP app.
Yellow Pages Automatic Renewal Program
YellowPages.com claims to connect over 60 million potential customers to local businesses that use the company’s advertising services. Once an advertisement is purchased, the client is signed up for automatic renewal unless the client notifies YP customer service. The company’s automatic renewal program is described in two different agreements, the YP General Terms of Service and the Advertiser General Terms and Conditions.
According to the YP General Terms of Service, customers who purchase any YP products or ad will be charged electronically (through a credit or debit card transaction) through an electronic network known as an automated clearing house. Likewise, YP “will also save your credit or debit card information and use it for all future charges, which will automatically be charged to your saved card unless you notify YP customer service.”
In addition to the company’s general terms of service agreement, clients who advertise through YP are subject to the YP Advertiser General Terms and Conditions. According to the roughly three-page document, products and ad services purchased through YP “will automatically renew, unless terminated as set forth in this Agreement, for a like term under the then-current Terms & Conditions.” By default, a term is 12 months. In addition, the agreement states that “If no deadline for canceling the renewal of an Order is set forth therein, Advertiser will be responsible for obtaining the deadline for canceling the renewal of such Order by calling Publisher’s Customer Service Office at the number specified therein.”
Automatic Renewal Laws in the United States
As a result of potentially deceptive conduct with regards to auto renewal contracts, several states have enacted statutes detailing what a retailer has to do renew a contract, including automatic renewal laws in Georgia and California.
YP’s automatic renewal program could potentially violate a Georgia state statute regulating automatic renewal provisions in contracts because the terms have not been disclosed in a manner that is clear and conspicuous.
Under the law enacted by the Georgia General Assembly in 2013, an automatic renewal provision is “a provision under which a service contract is renewed for a specified period of more than one month if the renewal causes the service contract to be in effect more than six months after the day of the initiation of the service contract.”
Likewise, a California law known as California’s Automatic Renewal Law states that any company must:
- present automatic-renewal terms in a “clear and conspicuous” manner in visual or temporal proximity near a request for consent to the offer;
- obtain affirmative consent before charging a customer’s account; and
- provide an acknowledgment that includes the automatic-renewal terms, cancellation policy and information regarding how to cancel the subscription in a manner that is capable of being retained by the consumer.
Businesses that engage in such practices in the state of California could violate state law, and customers who purchased ads under such agreements may be able to pursue a claim with the help of a consumer fraud attorney.
How a Yellow Pages Auto Renewal Lawsuit Can Help
When a company engages in false or misleading advertising of its products, or otherwise commits deceptive trade practices, that company could be liable for any damage that result.
The actions of the defendants could constitute fraud and misrepresentation, breach of warranty, breach of contract as well as violations of various consumer protection laws, including California and Georgia automatic renewal statutes.
Compensation may be sought for:
- Costs incurred by owners, including loss of value, attributable to any wrongful conduct
- Refund of the purchase price paid for affected services
- Damages related to violations of consumer protection acts
- Attorneys’ fees
Individuals who have purchased an ad with yellow pages may be eligible to pursue damages through a yellow pages auto renewal lawsuit and are encouraged to seek the advice of an experienced consumer fraud attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
The Time You Have to Pursue a Claim is Limited. Contact Us Today.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
