Technology News: Legal

High Court Hears 'Case of the Century'
November 10, 2009

The Supreme Court on Monday heard arguments in Bilski v. Kappos, a case that has been making its way through the legal system for more than 10 years -- and along the way has morphed into the software industry's worst nightmare. "It's been called 'the case of the century,' and to a large extent I have to agree," said John Squires, an attorney with Chadbourne & Parke.

Judge: Customers in Ameritrade Class Action Deserve Better Deal
October 27, 2009

A federal judge has refused to approve a class-action settlement over contact information stolen from online brokerage TD Ameritrade. U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco says the deal offers little significant benefit to the more than 6 million current and former customers affected.

Identity Fraud, Part 3: Taking the Target Off Your Back
September 30, 2008

If you've become a victim of identity theft, there are steps you can take to restore your good name, wipe black marks off your credit report, and recoup virtually all, if not absolutely all, of the money fraudulently spent under your name. So, how do you prevent this from happening again?

Identity Fraud, Part 2: Digging Yourself Out of the Wreckage
September 29, 2008

So it's happened. Someone's stolen your identity and now you've got a collection agency on your case, demanding payment for a car you didn't buy or a credit card you didn't take out. What to do? The first thing is not to panic, said Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Identity Fraud, Part 1: A $45 Billion Snowball
September 27, 2008

Imagine getting a $45 billion bill without knowing exactly how you ended up with such a big tab. That's exactly the situation facing Americans struck by identity fraud. In 2007, the misuse of lost and stolen identity information cost $45 billion, an average of $5,574 per incident, according to Javelin Strategy's 2008 Identity Fraud Survey Report.

Feds Throw Book at 11 Customer Data Theft Suspects
August 06, 2008

The Department of Justice has charged 11 people with the theft of millions of account numbers from a long list of U.S. big box retailers including TJ Maxx, OfficeMax, Barnes & Noble, Boston Market, BJ's Wholesale Club, Forever 21, DSW, Dave & Buster's and Sports Authority.

SAP Posts Strong Q2 Numbers as Oracle Amps Up Legal Claims
July 30, 2008

SAP turned in a strong Q2 financial report on Tuesday with results mitigated only by a drop in profits due to its acquisition of Business Objects. SAP's net profit for the quarter was $634.9 million, a 9 percent decline from the same period last year. Revenue was $4.45 billion, a jump of 18 percent from Q2 2007.

FCC Poised to Reprimand Verizon for Hounding Customers
June 20, 2008

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission reportedly is expected to rule against Verizon in a complaint filed by three cable companies against the telco. The FCC plans to tell Verizon it cannot try to talk phone service customers into staying instead of switching to a cable competitor, according to press accounts that leaked the pending decision.

Los Angeles Mad as Hell at Time Warner
June 05, 2008

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo has filed a civil lawsuit against Time Warner Cable, alleging it deceived and ripped off its subscribers, providing inferior service for months. The complaint accuses TWC of engaging in numerous fraudulent acts and business practices.

When Disgruntled Customers Attack
April 25, 2008

After Best Buy lost the laptop Raelyn Campbell had brought in for repair, the D.C. resident filed a lawsuit demanding $54 million from the company. That eye-popping claim -- and the publicity it engendered -- was the culmination of a long blog campaign during which Campbell related her frustration with Best Buy's evasive behavior.

The Burdensome Costs of Customer Justice
April 10, 2008

Providing timely, reassuring and comprehensive customer service has been an axiom of good business for as long as people have been doing business. The inability of a business to provide competent, secure customer service is damaging to more than just revenues.

Mad-as-Hell Best Buy Customer Files $54M Lawsuit Over Laptop Loss
February 14, 2008

A frustrated Best Buy customer has filed a $54 million lawsuit against the electronics retailer in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Her complaint? Best Buy lost the laptop she had brought in for repair; the tech staff was evasive about its whereabouts; and the store refused to compensate her fully for her loss.

The Cost of ID Theft, Part 2: Fixing the System
February 06, 2008

As the number of identity theft victims continues to mount, so has the amount of data and information related to such events -- and the time and resources devoted to better understanding, analyzing and devising measures that can better prevent such occurrences. "The stakes are already quite high when it comes to data loss," noted Uriel Maimon, senior researcher for security firm RSA.

Senators Lambaste Credit Card Companies Over Rate Hikes
December 04, 2007

A U.S. Senate subcommittee on Tuesday hauled credit card companies onto the mat for their practice of using credit scores to increase the interest rates cardholders must pay. "Credit card companies go too far when they hike the interest rates of consumers who are faithfully paying their credit card bills, just to squeeze more finance charges from them," said Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.

Comcast Customer Sues to End P2P Interference
November 15, 2007

Allegations that Comcast is blocking Internet traffic to peer-to-peer sites, namely BitTorrent and Gnutella, continue to bedevil the company. First, there was the media exposé, then the petition to the Federal Communications Commission by several consumer groups to enjoin Comcast from interfering with the Internet traffic that travels over its pipes.

AT&T Eases Plan Switching Penalties as Congress Mulls Action
October 16, 2007

AT&T is revamping its policies to allow consumers to prorate their early termination fee according to how long he or she has been on the plan. The company is also allowing customers who switch plans or change phones during the course of their contract to maintain the same contract instead of re-starting with a new commitment.