Atlanta, Georgia – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is urging servicemembers and veterans who have been misled by Harris Jewelry to file their refund requests by December 21, 2024 in what appears to be a major move meant at correcting a deceptive practice. The effort follows a federal court decision requiring the reopening of the claims system the retailer closed in breach of a settlement agreement.
Harris Jewelry had come under investigation for false pretenses guiding servicemembers into buying a Lifetime Jewelry and Watch Protection Plan. Many lacked the ability to pursue refunds after the first claims portal closed. But the court’s involvement gives qualified servicemembers still another opportunity to assert what is rightly theirs.
These misleading policies are thought to have harmed an estimated 3,780 servicemembers and veterans from Georgia, mostly housed at Fort Moore in Columbus. These people are encouraged to immediately visit the Harris Jewelry website to guarantee their claims are handled before the deadline.
When Georgia signed a $34.2 million multistate settlement to address claims against Harris Jewelry in 2022, media attention originally focused on the issue. The settlement exposed more than 46,000 servicemembers around the country who were misled by Harris Jewelry, which had made unfounded claims about the advantages of financing purchases through the company—more specifically that it would result in better credit scores. The business also neglected legal guidelines for contract disclosures and authorizations and marketed its protection plan as a necessary add-on for funding.
Under the terms of the settlement, Harris Jewelry was obliged to stop the collecting of over $21 million in outstanding debts owed by 13,426 servicemembers, provide nearly $13 million in refunds for the protection plans, vacate judgments against 112 consumers, and remove any negative credit reporting against these individuals.
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Acknowledging the particular difficulties servicemembers have in handling their money, particularly in relation to predatory lending and frauds, the Attorney General’s office has also produced the Georgia Military Consumer Protection Guide. This information is meant to assist servicemembers in understanding their rights and protecting themselves from fraud. Among many other subjects, it addresses personal finance, renter’s rights, vehicle buying, and identity theft.
Georgia servicemembers who believe they have been victims of frauds or deceptive commercial activities are advised to contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General. There is help accessible via online complaint submissions as well as phone calls.
“Thousands of Georgia’s servicemembers and veterans fell victim to Harris Jewelry’s deceptive acts, and we want to ensure they receive the financial relief they’re rightfully owed,” said Carr. “We won’t allow anyone to take advantage of our military families, and we encourage all Georgians who are eligible to submit their refund requests as soon as possible.”
All impacted servicemembers and veterans are advised to move fast to submit their refund requests as the deadline is fast approaching. The initiative aims to not only correct the monetary damages suffered by the impacted people but also act as a strong warning against upcoming predatory behaviors aiming at our country’s servicemembers.
