These 8 Settlements Can Turn Moldy Clothes and Indigestion Into Cash

We all know love can give us butterflies in our stomachs, but can Align probiotics truly give us good bacteria in our stomachs? The latter is just one of several marketing claims called into question this month.

You could qualify to receive money from the maker of Align and from several other class-action settlements — some of which might be part of your Valentine’s Day celebration.

The following eight class-action settlements have deadlines coming soon. Fortunately, many of them only require you to complete and submit an online form.

While these settlements might not make your heart go aflutter, they could help your wallet get fatter.

Align Probiotic

If you purchased Align probiotic supplements between March 1, 2009 to June 6, 2016, you could receive a refund of up to $49.26.

Procter & Gamble admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to pay a $15 million cash settlement for its claims the supplement had digestive health benefits. Class members include all U.S. consumers who purchased Align for personal or household use during the aforementioned time period and did not experience digestive health benefits.

Procter & Gamble also agreed to stop making certain marketing claims for Align and will contribute financially to irritable bowel syndrome research.

You have until May 16, 2018 to submit a claim.

Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate

Did you buy Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate Plus or Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Super Concentrate and find that it didn’t create as much diluted product as promised on the packaging? If so, you could be eligible for a settlement of $11 to $53 per unit for up to 20 items.

Those who purchased these concentrated Roundup products in California on or after Oct. 13, 2012 may be eligible for the settlement. If you purchased the product in another state, so long as it was on or after April 5 of any year within the statute of limitations, you may be eligible for the settlement too.

The Roundup packaging must have a label with “Makes Up To __ Gallons” printed on it. The $21.5 million settlement resolves two class-action lawsuits against Monsanto over the concentrated products.

If you’re impacted by this settlement, act fast because you have until March 6, 2018 to submit a claim.

Sam’s Club Freshness Guarantee Failures

Sam’s Club members filed two class-action lawsuits, one in California and another in South Carolina, that claim the company didn’t honor its own 200% refund guarantee on fresh products.

If you returned certain foods from Sam’s Club’s meat, deli, produce, bakery or seafood departments covered by the 200% guarantee and only received the purchase price as a refund between Sept 11, 1999 and Nov. 9, 2017, you may be eligible for this settlement.

The settlement is expected to provide each affected consumer a $10 gift card that’s good at Walmart or Sam’s Club, but the value may vary depending on how many claims are filed and approved.  

You must submit a claim by March 26, 2018.

Lia Sophia Jewelry Shutdown

If you purchased Lia Sophia jewelry or were a sales advisor, you could be eligible for a portion of a $6.7 million settlement.

Lia Sophia, named as Act II Jewelry LLC in the lawsuit, lost its sparkle when it abruptly shut down its direct-sales business in February 2015.

Customers who were promised lifetime replacement guarantees were told it would no longer be honored. Sales advisors who invested in inventory and new-associate starter kits at a cost of $99 to $149 were left with basically worthless investments.

The settlement sets up three plaintiff classes:

• The customer class covers all individuals in the U.S. who purchased jewelry from Act II between June 23, 2011 and Dec. 1, 2014.

• The sales-advisor class covers all individuals in the U.S. who sold at least $250 in jewelry for Act II between Jan. 1, 2014 and Aug. 17, 2014.

• The new-sales-advisor Class covers all individuals in the U.S. who purchased new starter kits from Act II between Aug. 1, 2014 and Dec. 1, 2014.

You’ve got a little time to get your claim forms together, as the deadline isn’t until April 9, 2018.

Lime Crime Data Breach

Online makeup retailer Lime Crime has reached a $110,000 class-action settlement in response to a data breach between Oct. 4, 2014 and Feb. 15, 2015 that may have exposed customer information.

Customers’ names, addresses, debit or credit card numbers, and their Lime Crime usernames and passwords allegedly were exposed.

Class members include those who received an incident notice in February 2015 to alert them of the data breach, and they may qualify for up to a $44 payment. Lime Crime also wants to make good with affected customers with a 15% discount on their next Lime Crime purchase.

The deadline to submit a claim is April 9, 2018.

Electrolux Front Washer Mold Problem

When you wash your clothes, you expect them to smell fresh, not sour with mold and mildew.

Two Electrolux class-action lawsuits claimed the company’s front-loading clothes washers, which were sold under the Electrolux, Frigidaire, Crosley, White-Westinghouse and Kenmore brand names, allowed water to collect in a gasket. Mold took root in this moist area and cause a smell not even the strongest floral fabric softeners could overpower.

Consumers who bought one of these washers from Jan. 1, 2004 to Dec. 31, 2011, and experienced mold- and mildew-smelling clothes can claim a $50 payment, a 5 to 20% rebate for the purchase of a new Electrolux-made appliance or up to a $500 reimbursement for expenses incurred trying to fix the problem.

Want to get in on this class-action settlement? You have to file your claim by the April 19, 2018 deadline.

Wines ‘Til Sold Out Pricing Issue

Wines ‘Til Sold Out has agreed to a $10.8 million settlement benefiting customers who purchased wines online between March 25, 2010 and Nov. 1, 2016.

The company faced allegations that it tricked customers into believing they were buying wine at a discounted price by listing a fake original price. Most of the wines sold on WTSO are exclusive to the company, so no previous or other pricing would exist.

WTSO admits no wrongdoing but will offer credits to customers on future bottles of wine. Credits vary from 20 cents to $20 or more.

Affected consumers must submit a verification form to WTSO by April 19, 2018 to obtain the appropriate credits.

Wish.com False Discounts

Did you purchase an item from Wish.com from June 16, 2013 to Dec. 12, 2017 and wished you hadn’t? If so, you could receive up to $20 from a class-action settlement of more than $100 million.

Wish.com faced allegations it tricked customers into thinking they were buying items at a discounted price on its website. In reality, consumers allege they paid more for the item because Wish.com allegedly referred to false “original” or “regular” prices next to a supposed discount price.

Although the company admitted no wrongdoing, it will pay class members $3 each without a proof of purchase and up to $20 each when a proof of purchase is included.

For information on how to submit a claim by the May 1, 2018 deadline, click here.