A number of companies have, over the years, forced consumers to agree to arbitration of disputes—it’s that, or don’t do business with them, in some cases not a very practical option.
Agreeing to arbitration puts you, the consumer, at a huge disadvantage. In the first place, when you accept this arrangement, you lose your right to file a suit before a judge and jury, and you also lose your right to be part of any class action suits against the other party, whether or not you have been damaged by that party. And in the second place, the arbitrator is chosen by the parties in the dispute, which generally means that the huge corporation with the bottomless pockets gets to choose an arbitrator whom their lawyers knows will most likely rule in their favor. For you, the consumer, it’s a recipe for loss.
American Express is stuffing its billing envelopes with a mass of fine print that offers customers an opportunity to opt out. The deadline is February 15, 2013. The way you do it is to download and fill out this PDF. Send it by snail-mail to the address printed on the PDF.
Do it now. This is important. It may not put you in the driver’s seat, but at least it will put you back within arm’s reach of the steering wheel.
Several other companies are giving (or have been made to give…) consumers opportunities to opt out of enforced arbitration. Check out these sites:
Paypal escape
Comcast form
eBay opt-out form letter from Public Citizen ***DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 9
If you do business with any of these outfits, you should move quickly to opt of their despotic arbitration clause. Don’t delay.
Thanks very much for this! Going to do it now.