Illinois Treasurer Sues Sprint for not Surrendering Rebates
Nearly 32,000 residents are owed an estimated $2.7 million after they bought a product or service from Sprint but didn't receive the rebate that incentivized the sale, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs alleged in a lawsuit this week. Frerichs sued after…
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Sprint and its clearinghouse partner, Young America of Minnesota, allegedly kept the rebate money, he said in a news release. The Treasurer’s Office can sue because rebates are considered unclaimed property if not paid within five years and must be surrendered to the state treasury and these purchases were made between 2003 and 2005, it said. “It is frustrating and wrong when these large companies with deep pockets and corporate attorneys break their promises, keep money that is not theirs, and dare people to file a lawsuit,” Frerichs said. A Sprint spokeswoman emailed: "This lawsuit is not about rebates that were withheld, but about rebate checks that were sent, but not cashed ... We do not believe the claims against Sprint have merit, and we will continue to seek a fair resolution in our settlement discussions with Illinois."