How to Tell if A Class Action Solicitation is Legit

A listener wants to know how to tell if a class action email solicitation is legit.  I’m Amy E. Feldman.

A listener received an unsolicited email saying he could be eligible to receive a coupon for five dollars toward a future Old Navy purchase as part of a class action settlement.  He wants to know how to tell if a class action solicitation is real or a phishing scam.

The problem is that in big class action lawsuits, email is a viable option for lawyers to contact potential claimants so the fact that it’s unsolicited doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fake.  Instead, you have to do a little research.  Rather than clicking on the hotlink in an email, type it into your web browser and see what comes up.  If the site looks legit, then google the name of the company that allegedly will be paying you and see if there’s a news article about the case.  Our listener can rest assured that in his case it is a real settlement and then can either submit a claim or opt out from the website as he chooses.