Valley Plaza Realty v. Verizon

This class action lawsuit was brought on behalf of persons and small businesses located in New Jersey who, between June 23, 2003, and December 31, 2022, purchased CustoPAK telephone service from Verizon.

Plaintiffs claim that Defendants sold CustoPAK telephone service, and Long Distance, to customers who had stated their intention to use the telephone line to which such service was applied exclusively to service a Machine Dialer, and that Verizon sold CustoPAK service to customers who maintained only a single CustoPAK telephone line.

Verizon denies these allegations and asserts that it only sold CustoPAK and Long-Distance service to customers who affirmatively consented to those services.

You may be a Class Member if you are a person or entity who, between June 23, 2003, and December 31, 2022, purchased Verizon CustoPAK service and (a) used a CustoPAK line exclusively to serve a machine dialer [such as an alarm or elevator] or (b) who had only one CustoPAK line. The Proposed Settlement provides various possible refunds to Class Members who submit Proofs of Claim representing:

• The difference between the (1) Product Guide rates for CustoPAK, plus the value of the message units included for free in the base price of regular phone service, and (2) the Product Guide rates for regular phone service, plus the Subscriber Line Charge, during the months the customer had the CustoPAK line(s).
• The difference between (1) the Product Guide price for CustoPAK and (2) the tariffed price for regular phone services with those calling features added for additional, a la carte charges, to the extent that there is a difference.
• Monthly fees paid on Long Distance Machine Dialer service.

Payments to Class Members pursuant to the above criteria could be substantial, and based upon the type and length of service, could amount to hundreds of dollars.

Your Legal Rights and Options in This Settlement

Submit a claim, and/or change your service, online or through a form postmarked by September 15, 2023	If you are a former customer, you could have filed a valid Proof of Claim online or mailed it to the Settlement Administrator to receive your share of the Settlement Fund. If you are a current customer, you could have changed the nature of your telephone service and filed a valid Claim Form online or by mail and submitted it to the Settlement Administrator to receive your share of the Settlement Fund. If you did not file a Proof of Claim by September 15, 2023, you will not be entitled to anything. The claim in this case is that you received the more expensive CustoPAK service, or that you received long distance service, when you may have had no need for those service(s) and could not use them, so if you are a current customer as part of the submission of your Claim Form you will be requesting that Verizon change your service from CustoPAK to the less expensive “POTS” (“PLAIN OLD TELEPHONE SERVICE”) and/or to eliminate long-distance service.
Object and attend a hearing	The deadline to file an objection with the Court was September 15, 2023.
Exclude Yourself	The deadline to exclude yourself from the Settlement was September 15, 2023.
Do Nothing	Receive no payment from the Settlement Fund. Give up rights to sue Defendants on any of the claims in this lawsuit.