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In the late '90s, when most of us could only dream of having a thin, widescreen TV, several manufacturers were fixing prices on the LCD screens that were about to revolutionize the industry. More than a decade later, consumers who bought LCDs back then have a chance to get their money back.
According to a recently settled lawsuit, Samsung, Hitachi, and Sharp entered into a price-fixing agreement in 1999. They were later joined by companies including LG Displays, Toshiba, Chunghwa Picture Tubes, HannStar Display Corp., Chi Mei Optoelectronics, and Taiwan-based AU Optronics, which makes displays for just about every brand of TV and computer monitor.
The FBI claims that between 1999 and 2006, these companies sold a combined $71.9 billion in price-fixed panels worldwide, an estimated $23.5 billion in the U.S. alone.
Earlier this year, attorneys general for 24 states and the District of Columbia reached a $1.1 billion settlement with the manufacturers. People who resided in those states (see list below) between 1999 and 2006 and who also purchased an LCD-screen TV, monitor, or notebook computer during those years may be eligible for payouts of at least $25.
The deadline for making a claim on the settlement is December 6, 2012, so the clock is ticking. If you believe you are eligible to make a claim, go to LCDclass.com and fill in the form.
Here are the states (and district) that are part of the settlement:
Washington, D.C.
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Florida
Hawaii
Iowa
Kansas
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nevada
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Vermont
West Virginia
Wisconsin
This post originally appeared on The Consumerist.
