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New York, NY--Military service members and veterans who were defrauded by Harris Jewelry can now apply for refunds from an $8 million settlement fund established by New York Attorney General Letitia James. According to Times Union, the settlement follows a 2018 lawsuit that accused the retailer of illegal financing schemes targeting service members with low-quality jewelry and high-interest loans.

[Image via istockphoto.com]

Harris Jewelry promised service members that financing purchases through the company would improve their credit, but the attorney general’s investigation found it left customers with debt and damaged credit scores. Times Union reported that the retailer also ran a misleading “Operation Teddy Bear” campaign, claiming proceeds supported Operation Troop Aid, despite no legal contract between the retailer and the charity.

In 2022, the attorney general’s office and the Federal Trade Commission secured a multi-state agreement requiring Harris Jewelry to forgive $21.3 million in debt for over 13,400 service members and vacate judgments against 112 consumers totaling $115,000. The company also agreed to set up an $8 million fund for refunds.

Harris Jewelry closed its stores in 2021 and later shut down its online presence. A U.S. District Court judge ruled the company violated its settlement agreement by prematurely closing the refund portal. The court ordered it reopened, requiring Harris Jewelry to notify affected customers.

Attorney General James urged eligible individuals to submit claims before the portal closes on Dec. 21. More than 30,000 service members and veterans are eligible to apply.

Victims who previously filed claims but received no response can now resubmit them through the reopened portal, Times Union noted.

Read the report by Times Union here.