Comments on: Judge protects consumer rants

A federal judge rejects a company's legal attempt to assail BadBusinessBureau.com, which features negative reviews from consumers who claim to have been "ripped off" by retailers.

[ben ssmith]

Arizona Federal Judge Protects Business in Same Case

Check it out: Hy Cite sued Rip-Off Report in Arizona after this Wisconsin Court dismissed, and the US District Court in Arizona has ruled that neither Rip-off Report or Ed Magedson personally are immune under the Communications Decency Act where Wire Fraud and Threatened Extortion are alleged as predicate acts under the Racketeer Influenced Crimnal Organizations Act (RICO).

http://www.bad-business-rip-off.com/

[ben ssmith]

here is the link to the arizona court order

http://www.bad-business-rip-off.com/12.05Dismiss.pdf

[ozark123]

I can't speak for the legalities involved but I can say that Rip-Off Reports is doing a public service.

I would think that any comments on the site are protected under the Second Amendment. Companies with well funded legal teams should no be allowed to quash publishing consumer comments. Truth is an absolute defense against accusations of libel or slander.

I intend to keep checking Rip-off .com any time I have doubts about a business.

If you find hundreds of complaints about a company chances are something's wrong.

Regarding Hy Cite: Hy Cite Corporation, which sells cookware and water filters under the name of Royal Prestige, will pay $1.35 million for victim restitution and penalties and will drastically reform how it does business to resolve State charges that it lied to consumers to scare them into paying several thousands of dollars each for cookware or water filters. Hy Cite also settled charges that it discriminated against Hispanic customers by setting up harsher cancellation and financing policies for them than for Anglo customers.

A lengthy investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs prompted the California Attorney General?s Office to sue Hy Cite. This is the second time the Attorney General charges the Madison, Wisconsin-based Corporation for similar complaints.

The lawsuit charges that Hy Cite salespeople lied their way into the homes of consumers, and once inside used deception and high pressure to scare consumers into buying their cookware.

http://lacountydca.info/artRPSettlement.htm