Californians: Are you entitled to a share in Shell $2M settlement?
By John Donovan
Equilon Enterprises, a fully owned subsidiary of Shell Oil, secretly recorded calls from U.S. customers contacting 888-GO-SHELL – a call centre. This included calls originating from California. Customers disclosed private information without being aware of the surreptitious recording of their calls being answered overseas.
Following a class action lawsuit, Shell has agreed to pay nearly $2 million in settlement for violations of California’s Invasion of Privacy Act.
EXTRACT FROM COMPLAINT
Defendants’ policy and practice of recording and intercepting telephone conversations without the consent of all parties violates California’s Invasion of Privacy Act (PenalCode§§ 630,etseq.). Specifically, Defendants’ policy and practice violate Penal Code § 632.7, which prohibits the recording or intercepting (i.e., monitoring) of a communication made from a cellular or cordless telephone without the consent of all parties to the communication. As a result of Defendants’ violations, all individuals who called 888-GO-SHELL and were recorded or monitored by Defendants surreptitiously and without disclosure are entitled to an award of statutory damages and injunctive relief…
Details of how to apply for a share of the settlement monies can be found here, along with access to court documents and other information, including the following extract:
You are a Class Member if you are or were a California resident and you called 888-GO-SHELL (888-467-4355) between May 1, 2008 and September 12, 2012 from a cellular or cordless telephone while you were located within the State of California, your call was transferred to Defendant’s Manila, Philippines call center, and you spoke to a customer-service representative. There are three types of Class Members: Settlement Class 1 Members, Settlement Class 2 Members and persons who are members of both Settlement Class 1 and Settlement Class 2.
Customers resident in other U.S. states may investigate whether class actions can be brought against Shell arising from calls made to 888-GO-SHELL and secretly recorded by Shell.
EBOOK TITLE: “SIR HENRI DETERDING AND THE NAZI HISTORY OF ROYAL DUTCH SHELL” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON
EBOOK TITLE: “JOHN DONOVAN, SHELL’S NIGHTMARE: MY EPIC FEUD WITH THE UNSCRUPULOUS OIL GIANT ROYAL DUTCH SHELL” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
EBOOK TITLE: “TOXIC FACTS ABOUT SHELL REMOVED FROM WIKIPEDIA: HOW SHELL BECAME THE MOST HATED BRAND IN THE WORLD” – AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.
