Harvey Norman is facing fresh legal trouble, with a class action launched by Carter Capner Law alleging that customers were stung with hidden fees and unsolicited credit cards.

The lawsuit follows a series of financing controversies involving the retail giant. Earlier this month, the Full Federal Court threw out appeals by Latitude Finance Australia and Harvey Norman Holdings after ruling their 60-month “interest-free, no-deposit” promotion was misleading.

The campaign, which ran thousands of times across TV, radio, and print between January 2020 and August 2021, promised customers five years interest-free — but in reality tied them to costly credit card arrangements.

Carter Capner Law director Peter Carter said the deal was “vastly different” from what shoppers were promised.

“When you buy a big-screen TV and are told you’re getting five years interest-free, you should be confident that’s what you’ll get. Instead, customers were being hit with undisclosed fees and forced into credit card contracts.”

One customer told the firm he was compelled to sign up for a Latitude credit card just to complete a purchase, only to face a $25 set-up fee and monthly charges that climbed from $5.95 to $8.95. He was also issued a $10,000 credit limit he never requested.

Another customer reported being slugged with monthly card fees totalling around $550 over five years. Carter Capner Law says the class action could involve thousands of affected Harvey Norman customers nationwide.

Full story/source:
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