How TO ASK FOR PAYMENT
To receive payment, merchants must fill out a claim form. If the
Court finally approves the settlement, and you do not exclude
yourself from the Cash Settlement Class, you will receive a
claim form in the mail or by email. Or you may ask for one at:
www.PaymentCardSettlement.com, or call:
1-800-625-6440.
OTHER BENEFITS FOR MERCHANTS
Merchants will benefit from changes to certain MasterCard and
Visa rules, which will allow merchants to, among other things:
• Charge customers an extra fee if they pay with Visa or
MasterCard credit cards,
• Offer discounts to customers who do not pay with Visa or
MasterCard credit or debit cards, and
• Form buying groups that meet certain criteria to negotiate
with Visa and MasterCard.
Merchants that operate multiple businesses under different
trade names or banners will also be able to accept Visa or
MasterCard at fewer than all of the merchant's trade names
and banners.
LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS
Merchants who are included in this lawsuit have the legal rights
and options explained below. You may:
• File a claim to ask for payment. You will receive
a claim form in the mail or email or file online at:
www.PaymentCardSettlement.com .
• Exclude yourself from the Cash Settlement Class (Rule
23(b)(3) Settlement Class). If you exclude yourself, you can
sue the Defendants for damages based on alleged conduct
occurring on or before November 27, 2012 on your own at your
own expense, if you want to. If you exclude yourself, you
will not get any money from this settlement. If you are a
merchant and wish to exclude yourself, you must make a
written request, place it in an envelope, and mail it with
postage prepaid and postmarked no later than May 28,
2013 to Class Administrator, Payment Card Interchange
Fee Settlement, P.O. Box 2530, Portland, OR 97208-2530.
The written request must be signed by a person authorized
to do so and provide all of the following information: (1) the
words "In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant
Discount Antitrust Litigation," (2) your full name, address,
telephone number, and taxpayer identification number, (3)
the merchant that wishes to be excluded from the Cash
Settlement Class (Rule 23(b)(3) Settlement Class), and what
position or authority you have to exclude the merchant, and
(4) the business names, brand names, and addresses of any
stores or sales locations whose sales the merchant desires
to be excluded.
Note: You cannot be excluded from the Rule Changes
Settlement Class (Rule 23(b)(2) Settlement Class).
• Object to the settlement. The deadline to object
is: May 28, 2013. To learn how to object, see:
www.PaymentCardSettlement.com or call 1-800-625-6440.
Note: If you exclude yourself from the Cash Settlement Class
you cannot object to the terms of that portion of the settlement.
For more information about these rights and options, visit:
www.PaymentCardSettlement.com .
IF THE COURT APPROVES THE
FINAL SETTLEMENT
Members of the Rule Changes Settlement Class are bound by
the terms of this settlement. Members of the Cash Settlement
Class, who do not exclude themselves by the deadline, are
bound by the terms of this settlement whether or not they
file a claim for payment. Members of both classes release
all claims against all released parties listed in the Settlement
Agreement. The settlement will resolve and release any claims
by merchants against Visa, MasterCard or other defendants that
were or could have been alleged in the lawsuit, including any
claims based on interchange or other fees, no-surcharge rules,
no-discounting rules, honor-all-cards rules and other rules.
The settlement will also resolve any merchant claims based
upon the future effect of any Visa or MasterCard rules, as of
November 27, 2012 and not to be modified pursuant to the
settlement, the modified rules provided for in the settlement,
or any other rules substantially similar to any such rules. The
releases will not bar claims involving certain specified standard
commercial disputes arising in the ordinary course of business.
For more information on the release, see the settlement
agreement at: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com .
THE COURT HEARING ABOUT
THIS SETTLEMENT
On September 12, 2013, there will be a Court hearing to decide
whether to approve the proposed settlement, class counsels'
requests for attorneys' fees and expenses, and awards for the
class representatives. The hearing will take place at:
United States District Court for the
Eastern District of New York
225 Cadman Plaza
Brooklyn, NY 11201
You do not have to go to the court hearing or hire an attorney.
But you can if you want to, at your own cost. The Court has
appointed the law firms of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi
LLP, Berger & Montague, PC, and Robbins Geller Rudman &
Dowd LLP to represent the Class ("Class Counsel").
QUESTIONS?
For more information about this case (In re Payment Card
Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation,
MDL 1720), you may:
Call toll-free: 1-800-625-6440
Visit: www.PaymentCardSettlement.com
Write to the Class Administrator:
Payment Card Interchange Fee Settlement
P.O. Box 2530
Portland, OR 97208-2530
Email: info @PaymentCardSettlement.com
Please check www.PaymentCardSettlement.com for any updates
relating to the settlement or the settlement approval process.
1-800-625-6440 • info@PaymentCardSettlement.com
JN
February 7 • 2013
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