DeBeers Settlement

August 6, 2008 6:11 PM

Did someone pocket all the DeBeers settlement money or am I being impatient?

I bought my wife a diamond engagement ring in 1997 and read an article this past spring that indicated I'd be eligible for a substantial rebate due to a class action suit against DeBeers. Cool.

So I apply on line at this site https://diamondsclassaction.com/ but oddly enough I don't get any type of on-line confirmation. I didn't receive anything in the mail either. Odd too that the media really downplayed this whole thing.

So now it's August and I'm wondering if claims are still being processed and someday I'm just going to get a nice check in the mail, or did I misunderstand something or did I not complete the application correctly...

posted by qsysopr to Law & Government (9 answers total)

Best answer: Did you file before 5/18/2008?

If no confirmation was received, I would assume that it didn't register on their site properly.

I would call the Diamonds Claims Administrator phone number listed on the site.

Also, just curious why you think you'll be getting a substantial rebate? The consumer class is set to receive $135million. After legal fees, you can bet that will drop to 50-60 to be distributed. Divide that up by all of the diamonds purchased in the 12 year period that the class action covers. I could be totally off, but you'll probably get $20-$30 out of it (not to say that you shouldn't do it, but probably shouldn't expect a solid percentage of what you spent).
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 6:22 PM on August 6, 2008

To add, it has sometimes taken over a year for me to recieve anything from a class action that I was involved in.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 6:23 PM on August 6, 2008

Response by poster: I did indeed file before 5/18.
Perhaps I'm being optimistic but I don't think everyone who bought a diamond filed. If it wasn't for one newspaper article, I wouldn't have even known about it.
posted by qsysopr at 6:51 PM on August 6, 2008

I filed.
posted by pearlybob at 7:14 PM on August 6, 2008

Don't spend it yet. I'd estimate the wait to be something like 6-12 months.
posted by unixrat at 9:55 PM on August 6, 2008

I filed. Don't hold your breath. These things tend to take a lot of time.
posted by craven_morhead at 7:12 AM on August 7, 2008

Response by poster: When you filed did you get any type of confirmation?
posted by qsysopr at 7:21 AM on August 7, 2008

I filed as well. The website currently states: "Appeals have since been filed contesting final approval of the Settlement, and these appeals will postpone resolving claim calculations. No payments will be made on eligible claims until all appeals are resolved. It is uncertain how long these appeals will take to resolve, and the timing of resolving the appeals is not within our control." So we're all just waiting.
posted by Dean King at 7:42 AM on August 7, 2008

Response by poster: I did call the administrator number and confirmed that they have my filing. Don't know why I didn't do it before, or maybe I did and couldn't get a live voice at the time.

I'll just put this whole this out of my mind; but if someday I get a two figure check, I'll be pleased. Three or more and I'll be estatic!
posted by qsysopr at 8:49 AM on August 7, 2008