VCA Class Action Investigation
Shared from www.mypirl.com: We all love our pets and naturally want what is best for them—when Fido or Felix falls ill, we will do anything to make sure that they receive the best possible care. Unfortunately, one company—Veterinary Care America, or VCA—appears to be taking advantage of our love for our furry little friends. Operating in 43 States and 5 Canadian provinces, with over 750 pet clinics across the continent, VCA is certainly no mom-and-pop pet health care clinic. Apparently driven by a need to generate the hefty profits required to sustain their large corporate structure, it is reported that VCA is engaging in what some describe as aggressive and harassing sales tactics. It is no secret that insurance sales are the bread-and-butter of any health care operation. Indeed, the sale of insurance generates the highest profit margins for corporations, especially when it is a form of insurance that cannot be, or is often not, used. VCA appears to have seized on this model, and is purportedly bombarding unsuspecting pet owners with unwanted text messages in an effort to sell a pet-care insurance plan. In the United States, consumers are protected from such unwanted intrusions into their daily lives by a law called the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, or TCPA. As legal information site, nolo.com, explains: "The TCPA prohibits use of automated calls, pre-recorded messages and text messages to cell telephones. The law applies to all cell phones whether used for business or personal use. In essence, a telemarketer or debt collector violates the law every time it makes an automated "robo" call, prerecorded message, or text message to a consumer's cell phone, unless the consumer previously gave the telemarketer or debt collector permission to call. In cases where consent has been previously given, the consumer can revoke that consent by notifying the telemarketer or debt collector to stop calling the cell phone. . . " A consumer can recover up to $500 for each violation of the Do-Not-Call registry up to $500 per phone call that violates the TCPA, and up to $1,500 per phone call if the consumer can show that the TCPA was violated knowingly and willfully. We shouldn’t be bothered with unwanted sales texts for simply taking good care or our pets. If you received pet-insurance-sales text messages after taking your beloved companion to a VCA clinic, Pirl wants to hear from you! CLICK HERE
