$5M suit filed over matter of 80 cents

BERGENFIELD, N.J., Feb. 18 (UPI) -- A New Jersey woman's $5 million federal lawsuit against Century 21 claims the retailer used a coupon-fraud "scheme" to deprive her of 80 cents.

Tova Gerson, 32, of Bergenfield, filed a lawsuit in New York federal court claiming Century 21 "unjustly enriched" itself by fooling customers with the coupon-fraud "scheme," the New York Post reported Thursday.

The suit claims Gerson purchased $106.82 worth of goods at the Paramus store Jan. 10 and used a coupon good for $5 off any purchase of $50 or more.

Gerson said she returned a $17.97 child's outfit to the store Jan. 19 because it was the wrong color and the store's refund did not include the 80 cents she had saved on the item by using the coupon.

She said the refund deprived her of the "full benefit" of the coupon.

The suit, which is seeking at least $5 million, claims "hundreds of thousands" of customers may have been affected by the "fraudulent ... (and) misleading" promotion."

The Post said Century 21 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.