A Georgia bookseller will refund New Yorkers billed for 'free' trial books and pay $23,500 in penalties. You have until April 23, 2027 to ask.
If an older relative ever got a mailer offering a 'free' book and later received a bill, they may be owed a full refund. New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement with Frank W. Cawood & Associates, also called FC&A, a Georgia bookseller. The company will pay $23,500 in penalties and refund misled New Yorkers.
FC&A sent thousands of mailers to New Yorkers. The ads said readers could preview a book for free. 'Free Trial' and 'No Risk' appeared in large print. The attorney general's office says the real terms were hard to find.
Customers who asked for a trial then got an invoice. It listed the book's price plus shipping and handling. One $36 hardcover came to $49.68. The office says the company gave no instructions on how to leave the trial without paying.
The company mainly targets seniors. Its books cover wellness and financial advice, with titles like 'Simple Home Remedies for Seniors.' Between 2018 and 2024, the office found, FC&A received 650 calls from caregivers. Their relatives did not understand the terms and got bills for books they did not remember ordering.
James called it a 'bait-and-switch' that led to confusing bills. An FC&A spokesperson told Newsday the company is pleased to have resolved the matter with the attorney general's office.
The refunds are for New Yorkers who placed an order with FC&A in the past six years. The company will also review its own records. It is looking for people who asked for a refund and never got one. It is also looking for people who said they did not remember the free trial or did not understand the bill.
If you never ordered from FC&A, there is nothing to claim. The settlement as described covers New York customers, so readers elsewhere should not assume it applies to them.
The steps in the alert box above walk through what to check and when to ask for your money back. The key date is April 23, 2027. Requests made by then are eligible for a refund. Older relatives may not remember an order or may not have mentioned a bill, so a gentle conversation can help.
The material does not say how many people qualify or how much money will be returned in total. It also does not explain exactly how to submit a restitution request. Check with the attorney general's office for the process.
If you or an older relative in New York ordered from FC&A in the past six years, request a refund from the attorney general by April 23, 2027.
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