I hope you kept your gift receipt!   A class action lawsuit has been filed against Macy’s Inc., alleging that they fraudulently advertised and sold gold-plated jewelry as “Fine Gold” in violation of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) standards.

The lawsuit was brought by plaintiff Natalya Barsukov, who on April 18, 2010,  purchased a pair of earrings from Macy’s that were labeled “Fine Gold.”  She was told the earrings were regularly priced at $360.00 but were currently priced at $129.09 due to a “pre-sale.”  Unfortunately, Natalya’s earrings began to exhibit signs of tarnishing and discoloration,  turning  from gold color to gray.   After taking the earings to an independent jeweler, she learned the earrings were not “Fine Gold”  at all,  but sterling silver covered with a microlayer of gold.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules, the use of the word “Gold” or any abbreviation is prohibited to describe all or part of any product not composed completely of gold or a gold alloy.  The word “Gold” may be used to describe gold-plated items  if the description  “adequately identifies that the item is only surfaced-plated with gold”.

False advertising can be costly and frustrating, as well as embarrassing if you have given the item as a gift to a loved one thinking that you are giving them “fine gold”.

If you are the victim of false advertising please give my office, The Law Office of Todd M. Friedman a call at (877) 449-8898.