AmEx Loses Bid to Stop Debit Card User Class in Antitrust Suit

Debit card users in some states achieved class certification in a lawsuit accusing American Express Co. of indirectly driving up the cost of rival cards through rules that allegedly limited competition and hurt consumers without Amex cards.

Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Tuesday granted class status to a group of debit card users from 11 states including North Carolina, Ohio, and Oregon, as well as the District of Columbia, saying the proposed classes met the requirements for class certification.

The case is part of a series of antitrust lawsuits ...