Texas Suit Filed Against AOL

A Texas woman joined the ranks of irate customers suing America Online after its new flat rate attracted an overwhelming number of subscribers. Debera A. Poe accuses AOL of breaching its subscriber contract, making false representations and receiving revenue that resulted from the fraudulent sale of its service. Poe’s lawsuit, filed Tuesday in state district court in Daingerfield, Texas, seeks class-action certification. It estimates damages of about $50 per class member and no more than $50,000 per individual, but doesn’t seek punitive damages. At least five lawsuits have been filed by consumers against AOL in the last month. All accuse the company of breaching its contract with subscribers and engaging in deceptive marketing practices. AOL representatives couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on Poe’s suit.