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A new lawsuit has been filed against LG Electronics USA Inc., claiming that the company cheats buyers by unlawfully starting warranty periods before consumers actually receive their products. The class action, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, alleges violations of California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act and the Unfair Competition Law.

California residents Peter Abrego and Virginia Shamel are leading the suit, asserting that LG cheats buyers by initiating warranty coverage on the date of purchase, rather than the legally mandated date of delivery. This early warranty start, they argue, deprives consumers—especially online shoppers—of the full protection they are entitled to under state law.

The plaintiffs claim that LG’s uniform warranty policy shortens the usable length of the warranty, diminishing both the value of the product and the consumer's protection. This early warranties practice allegedly allows LG to save money at the expense of its customers, avoiding the additional time and resources needed to properly administer warranties starting from delivery.

According to the complaint, Abrego purchased a Wi-Fi-enabled freestanding gas range from Home Depot on August 8, 2023, which was delivered 13 days later. Shamel ordered a dishwasher from Costco on June 1, 2024, and received it on June 19. In both cases, LG’s warranty documents stated coverage begins from the “date of original retail purchase”, contrary to California’s consumer protection laws.

"This LG cheats buyers early warranties lawsuit is about holding a major corporation accountable for quietly eroding consumer rights," said Ryan McBride of Kazerouni Law Group APC, the attorney representing the plaintiffs. "Consumers deserve the full value of the warranties they are promised—not a shortened version hidden in fine print."

The proposed class includes California consumers who purchased LG products since July 1, 2023, and received them after the purchase date. A subclass is also proposed for those whose express warranties began at purchase rather than delivery.

The case is titled Peter Abrego, et al. v. LG Electronics U.S.A., Inc., case number 2:25-at-00615.