Sears to pay for overcharging

<p>The national retailer that owns Sears and Kmart stores agreed Monday to pay $1.1 million to settle claims that the company overcharged consumers, Sonoma County district attorney officials said.</p><p>District attorneys of Alameda, Los Angeles, Marin, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Sonoma counties sued Sears Holdings Corp., based in Hoffman Estates, Ill., for charging customers more than the lowest posted or advertised price.</p><p>"When you have companies like the Sears corporation that are being negligent and overcharging consumers, it's troubling," said Assistant District Attorney Diana Gomez. "Especially today, people have to mind their money and they shouldn't have to pay more than they should."</p><p>The complaint also claimed that Kmart charged more than the state-set California Redemption Value for beverage containers, Gomez said.</p><p>The Sears Holdings Corp. will pay $1.1 million, $900,000 of which will be split among the six counties that prosecuted the company, $100,000 split among 22 counties that investigated the claims and another $100,000 given to local and state agencies that investigate consumer protection in the form of gift cards, Gomez said.</p><p>-- Julie Johnson</p>