November 24, 2025
Should I trust mass social media solicitations to make an individual arbitration claim?
Dear Consumer Ed:
I have received numerous solicitations via social media prompting me to make an arbitration claim through a law firm or company for a product I have or service I've used. I can do so by merely checking a few boxes in response to the solicitation and confirming my cell phone number. Should I do it?
Consumer Ed says:
That depends, but you should be wary about what you agree to in response to these solicitations. First and foremost, you should confirm the legitimacy of the solicitation to avoid scams seeking to collect your personal information or obtain upfront fees from you for services that will never be rendered. You should also confirm that the solicitation is from an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia, or another state if applicable to the potential claim. The State Bar of Georgia will assist you in confirming this information. Additionally, arbitration is a process meant to resolve disputes less formally and expensively than litigation. If you opt into mass arbitration, you lose your right to pursue and resolve your own specific claim and are bound by whatever a third-party company or attorney obtains through the process if anything.
Waiving your right to pursue your own claim warrants serious consideration because some attempts at mass arbitration focus on the quantity of claims rather than their quality, to try to force an early resolution. This could result in your valid claim being consolidated with many frivolous claims. While this might bring about a speedy resolution, the merits of your claim will likely not be duly considered. It also may not work at all or may result in you obtaining a very small benefit.
You should also be aware of the fee structure you agree to when opting into a mass arbitration, because the fee structure may also have a substantial impact on the amount of your individual recovery for your claim, if any.
Submit your own question to Consumer Ed. Remember…we do not give legal advice. Always consult a lawyer about legal issues.