Toys"R"Us settles suit alleging overcharges in CA

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Toys"R"Us has agreed to pay nearly $180,000 to settle a consumer protection lawsuit alleging that the retailer overcharged customers in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

Los Angeles County prosecutors said Tuesday that Toys"R"Us, Inc. agreed to the settlement without admitting liability.

The lawsuit grew out of a 2 ½-year investigation by weights and measures officials in Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura counties. The probe found a pattern of pricing errors at the checkout at many Toys"R''Us and Babies"R''Us stores. Five percent of 4,167 items purchased were overcharged. Higher percentages of overcharges occurred in selected areas and stores, despite the company instituting a pricing compliance program.

Toys"R''Us is headquartered in Wayne, NJ. A call to a company spokesperson was not immediately returned.