Discover to Pay $214 Million to Settle False Marketing Claims

Allegedly concealed costs of various programs offered to card owners

More 31/2 million people who used Discover credit cards during the last five years will share about $200 million in restitution for marketing practices that federal regulators say were unfair and deceptive, two federal agencies announced Monday.

The compensation, averaging $57 per cardholder, will go to customers charged for add-on products such as "Payment Protection" or "Wallet Protection." Regulators said telemarketers for the Delaware bank followed misleading scripts and often sped through fee disclosures, leading customers to believe that the bank was touting benefits that came free with their cards.