SEATTLE $ Dell Inc. said today it has agreed to a legal settlement with Maine and 44 other states that claimed the computer company made misleading financing and service offers to PC buyers.

Dell said in a statement it will pay $3.85 million to at the states participating in the settlement. A portion of the money will be used to reimburse states for legal costs.

Spokesman David Frink said Dell was contacted by the attorneys general from Connecticut and Washington, representing a larger group of states, last year.

"Consumers who sought and believed they received zero-percent financing were then ambushed by high interest rates and fees," said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in a statement. "Many consumers faced unacceptable obstacles obtaining warranty service on their Dell computers and others said they never received promised rebates."

Under the terms of the settlement, Dell agreed to give customers more information up front about what kind of financing they qualify for and allow them to cancel orders once they review final credit terms.

Dell also agreed to mail rebate payments and fulfill warranty obligations within a reasonable amount of time.

The settlement requires Dell to tell customers whether they must troubleshoot problems by phone before qualifying for in-person technical support at home. Dell must also justify claims about its customer service. For example, if it wants to use the term "award-winning," it must have won a customer service award in the past 18 months.

It's not yet known how many consumers in Maine or nationwide may be entitled to refunds under the settlement. Consumers may be eligible for restitution if 1) they file a claim with the Attorney General's Office by April 13, 2009 regarding a Dell purchase made between April 1, 2005 and April 13, 2009 and which concerns conduct that is addressed by the agreement; and 2) they incurred expenses out-of-pocket.

Maine residents who haven't submitted complaints but believe they are eligible for refunds may obtain the claim form by downloading it from the Attorney General's Web site at www.maine.gov/ag
or by contacting the Consumer Protection Division at 207-626-8861 to leave a message requesting that a claim form be sent.