OFF BEAT: Lego master builder sues over freebie campaign

A Lego master builder whose creations have become museum exhibits is suing Billund, Denmark-based toymaker Lego A.S. for allegedly pulling a bait-and-switch with a free gift set offer during the 2011 holiday season.

In his complaint, Lego expert William Probert of Fairfield, Conn., claims the toy retailer failed to deliver on its promise of free gift sets that were to be bundled with his order of four different Lego sets in November 2011.

According to the suit, the advertised free gifts were supposed to be Lego building sets worth $15, a freebie that was tempting enough to persuade Mr. Probert to visit the Toys R Us website to make several purchases. However, the substitute items Mr. Probert received were worth far less, the suit claims. They included a Christmas tree figurine and minifigure magnet, both of which retail for less than $5, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, which seeks class action status, was filed in U.S. District Court in Connecticut the day after Thanksgiving by the Collingswood-based law firm Shepherd Finkelman Miller & Shah L.L.P. If the court approves it as a class action, the firm said it will seek damages for all Toys R Us online customers who did not receive a promised free gift.

Mr. Probert is the master builder behind a Lego exhibit on display at the Stamford Museum in Stamford, Conn.