FTC, States Allege Uber Enrolled Users In Subscription Without Consent

(RTTNews) - The Federal Trade Commission, along with 21 states and the District of Columbia, has updated its complaint against Uber, accusing the company of misleading practices regarding its Uber One subscription service.

The lawsuit claims that Uber charged customers without getting proper permission, didn't deliver promised benefits like $0 delivery fees and monthly savings, and made it hard for users to cancel their subscriptions.

This case builds on a lawsuit the FTC initially filed back in April, now with state attorneys general getting involved.

Regulators are looking for civil penalties, pointing to violations of the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act and various state laws meant to protect consumers. The updated complaint was filed in a federal court in Northern California after the FTC voted unanimously to proceed.

The complaint states that Uber markets Uber One as a subscription that offers discounts, gathering up to $25 in monthly savings. Yet, some customers say they didn't receive the savings they were promised or were still hit with fees.

Additionally, there are reports of people being automatically signed up, sometimes even after free trials, or charged without realizing they had enrolled.

Also mentioning that canceling Uber One can be a hassle, often requiring users to go through a bunch of screens and steps, even though the marketing suggests you can cancel anytime.

As of now, Uber hasn't publicly addressed the updated complaint, and it's up to the court to decide how this will all play out.