Match to Pay $14M in FTC Settlement

Match will pay $14M to settle FTC allegations of false advertising and deceptive practices on its dating platforms.

In 2019, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit against Match Group, a dating app giant, alleging that it had deceived Match.com users into purchasing subscriptions through misleading methods.

The FTC announced on Tuesday that the company, which operates popular dating apps Match, Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish, has agreed to a $14 million settlement after six years.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the $14 million will be allocated to “redressing injured consumers.”

The lawsuit alleges that the company sent marketing emails regarding new messages from senders it had already identified as likely bots or scammers, thereby deceiving consumers into purchasing subscriptions while knowingly profiting from the situation. Consequently, consumers were at risk of being scammed..

Furthermore, Match Group was accused of denying users access to their accounts after they attempted to dispute charges and retaining their funds without providing the services they had paid for.

The company was also accused of preventing users from canceling their subscriptions.

In addition to the $14 million settlement, the proposed order mandates that Match Group implement numerous measures to resolve the concerns.

For example, the organization must explicitly define the terms of the six-month guarantee and guarantee that it does not retaliate against customers who report billing issues.

Additionally, it must offer users straightforward methods to terminate their subscriptions.

The settlement occurs amid ongoing criticism regarding the organization’s management of trust and safety concerns. The expectation is that the proposed order will enhance the user experience.