In 2019, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission sued Match Group, the company behind popular dating apps like Match, Tinder, OkCupid, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish. The FTC accused the company of misleading Match.com users into buying subscriptions through deceptive practices.
After six years, Match Group has agreed to a $14 million settlement, as announced by the FTC. The funds will be used to compensate affected consumers.
The lawsuit claimed that Match Group sent marketing emails about new messages from accounts it had already flagged as likely bots or scammers. This tactic allegedly tricked users into purchasing subscriptions while the company knowingly profited from the deception.
Match Group was also accused of locking users out of their accounts when they disputed charges, keeping their money without providing the paid services. Additionally, the company made it unnecessarily difficult for users to cancel subscriptions.
As part of the settlement, Match Group must take corrective actions. These include clearly explaining the terms of its six-month guarantee and ensuring no retaliation against customers who report billing issues. The company must also simplify the subscription cancellation process.
This settlement follows ongoing criticism of Match Group’s handling of trust and safety concerns. The FTC’s order aims to improve the user experience moving forward.