Is it hard to cancel your Uber One subscription? The US government says you are not alone.
Monday, the Federal Trade Commission File a lawsuit Uber, a giant opposing delivery and rides, claims the company is involved in “deceptive billing and cancellation practices.” The FTC’s allegations are about Uber One, a premium subscription service.
“I looked at a credit card bill and I realized that over the past 8 months, Uber Eats has charged $9.99 for an Uber account. I have never signed up for this service,” a typical customer comment quoted in the lawsuit. Another customer complaint read: “I don’t[’]t has an Uber account that never happened, but I will charge $9.99 a month for Uber One. I don’t[’]t even know how they get my debit card information. ”
This screenshot from the Uber application is included in the FTC file.
Credit: ftc
Why does FTC target Uber for new suits?
Uber promotes Uber One as a premium subscription platform of $9.99 per month, offering customers exclusive benefits such as savings on rides and delivery. However, according to the FTC, Uber misled consumers for the purpose of these savings.
FTC Chairman Andrew N. “Today, we claim that Uber not only deceives consumers’ subscriptions, but also makes it difficult for customers to cancel.”
For example, Uber promotes that customers can save $25 a month as Uber One member. The FTC disagrees, and the lawsuit shows that the company did not consider the $9.99 monthly membership fee when advertising savings.
“These claims are wrong,” the government’s lawsuit said. “Many consumers are not actually using Uber One to save $25… Uber’s savings claim assumes that the subscription is free; claiming savings won’t reduce any costs.”
However, Uber One’s problems go beyond fake advertising promises. According to the lawsuit, plus $25 in savings, Uber promotes users to cancel their Uber One subscription “at any time” and cancel at “no extra fee.” However, the FTC said Uber often charged consumers before the free trial. Most importantly, unsubscribe is not as simple as advertising.
Mixable light speed
Easy to register, incredible cancellation
The lawsuit says Uber deploys a deceptive practice known as “Dark Mode” to encourage users to sign up and then prevent them from canceling their Uber One subscription.
The FTC notes that users can register with a few clicks, but canceling requires up to 32 actions.
Credit: ftc
In the app, according to the lawsuit, the button instructs the user to “start save” or “free” to automatically recruit users to the trial. In one case, two options are provided to the user: “Start Save” or “Cancel”. The government complaint reads: “Once consumers click ‘Start Saving’, they will join Uber One immediately and will charge monthly or annual subscription fees. The only other option is ‘Cancel’. It’s not clear what the button can cancel at this point – the delivery or ride they might want to book;
In fact, when customers do try to unsubscribe, “Uber makes it very difficult,” the FTC notes.
The FTC said Uber users were “forced to navigate” to cancel their paid Uber One plan. FTC means cancellation process can be extended More than 23 different screens And force users Take up to 32 different actions Just cancel. The closer the user is to the end of the current subscription, the harder it is to cancel Uber.
“Uber can ask them to say why they want to cancel, urge them to suspend membership, or, if it fails, give them the offer to stay,” the FTC said.
Some customers were forced to contact Uber Customer Support to cancel, but did not provide a way to contact the company. In addition, during the cancellation process, many users are charged for subscriptions during the cancellation process.
Uber’s alleged violations and company’s formal response
The FTC accused Uber of five charges against Uber under Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Restoration of Confidence in Online Shoppers (ROSCA), including unconsensual statements and unfair charges.
In a statement shared with Mashable, Uber disputes any misconduct.
“We are disappointed that the FTC chose to continue to take this action, but are confident that the court will agree with what we already know: Uber’s registration and cancellation process is clear, simple, and follows the letters and spirit of the law,” an Uber spokesperson said. “Uber will not register or charge fees without consent, and can now be cancelled within the app and bring most people with 20 seconds or less.”
Uber said the company had asked consumers to contact the company in the past to cancel Uber’s renewal period within 48 hours. However, Uber has changed this policy since then, and users can now unsubscribe from the app at any time.
