United States of America: Federal Trade Commission filed stipulated order in District Court for the Northern District of Texas resolving action against Match Group regarding alleged deceptive advertising, billing, and cancellation practices

On 12 August 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced resolution of its action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas against Match Group owners and operators of online dating services including Match, Tinder, OkCupid, PlentyOfFish, and others, alleging violations of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA). The FTC alleged that the defendants used deceptive advertising, including sending “love interest” communications from accounts already flagged as likely fraudulent to nonsubscribers to induce purchases of paid subscriptions, failed to adequately disclose restrictive terms for a “six-month guarantee,” unfairly suspended accounts of consumers who unsuccessfully disputed charges, and employed cancellation processes that were not simple as required under ROSCA. The case was resolved by a stipulated order requiring the defendants to pay USD 14 million for consumer redress, permanently prohibiting misrepresentation of guaranteed terms, mandating clear and conspicuous disclosures of all restrictions, prohibiting retaliation against consumers for filing billing disputes, and requiring provision of simple cancellation mechanisms. The order also imposed obligations to maintain compliance records, provide compliance reports, and allow FTC monitoring for 10 years, with the court retaining jurisdiction for enforcement and modification.