California Dater Files Class Action Over No-Cancel Contract Against Match.com
Match.com, a dating website that has set the standard for online dating for many, faces a class action over no-cancel contract. The lawsuit was filed by a former user who says that the company violated state law by failing to inform customers about how to cancel the service.
Plaintiff Zeke Graf filed the class action over no-cancel contract in federal court in California on Monday, April 20th. In his complaint, he stated that he joined Match.com in 2012, and its contract did not, per California law, inform new customers that they can cancel their dating profile service by letter within 3 days of creating the account. The service also failed to provide a mailing address where Graf could send his cancellation letter. Match.com’s contract stated that this form of cancellation could not be done.
“In fact, defendant’s contract explicitly stated that plaintiff’s subscription with defendant would remain active until the end of plaintiff’s subscription period following plaintiff’s cancellation of said dating service contract,” the complaint says.
When he joined the service, Graf says he paid $30 per month for three months. However, the service failed to provide a “conspicuous statement” informing him that he had the right to cancel his service, and how to do so.
Graf said that Match.com requires users to waive protections allowed by California state law for at least the past four years. He said that the online dating service wrote the contracts in a way to create a scheme to make “money from California consumers through false, deceptive, and misleading means.”
“Defendant had other reasonably available alternatives to further its legitimate business interest, other than the conduct described herein, such as adequately disclosing the notice of consumers’ rights to cancel contacts with defendant,” the complaint says.
Match.com violated parts of California’s unfair competition law by fooling customers about the nature of their contracts with the company.
“As such, said consumers were … deceived into believing that said consumers had to continue to incur fees and costs to defendant while said consumer’s subscription was coming to an end,” the complaint continues.
So far, the Match.com class action over no-cancel contract lawsuit limited to California, but it could expand to other states, which offer similar consumer protections. And, Graf’s attorney says, “there are hundreds of thousands of potential class members.”
Class Actions and Consumer Protection in South Carolina
Class action cases involve one or more plaintiffs filing a lawsuit against a negligent or malicious company that, when certified, is open to other plaintiffs to join if they have been wronged. Defective drugs, toys, automobiles, and other products often lead to class action lawsuits, but other types of cases, including antitrust lawsuits or intentional decline in the company’s stock market price can also lead to class action cases.
If you live in South Carolina and you believe a company has intentionally or negligently created a product or service that hurt you physically, emotionally, or financially, then you may be eligible to file a class action lawsuit, or join an existing class action against the company.
The Strom Law Firm Represents Victims in Class Action Cases
The South Carolina class action attorneys at the Strom Law Firm have helped numerous plaintiffs with class action cases against medical device manufacturers, predatory lending agencies, and bad faith insurance companies. We offer a free case evaluation to discuss your potential class action case and how we can help, so contact us today. 803.252.4800
