Match Group has agreed to pay $14 million to the FTC. The payment will settle charges of deceptive advertising practices. Match will change some business practices as part of the settlement. The company recently laid off 13% of its staff.
Match Group, the parent company of Match.com, Tinder, Hinge, OkCupid, and PlentyOfFish, has agreed to pay $14 million to settle a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about deceptive advertising practices.
The FTC sued the dating-site company in 2019, accusing it of using misleading ads to drive subscriptions, which were then difficult for people to cancel. Customers who tried to dispute billing charges also complained about being locked out of their accounts.
Match, the FTC alleged, had told customers they could get a free six-month subscription if they didn’t “meet someone special,” but failed to disclose the customers would need to meet numerous requirements before that guarantee would be honored. As part of the agreement, Match has agreed to clearly disclose those terms moving forward.
In addition, the company will make it easier to cancel subscriptions and refrain from retaliating against customers who file disputes.
