HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday has joined a sweeping multistate lawsuit accusing Uber Technologies, LLC of deceiving consumers through misleading marketing, surprise charges, and onerous cancellation practices tied to its Uber One subscription service.
The lawsuit, filed by the Federal Trade Commission and joined by 21 state and local law enforcement offices, alleges that Uber used unfair and deceptive tactics to sell its Uber One subscription, which the company promotes as a way for riders and delivery customers to save money. Prosecutors contend that many consumers instead found themselves unknowingly enrolled, improperly charged, and unable to easily cancel.
According to the complaint, Uber relied on so-called negative option marketing when offering free trials, automatically billing consumers who did not cancel before the trial period ended. The lawsuit further alleges that Uber overstated potential savings, charged some users before their billing dates, and even billed customers whose free trials had not yet expired.
Sunday said the practices harmed Pennsylvanians who depend on ride-share and delivery services for daily transportation and convenience.
“Many Pennsylvanians rely on ride-share services such as Uber, and our review found that many were deceived into negative option subscriptions and higher costs,” Sunday said. “Uber’s stance as an industry giant does not give them the right to fool and harm consumers. Riders should know exactly what they are signing up for and subscriptions should be easy to cancel.”
The lawsuit seeks restitution for affected consumers, along with civil penalties, costs, and injunctive relief. Pennsylvania’s claims are brought under the state’s Consumer Protection Act, as well as the federal Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act, which governs online subscription and billing practices.
The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, with trial currently scheduled for February 2027.
The multistate coalition is led by Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and includes the attorneys general of Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia, along with the district attorney for Alameda County, California.
Consumers who believe they were affected by Uber’s subscription practices are encouraged to file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
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