FTC Uber lawsuit: Several states join complaint over subscription practices

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FILE - The Uber Technologies application on a smartphone arranged in Dobbs Ferry, New York, U.S., on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. Photographer: Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Multiple states joined a lawsuit against Uber this week after the Federal Trade Commission originally filed suit against the technological transportation company back in April. 

Here’s what to know about the lawsuit:

FTS Uber One subscription lawsuit

The backstory:

The FTC filed a lawsuit against Uber in April, alleging that it enrolled consumers in its Uber One subscription program without their consent and made it too difficult for them to cancel the service.

By the numbers:

Uber One members pay $9.99 per month or $96 per year for a range of services, including fee-free Uber Eats food deliveries and cash back when they take Uber rides.

Dig deeper:

In its lawsuit, the FTC said multiple customers complained that Uber signed them up for Uber One without their permission or charged them for the service before a free trial period was over. In at least one case, a person was charged $9.99 per month even though they didn’t have an Uber account, the lawsuit said.

The FTC said Uber also made it extremely difficult for subscribers to cancel Uber One. The agency said Uber requires customers to take at least 12 different actions on at least seven screens to cancel the service. Cancellation gets even harder for consumers within 48 hours of their billing date, the FTC said, requiring them to navigate as many as 23 screens and still contact customer service.

The other side:

In a statement at the time, Uber said it was disappointed that the FTC chose to move forward with the lawsuit. Uber said its sign-up and cancellation process is clear, simple and lawful, and that it does not sign up or charge customers without their consent. 

RELATED: Uber accused of denying service to people with disabilities, DOJ lawsuit claims

States join Uber lawsuit

Big picture view:

This week, 21 states and the District of Columbia filed an amended complaint to join the FTC in alleging that Uber charged consumers for its subscription without their consent, failed to deliver promised savings including $0 delivery fees, and made it difficult for users to cancel the subscription.

States that joined the FTC lawsuit include: 

• Alabama
• Arizona
• California
• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• District of Columbia