Match.com Class Action Lawsuit: What Is A Deceptive Practice?

This month, our law firm filed a class action lawsuit against the online dating website Match.com. We are representing a former customers of the personals website who believe that they were the victims of deceptive practices and who are seeking their membership fees as well as other damages.

What deceptive practices did Match.com engage in to lure customers to their site? In the lawsuit, we allege that the online dating site breached its Terms of Use Agreement when it falsely advertised that it had millions of active users. In reality, the majority of singles profiles are made up of fake users, inactive users, and users who have not paid their membership fees. Not only does the company use these fake and inactive profiles to their advantage, but they also fail to protect consumers from fake profiles that are run by third-party scammers. In addition, the site also falsely claims that it screens new profiles when former employees freely admit that this is never done.

How are consumers protected from the deceptive practices of large companies? They are protected by the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA) and the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act. What kind of actions fall under “deceptive practices”? Here are just a few examples:

It is illegal for companies to...

• Cause confusion surrounding the source of approval of their products or services.
• Represent goods as new or original when they are used or reclaimed.
• Represent that goods are a certain model or style when they are not.
• Represent that goods are of a certain quality when they are not.
• Disparage other businesses through false or misleading representation.
• Make misleading or false claims about the product’s origin.
• Make misleading or false claims about reasons for price reduction.
• Engage in any activity that leads to confusion or misunderstanding in consumers.

Deceptive business practices hurt consumers. Very simply, a company that uses deceptive practices lies in order to sell their goods or services – and the consumer receives a product that they did not want or need. If you believe that you have been the victim of deceptive business practices, you should speak with a consumer rights attorney today about your case.