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D.C. Joins FTC Lawsuit Accusing Uber of Deceptive Subscription Practices

December 16, 2025

The District of Columbia has joined a multi-agency consumer protection lawsuit against Uber, originally filed by the Federal Trade Commission, involving 24 state and local enforcement agencies. The legal action accuses Uber of enrolling customers into its Uber One subscription service without proper consent and creating deliberately complicated cancellation procedures to prevent users from ending their memberships. Regulators allege that over 28 million consumers nationwide, including more than 100,000 D.C. residents, have been affected by practices such as premature billing during free trials and cancellation processes requiring up to 20 screens and dozens of steps.

Who is affected

  • More than 28 million consumers nationwide enrolled in Uber One
  • Over 100,000 residents in the District of Columbia
  • Customers who were charged before free trial periods expired
  • Users who attempted to cancel subscriptions but faced burdensome processes
  • Credit card and bank account holders who received unexpected Uber One charges

What action is being taken

  • The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc. and Uber USA LLC
  • D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb's office has joined the lawsuit
  • A coalition of 24 state and local law enforcement agencies is backing the legal action
  • The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Why it matters

  • The lawsuit addresses significant consumer protection concerns during a time when living costs are particularly high, ensuring that consumers are not forced to pay for unwanted subscriptions. The case challenges deceptive business practices that allegedly enrolled millions of customers without clear consent and created intentionally difficult cancellation processes designed to discourage subscribers from ending their memberships. The legal action seeks to hold a major technology company accountable for allegedly violating federal and local consumer protection laws.

What's next

  • Trial in the case is currently scheduled for February 2027
  • The lawsuit seeks restitution for affected consumers, civil penalties, costs, and an injunction barring Uber from continuing the alleged conduct

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer