Pennsylvania and New Jersey have joined a 21-state coalition and the Federal Trade Commission in a lawsuit against Uber Technologies.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, a Republican, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, and a coalition of 19 other attorneys general are alleging the company used deceptive tactics to enroll customers in its Uber One subscription service.
The legal action, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims the ride-share and delivery giant utilized “negative option” marketing.
According to the complaint, Uber automatically charged consumers for subscriptions after free trials ended without providing clear disclosures or a simple way to opt out.
The lawsuit further alleges that Uber misled users regarding the potential savings of the Uber One program and implemented a cancellation process that was intentionally difficult to navigate. Additionally, the company is accused of charging subscribers before their scheduled billing dates, in some cases while free trials were still active.
“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 in a statement. “Uber’s stance as an industry giant does not give them the right to fool and harm consumers.”
“Too often, companies looking to sell you on the idea of convenience and the opportunity to save money are doing so with one hand already in your wallet,” said Platkin. “Canceling a subscription service should not force you through a byzantine process that requires clicking through two dozen screens or more, only to have to repeat the process. We’ll continue to fight to ensure that all New Jerseyans are protected from deceptive and unfair corporate practices that cost them their hard-earned money.”
Sunday’s office is seeking restitution for affected consumers, civil penalties, and an injunction to stop the alleged practices.
The lawsuit argues that Uber violated the U.S. Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act and the Pennsylvania Consumer Protection Act.
The state coalition is led by Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown. In addition to Pennsylvania, the group includes attorneys general from 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, as well as the District Attorney for Alameda County, California.
Pennsylvania residents who believe they were victimized by by Uber can file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office online.
A trial in the matter is currently scheduled for February 2027.
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