Automatic Renewal Law Class Actions in 2025
Have you ever signed up for a free trial or a low-cost subscription, only to find unexpected charges
hitting your card months later? You're not alone. Across the country, millions of consumers are affected
by hidden or confusing auto renewal practices. These lawsuits, often called auto renewal class actions,
aim to stop companies from quietly locking people into recurring charges without proper disclosure.
Whether it's streaming services, gym memberships, antivirus software, or retail VIP programs, these
cases are reshaping how businesses must handle subscriptions in 2025 and beyond.
Below are the most notable U.S. class actions in 2025 tied to Automatic Renewal Law, including actions
that are active, preliminarily approved, finally approved, or already paid. Each entry lists status,
court, alleged violations, key dates, eligibility, settlement amount if available, and how payments are
issued.
$2.5 Billion FTC Amazon Prime Subscription Settlement
Status: Settled. Federal Trade Commission action regarding Prime enrollment and
cancellation practices.
Allegations: Deceptive enrollment into automatically renewing
Prime memberships and unreasonable cancellation friction, including dark pattern interfaces,
in violation of ROSCA and related laws.
Key dates: Settlement announced September 25, 2025. Automatic
refund phase targeted by December 25, 2025. Claims process to follow in 2026.
Eligibility: U.S. Prime customers impacted during approximately
June 2019 through June 2025, with details defined by the FTC settlement program.
Settlement: $2,500,000,000 total. Includes a $1,000,000,000 civil
penalty and $1,500,000,000 in consumer refunds. Individual refunds are expected up to about
$51 depending on usage and enrollment flow.
FTC v. Chegg, Inc.
Status: Settled. Federal Trade Commission action over subscription cancellation
practices.
Allegations: Violations of ROSCA due to hard-to-cancel
subscriptions and insufficient disclosures.
Key dates: Settlement announced September 15, 2025.
Eligibility: Consumers identified by the FTC program.
Relief: $7.5M for refunds and compliance changes.
Gates v. Fenix Internet LLC (OnlyFans Lawsuit)
Status: Active. Case No. 1:25-cv-00595. U.S. District Court, District of Delaware.
Allegations: Subscriptions auto renew without clear and
conspicuous disclosure, no affirmative consent, inadequate cancellation information, charges
higher than the initial displayed price without disclosure.
Key dates: Filed May 13, 2025. Ongoing.
Eligibility: California subscribers who enrolled on or after May
13, 2021 and were charged for the subscription within the limitations period.
Settlement: None yet. Expected relief if successful would focus
on refunds of unauthorized charges.
Lomeli v. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Status: Settled, pending final approval. California Superior Court, San Diego
County, Case No. 37-2023-00008-529-CU-BT-CTL.
Allegations: Annual passes auto renewed without valid consent or
adequate disclosure of renewal terms and cancellation options.
Key dates: Prelim approval April 18, 2025. Final approval hearing
August 15, 2025. Notices sent around May 28, 2025. No claim form required.
Eligibility: California pass holders whose San Diego SeaWorld
annual pass purchased on or after February 28, 2019 auto renewed on or before February 28,
2025 and who did not already receive a refund.
Settlement: $1,500,000 common fund. Pro rata payments by check or
electronic method. Approximate class size 141,358.
Nelson v. System1, Inc. (Total Security, Protected.net)
Status: Settled and paid. California Superior Court, San Diego County, Case No.
37-2023-00045878.
Allegations: Failure to disclose auto renewal terms for
antivirus, ad blocker, and VPN subscriptions. Lack of affirmative consent for recurring
charges.
Key dates: Claim deadline February 4, 2025. Final approval March
7, 2025. Payments distributed by May 12, 2025.
Eligibility: California consumers charged for auto renewed
software subscriptions between October 20, 2019 and June 30, 2024 without a full refund.
Settlement: $2,500,000 fund. Equal pro rata cash payments to
approved claimants.
Shinglot v. SoundCloud Global Ltd
Status: Active. U.S. District Court, Central District of California, Case No.
2:25-cv-01518.
Allegations: Price increase on SoundCloud Go and Go Plus auto
renewals without clear advance disclosure or consent. Claims under California ARL and ROSCA.
Key dates: Filed February 21, 2025. Price increase occurred
August 2024.
Eligibility: California subscribers whose monthly rate was raised
within the class period.
Settlement: None yet. Potential relief would include refunds of
unauthorized overcharges.
Wohlfiel v. Adobe Inc.
Status: Active. U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, San Jose
Division, Case No. 5:25-cv-06562.
Allegations: Creative Cloud annual plan billed monthly
enrollments hide key terms, including commitment length, renewal, and cancellation. Early
termination fee lacks clear front page disclosure.
Key dates: Filed August 4, 2025. Ongoing.
Eligibility: U.S. consumers in the last four years who enrolled
in Adobe annual billed monthly plans and paid an early termination fee or were charged for a
full year after attempting to cancel.
Settlement: None yet.
Sasgen v. NordVPN S.A.
Status: Active. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Case No.
1:25-cv-06822.
Allegations: Violations of Illinois Automatic Contract Renewal
Act through hidden auto renewal terms, negative option billing, and burdensome cancellation
flows.
Key dates: Filed June 20, 2025. Ongoing.
Eligibility: Illinois customers automatically re enrolled and
charged at least one renewal payment within the limitations period.
Settlement: None yet.
Peacock TV Auto Renewal Settlement
Status: Settled. Jurisdiction: California related claims. Settlement site details
available on consumer reporting portals.
Allegations: Subscription plans renewed without sufficiently
clear disclosures of renewal terms and price.
Key dates: Final approval in late 2024. Claims were administered
through an official portal.
Eligibility: Subscribers within the class period who were renewed
and charged in California related transactions.
Settlement: Common fund with pro rata payments to approved
claimants.
HelloFresh Subscription Renewal Resolution
Status: Settled. Jurisdiction: California consumer protection enforcement action.
Allegations: Deceptive subscription practices tied to auto
renewing meal kits without clear consent and cancellation options.
Key dates: Resolution announced in 2025. Restitution and
penalties were described in public statements.
Eligibility: Consumers within defined time frames who were auto
renewed and charged.
Relief: Restitution for eligible consumers plus compliance
commitments.
Houzz Subscription Renewal Allegations
Status: Filed allegations and investigation. Jurisdiction: To be determined per
case filings.
Allegations: Free trials converting into year long subscriptions
without sufficiently clear advance disclosure.
Key dates: Allegations surfaced in 2025 reports. Ongoing
monitoring.
Eligibility: Subscribers who experienced automatic renewal into
longer terms within the limitations period.
Relief: None yet. Consumers should save proof of sign up terms
and charges.
NFL GamePass Auto Renewal Investigation
Status: Under investigation. Jurisdiction: Potential multi state consumer claims.
Allegations: Difficult or unclear cancellation and recurring
charges after renewal.
Key dates: Investigation notices posted publicly for consumer
intake.
Eligibility: Subscribers who were renewed and charged and who
faced cancellation frictions.
Relief: None yet. Consumers can document renewal notices and
billing entries.
VASA Fitness Membership Renewals
Status: Filed allegations in 2025. Jurisdiction: Varies by location and contract
terms.
Allegations: Auto renewal clauses and cancellation processes that
allegedly failed to meet legal standards.
Key dates: Filings noted in early 2025. Ongoing case activity to
be monitored.
Eligibility: Members renewed and charged during identified
periods in the pleadings.
Relief: None yet. Save your membership agreement and renewal
receipts.
UFC Fight Pass Auto-Renewal Settlement
Status: Settled. Jurisdiction: California consumer class action.
Allegations: UFC Fight Pass subscriptions allegedly auto renewed
without clear and conspicuous disclosure of renewal terms and without proper consent.
Key dates: Settlement approved in 2024. Claims process ran into
early 2025.
Eligibility: Subscribers who purchased UFC Fight Pass and were
automatically renewed during the defined class period.
Relief: Cash payments distributed to approved claimants from a
settlement fund.
Patreon Subscription Renewal Settlement
Status: Settled. Jurisdiction: California state court action.
Allegations: Patreon allegedly renewed monthly memberships
without adequate ARL disclosures or an easy cancellation path.
Key dates: Settlement reached in 2024, with implementation and
payments ongoing into 2025.
Eligibility: California subscribers charged for automatically
renewed Patreon memberships within the class period.
Relief: Settlement fund with pro rata refunds and compliance
commitments.
Noom Subscription Settlement
Status: Settled. U.S. federal multidistrict litigation.
Allegations: Noom’s weight-loss app allegedly enrolled users into
auto-renewing paid plans without clear consent and made cancellations unreasonably
difficult.
Key dates: Settlement approved in 2022, with distribution
extending through 2023–2024.
Eligibility: U.S. subscribers charged for auto-renewing Noom
plans between 2016 and 2020.
Relief: Settlement provided $56M in cash refunds and $6M in
subscription credits.
SquareTrade Protection Plan Renewal Case
Status: Settled. Jurisdiction: California Superior Court.
Allegations: SquareTrade protection plans allegedly renewed
automatically without clear disclosure or proper consent, in violation of California ARL.
Key dates: Settlement reached in 2023, with payments completed by
mid-2024.
Eligibility: California consumers whose SquareTrade protection
plans auto renewed during the class period.
Relief: Cash refunds and injunctive relief requiring clearer
disclosures and easier cancellation.
AppleCare Auto-Renewal Settlement
Status: Settled. Jurisdiction: California federal court.
Allegations: Apple allegedly auto renewed AppleCare plans without
proper ARL disclosures and clear cancellation options.
Key dates: Settlement approved in 2023; payments made in 2024.
Eligibility: Apple customers in California who were auto renewed
into AppleCare coverage without proper consent.
Relief: Refunds issued and Apple agreed to update subscription
disclosure practices.
AMC+ Streaming Renewal Case
Status: Settled. Jurisdiction: California class action.
Allegations: AMC+ subscriptions allegedly auto renewed without
clear disclosure of renewal price and terms.
Key dates: Settlement finalized in 2024, with claims period into
early 2025.
Eligibility: Subscribers whose AMC+ plans auto renewed during the
defined period in California.
Relief: Settlement fund with pro rata payments to claimants.
FuboTV Renewal Allegations
Status: Active. Jurisdiction: California consumer protection claims.
Allegations: FuboTV allegedly failed to provide conspicuous auto
renewal disclosures and did not offer a simple online cancellation option.
Key dates: Allegations surfaced in 2024 with active litigation in
2025.
Eligibility: California subscribers automatically renewed and
charged during the relevant class period.
Relief: None yet. Consumers should keep billing records and
cancellation attempts.
Daily Wire Subscription Case
Status: Active. Jurisdiction: California state court action.
Allegations: Daily Wire subscriptions allegedly auto renewed
without adequate disclosure of recurring terms and cancellation rights, violating California
ARL.
Key dates: Lawsuit filed in 2024 and ongoing in 2025.
Eligibility: Subscribers in California renewed and charged for
Daily Wire subscriptions during the relevant period.
Relief: Case ongoing. Potential relief includes cash refunds and
compliance changes.
Bumble and Badoo Subscription Renewal Case
Status: Active. Jurisdiction: California state court.
Allegations: Bumble and Badoo allegedly auto renewed premium
subscriptions
without clear disclosure of renewal price, renewal cadence, or cancellation instructions.
Claims include violations of California’s Automatic Renewal Law (ARL) and related consumer
statutes.
Key dates: Lawsuit filed in 2024, with proceedings continuing
into 2025.
Eligibility: California subscribers who purchased Bumble Boost,
Bumble Premium,
or Badoo subscriptions and were charged for automatic renewals without proper consent or
disclosures.
Relief: Case ongoing. Potential relief includes refunds of
renewal charges and
compliance changes requiring clearer subscription terms and easy cancellation.
Match Group Subscription Renewal Cases (Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid)
Status: Multiple cases. Jurisdiction: Primarily California state and federal
courts.
Allegations: Match Group platforms including Tinder, Match.com,
and OkCupid
allegedly renewed paid memberships without clear pre-purchase disclosures, charged higher
renewal prices than
advertised, and made cancellation unreasonably difficult.
Key dates: Various cases filed from 2022 through 2025; some
actions remain active
while others are in settlement discussions.
Eligibility: Subscribers whose Match Group memberships (Tinder
Gold/Platinum,
Match.com, OkCupid, or related apps) auto renewed without proper ARL disclosures or consent
during the
applicable class periods.
Relief: Relief varies by case; potential refunds, credits, and
compliance
commitments to simplify cancellation and make terms more conspicuous.
Auto renewal lawsuits are legal cases filed when companies automatically charge consumers for
subscription services without providing clear notice or obtaining proper consent. These cases typically
fall under state Automatic Renewal Laws (ARL), such as California's ARL, or federal regulations like the
Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA). The goal of these laws is to protect consumers from
hidden subscription traps and recurring charges that were not clearly agreed to.
Under ARL statutes, companies must disclose subscription terms in a clear and conspicuous way before
enrollment. They must obtain a consumer's affirmative consent to the auto renewal and provide simple
instructions for cancellation. For example, if a music streaming service raises its price or
automatically renews your plan without highlighting those changes, that could be a violation of ARL.
Similarly, if cancellation is hidden behind multiple menus or requires a phone call instead of an easy
online button, it may run afoul of the law.
When companies fail to comply with auto renewal laws, class actions allow large groups of consumers to
hold them accountable. These lawsuits often result in settlements where affected subscribers receive
refunds, credits, or other benefits. Recent class actions have targeted industries ranging from
streaming services and software subscriptions to gyms, retail memberships, and antivirus providers. By
joining these cases, consumers may recover money lost to unauthorized or undisclosed charges while also
pushing companies to improve transparency.
If you think you were charged unfairly under an auto renewing subscription, it's worth checking current
investigations and settlements. Active cases are regularly posted on consumer advocacy websites and
official settlement administrator pages. Following ongoing ARL litigation can help you determine if you
qualify to submit a claim and potentially receive compensation for recurring charges you never agreed
to. Sign up to the official OCA newsletter to get more information.
How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?
Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:
Auto renewals can be unlawful when terms are not clear and conspicuous before signup, when a company
fails to obtain affirmative consent, when renewal notices are missing or late for annual plans, or when
cancellation is not easy to execute. Under California's Automatic Renewal Law and federal ROSCA, online
sellers should show renewal price and cadence near the final consent button, collect a clear yes, send a
post-purchase confirmation, and provide a simple web cancel path.
Keep the original offer page or email, any checkout screenshots that show price and term, the
post-purchase confirmation, renewal emails, and billing records. Save chat or email threads about cancel
attempts. If the site forced a phone or in-person cancellation, note dates, call logs, or ticket IDs.
For bank disputes, download itemized statements and any messages from your card issuer. These records
can help verify missing disclosures, lack of consent, and unreasonable cancel friction.
- Sign in and open your account or billing page. Look for Manage plan, Billing, or Subscription.
- Choose Cancel or Turn off auto renew. If the button is missing, try a direct link from past
confirmations.
- Take screenshots of each step and the final success screen. Save any confirmation email.
- If a site requires chat or phone, log the time and reference number. Ask for written confirmation.
- Set a calendar reminder 24 to 48 hours before renewal windows in case the cancel does not stick.
| State |
Scope |
Notable
Requirements |
| California ARL |
Consumer subscriptions |
Clear pre-signup terms, affirmative consent, confirmation email,
easy web cancel, renewal notice for annual terms |
| New York ARL |
Consumer subscriptions |
Clear disclosures, explicit consent, acknowledgment, simple cancel
that mirrors signup method |
| Illinois ARL |
Automatic contract renewals |
Conspicuous terms, notice obligations on long terms,
straightforward cancellation |
| D.C. ARL |
Consumer subscriptions |
Clear terms, consumer consent, reminders, simple cancel path |
| Colorado ARL |
Consumer contracts |
Disclosure of renewal terms, reminder notices before renewal,
simple cancel option |
| Delaware ARL |
Consumer service contracts |
Notice required 30–60 days before renewal if term exceeds 12 months
|
| Florida ARL |
Service contracts >12 months |
Clear disclosure of renewal and cancellation terms, written notice
30–60 days prior |
| Georgia ARL |
Contracts >12 months |
Notice 30–60 days before renewal if longer than one year; clear
cancel terms |
| North Carolina ARL |
Consumer contracts >12 months |
Conspicuous auto renewal disclosure, reminder notice, easy cancel
option |
| Connecticut ARL |
Consumer subscriptions |
Clear, conspicuous pre-signup terms; affirmative consent; written
acknowledgment with cancel info; easy cancel (including online for online signups);
renewal reminders for longer terms. |
| Maryland ARL |
Consumer subscriptions |
Clear terms; cost-effective, easy cancel; online cancel for online
signups; renewal reminders for longer terms (recent 2023–2024 updates). |
| New Jersey ARL |
Consumer contracts ≥12 months |
Conspicuous auto-renewal disclosure; advance written notice 30–60
days before renewal; straightforward cancellation. |
| Tennessee ARL |
Consumer contracts (general) |
Conspicuous renewal terms; simple cancel procedure; advance notice
30–60 days before renewal for terms ≥12 months. |
| Washington ARL |
Automatic subscription/continuous service |
Clear disclosure near consent; affirmative consent; post-purchase
acknowledgment; easy/online cancel; renewal reminders. |
| Wisconsin ARL |
Automatic renewal offers & continuity plans |
Clear, conspicuous terms; accessible cancel method; advance
reminder before renewal (longer terms); record-keeping duties. |
| Arkansas ARL |
Contracts with initial term ≥12 months |
Clear disclosure; written notice 30–60 days before renewal; easy
way to cancel to avoid renewal. |
| South Carolina ARL |
Contracts with initial term ≥12 months |
Conspicuous renewal clause; written notice 30–60 days prior to
renewal; simple cancellation method. |
| Oregon ARL |
Consumer contracts |
Clear upfront renewal terms, reminder notice for renewals over 12
months |
| Vermont ARL |
Consumer subscriptions |
Requires affirmative consent, written acknowledgment, renewal
reminders |
| Virginia ARL |
Consumer contracts > 12 months |
Advance notice required 30 to 60 days before renewal; clear
cancellation method |
Note: Many other states have similar laws. Requirements vary by jurisdiction,
product type, and renewal length. Always save your offer terms and billing notices.
Automatic Renewal Law (ARL): State law that regulates recurring subscription billing and
disclosures.
Negative Option: A plan that charges unless the consumer takes action to cancel.
ROSCA: A federal law that prohibits charging for online negative option features without
clear terms and express informed consent.
Conspicuous Disclosure: Placement and formatting that consumers can easily notice and
understand near the final consent action.
Simple Cancellation: Cancel method that is at least as easy as signup, typically
available online without calling.
•
Colorado (C.R.S. § 6-1-732; 2022 amendments for online cancellation) – CO
General Assembly bill text PDF
•
Virginia (Va. Code § 59.1-207.45 et seq.) – FindLaw text
•
Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-126b) – CGA site
•
North Carolina (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-41) – NC General Assembly
•
Delaware (SB 93, broad ARL effective 2022) – Faegre Drinker overview
•
Florida (Fla. Stat. § 501.165) – Justia text of statute
•
Georgia (O.C.G.A. § 13-1-15) – 2019 Faegre Drinker overview
•
Illinois (815 ILCS 601/) – Illinois AG guidance page
•
Maryland (Commercial Law § 14-1320 et seq.; 2023–2024 updates) – OAG
consumer page
•
New York (GBL “continuous service” law, § 527-a/-b) – NYC DCA summary
•
Oregon (ORS 646A.295) – OregonLaws.org
•
Vermont (9 V.S.A. § 2454a) – State justice portal