COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio has joined a multistate lawsuit originally filed by the Federal Trade Commission against Uber, alleging deceptive practices tied to the company’s Uber One subscription service, Attorney General Dave Yost announced Tuesday.
The lawsuit, pending in U.S. District Court in California, accuses Uber of misleading customers with “free trials” that automatically rolled into paid subscriptions, exaggerating how much money users could save, making cancellation difficult, and charging some customers before their billing date or before their free trial ended.
“Uber took consumers for a ride – and it wasn’t what they signed up for,” Yost said. “A free trial shouldn’t lead to a surprise bill, and canceling shouldn’t become an exercise in frustration.”
The complaint alleges Uber misrepresented the benefits of Uber One, promising that members could “cancel anytime” and save $25 a month. Internal testing showed most consumers did not achieve those savings once subscription costs were factored in.
Consumers also reported being enrolled in Uber One without consent, often through push notifications, checkout pop‑ups or credit card partnerships. The lawsuit says cancellation required navigating at least 12 steps and seven screens under normal circumstances, and up to 32 actions and 23 screens within 48 hours of billing. Even then, many consumers had to contact customer service, which often delayed or failed to process cancellations, leading to additional charges.
The lawsuit seeks refunds for affected consumers, civil penalties and a court order prohibiting Uber from continuing the practices.