FTC sues Uber over alleged unauthorized charges and difficult cancellations

Uber charges users deceptively. When users want to cancel unwanted subscriptions, Uber requires “them to take at least 12 different actions and navigate a maze of at least 7 screens, if they guess the right paths to use,” a complaint by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleges.

​On April 21st, 2025, the FTC filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies, a rideshare and delivery company. The FTC alleges deceptive billing and cancellation practices related to the Uber One subscription service.

Uber “charged consumers for its Uber One subscription service without their consent, failed to deliver promised savings, and made it difficult for users to cancel the service despite its “cancel anytime” promises,” the watchdog said.

FTC’s investigation revealed that customers are wrongly promised savings of $25 a month when signing for the $9.99 per month subscription. The dubious savings didn't even subtract the cost of the subscription.

Many users said they were enrolled without consent, and in one case, an individual said they were charged despite not having an Uber account.

Users are enrolled in Uber One in various ways, including through push notifications, pop-ups in the Uber App or Uber Eats App, on the checkout screen when booking a ride or delivery, on Uber’s website, and through Uber’s partnerships with credit card companies.

Once you click the “Try for free” button, you are immediately enrolled in Uber One and will be charged within 4 weeks (in the example above), and on a recurring basis thereafter, according to the complaint.

Many consumers say they were enrolled without consent. The complaint quotes one consumer saying they were charged despite not even having an Uber account.

“I’m not sure how it happened, but I did an Uber to my job and now Uber One has been taking $9.99 out of my account for the last 15 or 16 months.”

FTC also said Uber charges consumers before their billing date, with their free trial period ongoing, even though the company promises customers the ability to cancel at no charge during the trial period.

And cancelling seems impossible – users “can be forced to navigate as many as 23 screens and take as many as 32 actions.”

There is no mention of subscription on the home screen, and users who wish to cancel might try a few different tabs and buttons. The Uber app asks users to explain why they want to cancel, urges them to pause their membership, or, if that fails, presents them with other offers to stay.

“Some users are told they have to contact customer support to cancel, but are given no way to contact them.”

The FTC wants a court order to stop Uber’s practices and to recover money for customers who were harmed.

Uber denies the allegations. The company’s spokesperson told CNBC they’re disappointed by the complaint but are confident the courts will rule in their favor. They also explained that the sign-up and cancellation processes are “clear, simple, and follow the letter and spirit of the law.”

FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson seems to disagree.

“Americans are tired of getting signed up for unwanted subscriptions that seem impossible to cancel,” said Ferguson.

“The Trump-Vance FTC is fighting back on behalf of the American people.”