The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against Adobe, alleging that the company deceives consumers by hiding early termination fees and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions. The complaint states that Adobe enrolls consumers in its default, most lucrative subscription plan without clearly disclosing important plan terms.
Adobe allegedly pushes consumers towards the “annual paid monthly” subscription without informing them that canceling the plan in the first year would cost hundreds of dollars. The early termination fees are only disclosed when subscribers attempt to cancel. The DOJ accuses Adobe of using these fees as a “powerful retention tool” to trap consumers in subscriptions they no longer want.
The complaint also criticizes Adobe’s cancellation process, describing it as “onerous and complicated.” Adobe has responded to the allegations, stating that it plans to refute the claims in court. The company emphasizes that it is transparent with the terms and conditions of its subscription agreements and maintains a simple cancellation process.
The DOJ’s complaint alleges that Adobe has violated federal laws designed to protect consumers. The government is seeking injunctive relief, civil penalties, equitable monetary relief, and other forms of relief.
Read more: techcrunch.com