Match Group Settles FTC Allegations with $14 Million Payment and Policy Changes

Match Group, the operator of dating platforms including Match.com and OkCupid, will pay $14 million and implement policy changes to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations of deceptive practices. The FTC alleged that Match misled consumers with its "six-month guarantee" offer and unfairly suspended customers' accounts who disputed charges with their banks. Match must disclose the terms of its guarantees and provide straightforward methods for canceling subscriptions under the proposed court order.

Match Group, Inc. (MTCH), the operator of popular dating platforms such as Match.com and OkCupid, has agreed to pay a $14 million settlement and implement significant policy changes to resolve allegations of deceptive practices brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The settlement, announced on Tuesday, comes after the FTC accused Match of misleading consumers with its "six-month guarantee" offer and unfairly suspending customers' accounts who disputed charges with their banks.

The FTC's complaint, filed in September 2019, alleged that Match deceptively promised a free six-month subscription to users who did not "meet someone special" but failed to disclose strict conditions that made qualifying for the guarantee difficult. Additionally, the agency alleged that Match unfairly suspended customers' accounts who disputed charges and made it unnecessarily hard for users to cancel their subscriptions [1].

Under the proposed court order, Match must clearly disclose the terms of its guarantees and refrain from misrepresenting any material restrictions or conditions. The company is also prohibited from retaliating against customers who file billing disputes and must provide straightforward methods for canceling subscriptions. The $14 million payment will be used to compensate affected consumers [2].

Match Group shares were up 0.34% at $38.79 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data. The settlement and policy changes are expected to enhance the company's reputation and improve customer satisfaction.

References:
[1] https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/08/47162646/match-group-to-pay-14-million-in-ftc-settlement-over-deceptive-practices
[2] https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/08/match-group-agrees-pay-14-million-permanently-stop-deceptive-advertising-cancellation-billing