Travel App Hopper to Pay $35 Million to Settle FTC Allegations It Charged Fees Without Consent and Deceived Users About Fees and Benefits of Some Products
The FTC reached a $35 million settlement with the companies behind the Hopper travel app over allegations that the platform charged users unauthorized fees and misled them about total prices and the value of services like Price Freeze and VIP Support. The settlement also bars Hopper from making deceptive claims about fees going forward.
Why this matters: Hopper built its brand on a 'no hidden fees' promise. The FTC says that promise was a sales pitch, not a policy. People trusted the app with their payment details and booked travel assuming the price shown was the price they would pay. That is not a minor miscommunication — it is how a lot of fintech and travel products quietly make money. The $35 million hurts, but the more important part is the conduct ban. Companies should not need a federal settlement to stop charging people for things they did not agree to buy.
Who should care: Lawyers · Privacy officers · Compliance · General readers · Policy
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