Illustrative: Bea Slater is a social media maven featured along with other 'yentas' in JDate ads. (Elaine Durbach/via JTA)
SANTA MONICA, California — The company that owns Christian Mingle, JDate and other online dating sites will pay a $500,000 fine and nearly $1 million in restitution to customers whose subscriptions were automatically renewed or who were denied refunds when requested.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office announced Monday that a task force of local prosecutors found that dating sites owned by Spark Networks USA automatically renewed customer payments without their consent.
The company didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Officials said under the judgment negotiated with Spark Networks, the firm’s sites must now clearly disclose renewal terms and allow users to easily cancel their subscriptions.
Illustrative: American Jews enjoy a party in Jerusalem at the end of a weeklong romantic voyage to Israel Wednesday, May 10, 2006. The trip was organized by the Jewish online dating service JDate. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
Members of the Auto Renewal Task Force include district attorneys of San Diego, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
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