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Classmates.com to Pay $9.5 Million for Tricking Customers

 By Sarah Pierce

Imaginary friends aren’t really fun after high school, especially if you have to pay for them.

Classmates.com has agreed to pay up to $9.5 million to settle a lawsuit that accuses the social networking site of using false emails to get people to pay for premium membership. According to the lawsuit, filed by a San Diego man, Classmates.com sent emails falsely claiming that former classmates were trying to contact him. In order to see who these friends were, the email said he would have to upgrade his free membership to a premium one. After shelling out $15 for a “gold” membership, the man discovered that no old friends had tried to contact him or had even viewed his profile. He was duped.

Classmates.com claims no wrongdoing, but has agreed to pay $3 to every Classmates.com member who upgraded to a “gold” membership after January 1, 2007, because they received this email. The proposed settlement also asks Classmates.com to offer a $2 renewal/purchase credit to everyone who has registered with or subscribed to the social networking site dating back to October 30, 2004.

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Updated March 15th, 2010

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