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Small and medium-sized businesses were duped into paying thousands for a subscription to Trustpilot, an online review service, that they couldn’t escape, a class action alleges.
Trustpilot, an online consumer review system with headquarters in Denmark, allows its users to post for free about online businesses they’ve used. Trustpilot also offers a paid option for businesses that want access to consumer data and other reported benefits, such as consumer-insight data, and the ability to have “limited” control over consumer reviews of their business. The review company also promises to scrub fake reviews from its platform.
But Trustpilot may have treated the small businesses differently than their bigger clients, according to the suit.
The class action lawsuit, filed in New York federal court, contends that Trustpilot deceptively marketed these subscriptions to small and mid-sized businesses across the United States. The subscribers claim that Trustpilot based its business on a pledge of independence, resulting in honest reviews; however, the sale of subscriptions to businesses quickly changed things.
According to the class action lawsuit, large companies were privy to more services to boost their online presence through Trustpilot subscriptions.
“A handful of comparatively wealthy subscribers benefited, however,” contends the complaint. “These subscribers were able to control their review-display, a feature not given to the majority of subscribers that were primarily small businesses.”
In addition, Trustpilot treated reviews of larger companies differently than its smaller subscribers.
“Negative reviews about the select subscribers were either removed from the Website or buried from visibility in search and social media,” states the class action lawsuit. “Clearly fake positive reviews that inflated prized subscribers’ Trustpilot ‘score’ remained on the Website, unflagged.”
The lawsuit claims that in 2019, when Google changed its relationship with Trustpilot resulting in the removal of positive Trustpilot scores in their account, the value of proposed Class Members’ subscriptions vanished; however, Trustpilot duped customers into paying as much as $2,400 for the now allegedly worthless services.
According to the complaint, businesses who signed up for a Trustpilot subscription were duped into a negative option contract in which they were automatically charged for another subscription without sufficient notice or opportunity to cancel.
“In order to prevent its customers from cancelling, Trustpilot prevents its customers from actually receiving notice of their impending renewal dates,” alleges the class action lawsuit. “Trustpilot designed its notice-of-renewal emails so that the email would go straight to customers’ junk folders, preventing them from being seen until subscribers were already auto-enrolled for the new year.”
In addition, Trustpilot used an email address almost certain to be filed into a junk email folder, “@trustpilot.net,” to send notice of renewal to businesses, the lawsuit contends. Once re-enrolled, notes the class action, the customer could not cancel until the following year.
The class action lawsuit seeks to represent small to mid-sized businesses with a Trustpilot subscription. It accuses the company of breach of fair dealing, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and for violating New York business law and is seeking damages on behalf of the proposed Class.
Did you or your business subscribe to Trustpilot? Are you concerned about the allegations of misleading Trustpilot reviews? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below!
The lead plaintiff is represented by Gregory A. Frank, Marvin L. Frank, and Asher Hawkins of Frank LLP.
The Trustpilot Review Class Action Lawsuit is Trustpilot Damages, LLC v. Trustpilot Inc., Case No. 1:21-cv-00432 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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15 thoughts onTrustpilot Misled Business Owners into ‘Worthless’ Subscription Service, Lawsuit Claims
We refused to subscribe to this mafia like system. Basically if you don’t pay their expensive fees they will constantly remove positive reviews while keeping all negative reviews.
Basically they send complicated form to all customers sending positive reviews (none will loose the time to fulfill all documents) while keeping by default all negative reviews. This will obviously result in a reputation damage.
Can we do something against them? This is a dishonest behavior
I was duped out many thousands of pounds in a crypto scam after being influence by Trust Pilot reviews. This happened in 2022 can you give any advice on this circumstance?
Please add me.
Please add me. They charged me unauthorized even when the services were canceled. There are no accountable people who can help you. They keep on passing the ball around, without any knowledge. Please add me.