Thursday, June 14, 2007

Class action lawsuit filed against Irving-based True.com dating website

By Pegasus News wire

LAS COLINAS — A lawsuit has been filed against TrueBeginnings, LLC, the owner and operator of the True.com online dating website. The lawsuit seeks certification of a class action on behalf of True.com customers who were charged service fees by True.com after cancelling their subscriptions.

TrueBeginnings, LLC is a Texas-based company, that claims to have millions of subscribers to its online dating website, True.com.

The complaint alleges that True.com charges its customers monthly service fees in excess of $50 per month, and that True.com charges its customers' credit card or bank accounts for these fees. True.com advertises on its website that memberships can be cancelled at any time. However, the complaint alleges that True.com does not accept cancellations in writing or on its website. Instead, True.com will only accept cancellation requests made over the phone. The complaint alleges that True.com bills its former subscribers service fees, even after those subscribers have attempted to cancel their subscriptions over the phone, and that this is done without the knowledge or authorization of the former subscribers.

The complaint also alleges that certain of the terms contained in True.com's click-through "Terms" are unconscionable and unenforceable. For example, in the "Terms" is a provision that purports to grant True.com a perpetual, world-wide license to use, distribute or display all information - including photographs - submitted by subscribers while using True.com's service. Under this provision, True.com claims the right to use (and potentially to sell) all photographs submitted by a subscriber, even after the subscriber has cancelled his or her membership, without any notice or payment to the former subscriber. The lawsuit seeks an injunction from the court prohibiting the enforcement of this provision.

The lawsuit is captioned Wong v. True Beginnings, LLC, and has been filed in the District Court of Dallas County, Texas.

Plaintiff is represented by the law firms of Tycko & Zavareei LLP (based in Washington, D.C.) and Crews, Shepherd & McCarty LLP (based in Dallas, Texas).

Source: Tycko & Zavareei LLP

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• Dating / Relationships
• Legal / Lawsuits

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