[Maru]

Plaintiff, the United States of America (“the United States”), acting upon notification and referral from the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), for its Complaint alleges:

NATURE OF THE CASE

1. Adobe Inc. (“Adobe”) is one of the world’s largest software companies, known for developing popular design and productivity software applications, such as Acrobat, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Adobe offers subscription plans to these and dozens of other products and services on its website, Adobe.com.

2. For years, Adobe has harmed consumers by enrolling them in its default, most lucrative subscription plan without clearly disclosing important plan terms. Adobe fails to adequately disclose to consumers that by signing up for the “Annual, Paid Monthly” subscription plan (“APM plan”), they are agreeing to a year-long commitment and a hefty early termination fee (“ETF”) that can amount to hundreds of dollars. Adobe clearly discloses the ETF only when subscribers attempt to cancel, turning the stealth ETF into a powerful retention tool that by trapping consumers in subscriptions they no longer want.

3. During enrollment, Adobe hides material terms of its APM plan in fine print and behind optional textboxes and hyperlinks, providing disclosures that are designed to go unnoticed and that most consumers never see. Adobe then deters cancellations by employing an onerous and complicated cancellation process. As part of this convoluted process, Adobe ambushes subscribers with the previously obscured ETF when they attempt to cancel. Through these practices, Adobe has violated federal laws designed to protect consumers.


...

https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc..._complaint.pdf

So many redactions. Couldn't have happened to a better company.