FTC Sues Lens.com Over Hidden Fees That Double Contact Lens Prices
Federal regulators and two state AGs allege Lens.com concealed bogus 'taxes & fees' charges that often doubled advertised contact lens prices.
The Federal Trade Commission, alongside the attorneys general of Utah and Nevada, filed suit against online contact lens retailer Lens.com Inc., accusing the company of running a prolonged deceptive pricing scheme that misled consumers about the true cost of their purchases.
According to the complaint, Lens.com allegedly buried a fabricated "taxes & fees" charge in its search advertisements and on its website — a surcharge that regulators say frequently doubled the final price consumers paid compared to what was initially displayed. The agency characterized the practice as long-running, suggesting the scheme persisted for an extended period before the enforcement action was brought.
Read more Fed Extends Regulation O Comment Period to November 4 →
The FTC's action against Lens.com falls under the agency's broader mandate to police so-called "drip pricing" — a practice in which sellers advertise an artificially low base price and disclose mandatory fees only late in the checkout process, if at all. Such tactics are increasingly scrutinized by federal and state regulators as harmful to consumer trust and competitive markets.
The involvement of Utah and Nevada's top law enforcement officers signals a coordinated federal-state approach to combating deceptive online retail practices. Lens.com is incorporated and operates in a market where consumers routinely comparison-shop on price, making accurate up-front pricing disclosures particularly material to purchasing decisions.
The lawsuit seeks to halt the alleged scheme and could result in financial penalties and mandated changes to how Lens.com presents pricing to shoppers. Continue reading at Press Release Feed.
