San Francisco DA Settles With Angie’s Record Over False Promoting Prices – CBS San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin announced Tuesday that his office had settled with home services website Angie’s List on a lawsuit over allegations of false advertising.
Prosecutors sued Angie’s List back in 2018 for alleging the site was conducting background checks on the “primary owner / owner or responsible manager of all certified service providers”. According to the lawsuit filed by then District Attorney George Gascon, these statements are “likely to mislead” consumers into believing that even if they haven’t, the people who come to their homes have had a background check.
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In a statement announcing the settlement, the prosecutor’s office said past customers will be compensated and the site will be banned from making similar claims in the future.
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“This deal protects consumers who make important safety decisions about who to let into their homes,” said District Attorney Chesa Boudin. “Rather than providing accurate information so consumers can make informed decisions about who to trust, Angie’s List advertising misled consumers. I commend the hard work of our lawyers in bringing about this settlement to protect the San Franciscans from further deception. “
The nearly 30-year-old site, which recently changed its name to Angi, agreed as part of the settlement to repay 50% of subscription fees to customers who signed up for their services while Angie’s List ran the misleading ads: 23. 2016, through February 8, 2017. The company also issued an injunction preventing it from future deceiving customers about its background checks and will pay $ 50,000 civil penalties for its illegal practices.
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Both parties signed the agreement on Monday. Angi made no statement at the time of going to press.
