Canadians could be part of a class-action lawsuit against Adobe
Eligible Canadians could be part of a new class-action lawsuit that was filed against a popular software company.
On May 7, Consumer Law Group filed a class-action lawsuit against Adobe, Inc. and its Canadian subsidiary, Adobe Systems Canada Inc., over “alleged deceptive practices related to its subscription services.” The Canadian lawsuit followed a March announcement by the United States Department of Justice that Adobe had agreed to a US$150-million settlement over similar allegations.
“Consumers should not have to navigate a digital maze to cancel a subscription,” said U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California.
The allegations
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Adobe is known for its widely used software, such as Acrobat, Illustrator, Photoshop, Creative Cloud, and more. According to the class action website, the company faces allegations that it used “misleading enrolment and automatic renewal schemes” that resulted in consumers unknowingly enrolling in expensive subscriptions.
“Consumers are routinely misled about key terms of subscriptions, including the duration of subscriptions, renewal conditions, and cancellation policies,” reads the statement.
The lawsuit was filed in the Ontario Court of Justice on May 7 and alleges that for years, Adobe enrolled consumers in its default, most profitable subscription plan without clearly disclosing important plan terms. It also claims that the company made cancellations unnecessarily difficult by requiring consumers to navigate a complicated cancellation process.
It further alleges that the company “unjustly enriched themselves” at consumers’ expense by preventing them from cancelling their subscription. The lawsuit claims that Adobe failed to disclose to users that they will be charged termination fees if they cancel their subscription early.
Consumers who tried to cancel their subscription by phone or chat allegedly faced dropped calls and chat sessions, long wait times, and repeated transfers.
The court document alleges that Adobe violated several laws, including the Consumer Protection Act and the Competition Act, by enrolling users in paid subscriptions without adequately disclosing key terms and making the cancellation process prohibitively difficult.
Are you eligible?
You could be eligible to file a claim if you’re a Canadian resident who was enrolled in an annual, billed-monthly subscription for an Adobe product and meet the following criteria:
- You paid an early cancellation fee
- You attempted to cancel your subscription but did not complete the process and ended up paying the full year because you either refused to pay the early cancellation fee or encountered obstacles while trying to cancel
A separate lawsuit was filed for class members in Quebec.
How much could you receive?
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According to the court document, the lawsuit is seeking punitive and compensatory damages as a result of “the harm or loss suffered” by class members.
The class action is still in its early stages, and the amount that eligible Canadians could receive has yet to be determined.
What should you do next?
If you meet the eligibility criteria, you can join the class action by signing up online. You’ll be asked to provide your personal information and contact details, as well as a description of the damages you experienced.
Canadians may also be eligible for compensation through other class action settlements, including those involving LastPass and Sun Life.