OnlyFans Auto-Renewal: Hidden Charges Spark Lawsuit

Case Overview: A class action alleges OnlyFans is unlawfully enrolling users into automatic subscription renewals without clear disclosure or valid consent, violating California’s Automatic Renewal Law.

Consumers Affected: California residents who enrolled in a subscription through [suspicious link removed] on or after May 13, 2021, and were charged for renewals under similar terms.

Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware

A California man is suing OnlyFans, claiming the popular content platform is quietly locking users into automatic subscription renewals without giving them the legally required heads-up. 

The proposed class action accuses the company of violating California’s Automatic Renewal Law by enrolling users into recurring payment plans without clearly disclosing the terms or getting proper consent.

Customer Details Surprise Monthly Billing

Jeremy Gates, who filed the proposed class action lawsuit, says he signed up for what he believed was a one-time $4 subscription on OnlyFans in April 2024. But a month later, his credit card was charged $20—and the charges kept coming. 

Over six months, Gates says OnlyFans continued billing him without his knowledge or approval. It wasn’t until he noticed the unexpected charges that he canceled his account. Gates claims he was never presented with clear information about recurring fees, nor did he knowingly agree to a long-term subscription plan. 

He says the way OnlyFans structures its signup flow through account creation, email verification, and subscription payment but buries or omits crucial details that would have alerted him to the ongoing charges.

Platform's Signup Flow Allegedly Lacks Clear Disclosures

California’s ARL, passed in 2009 and strengthened over the years, is designed to protect consumers from the kind of billing confusion Gates describes. The law requires that companies offering automatically renewing subscriptions disclose key terms clearly and conspicuously before charging a customer’s card.

These disclosures must include the fact that a subscription will auto-renew, the recurring cost, cancellation instructions, and any changes in price. Businesses also have to obtain affirmative consent and provide a post-purchase acknowledgment of the terms. If they don’t, the law treats the subscription as an unsolicited gift with no obligation for the consumer to pay.

Gates argues OnlyFans’ subscription offers fall far short of those requirements, and that customers are being misled into paying for ongoing services they didn’t knowingly agree to. He’s asking the court to stop the company’s practices and award restitution to affected users.

Subscription Services Face Heightened Legal Scrutiny

OnlyFans is just the latest company to face heat over sneaky subscription tactics. Fox Nation, the streaming arm of Fox News, was recently sued for allegedly charging consumers without obtaining valid consent. 

Meanwhile, Dazzling Cleaning is battling claims it tricked users into recurring plans after offering a $19 promotional cleaning. Adobe also faced backlash in 2024 over subscription traps that made it difficult for users to cancel, and The New York Times agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement with California subscribers over similar complaints.

As consumers grow increasingly wary of what’s hiding in the fine print, subscription-based services, especially those operating online, are finding themselves under growing legal scrutiny.

Gates wants to represent anyone in California who enrolled in a subscription through OnlyFans.com on or after May 13, 2021 and is seeking restitution, injunctive relief, fees, costs, and interest.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Gates v. Fenix Internet LLC d/b/a OnlyFans.com
• Case Number: 1:25-cv-00595-UNA 
• Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware  

Plaintiffs' Attorney:

• Mark L. Javitch (Javitch Law Office)
• Michael J. Farnan and Brian E. Farnan (Farnan LLP)

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