FTC and states sue Lens.com over alleged hidden fees and subscriptions
Oct 4, 2026 edition · GC-2026-0177 · Published 2026-10-04 · Version 2 · Pending litigation
FTC, Utah and Nevada sued Lens.com over alleged hidden mandatory fees and AutoRefill disclosures; the case remains pending.
What happened
The FTC and Utah and Nevada Attorneys General sued Lens.com, owner Cary Samourkachian and Speed Commerce LLC over alleged deceptive contact-lens pricing. The actual October 4 FTC index dates the announcement October 2. The complaint alleges low advertised prices followed by substantial mandatory 'Taxes & fees' charges, sometimes doubling advertised prices. These are pending allegations, not a judgment.
The alleged practices include placing charges below the visible checkout screen, misleading tax labels and using low prices to induce AutoRefill enrollment. The complaint also challenges disclosure of recurring charges, cancellation instructions and cancellation deadlines. It was filed in federal court in Nevada. The FTC expressly says the court will decide the case, so the announcement should not be read as a finding that liability or damages have been established.
Scope and timing
- Authority status
- Pending litigation
- Applicability
- Operationally relevant
- Audience
- Provider networks, Health-tech
- Jurisdiction
- Federal
Why it matters
Online health-product pricing and subscription review needs to cover the entire advertising, checkout and renewal path.
Recommended action
Review mandatory total-price disclosures, recurring-payment consent and cancellation instructions across the purchase flow. Track the complaint separately from established liability.
Case details
- agencies
- Federal Trade Commission, Participating states
- entities
- Lens.com, Cary Samourkachian, Speed Commerce
- action Type
- Civil complaint
- event Date
- 2026-10-02
- alleged Conduct
- Alleged deceptive prices, hidden fees and negative-option practices.
- resolution
- Civil complaint pending. No judgment or liability determination is asserted.
Operational lessons
- Review advertised total prices, fee disclosure, affirmative subscription consent and cancellation flows for direct-to-consumer health products.
Sources
- FTC and states sue Lens.com for misrepresenting contact-lens pricesOfficial · FTC · 2026-10-02 · Source review 2026-10-04
- Official retained source documentOfficial · Official issuing agency · Source review 2026-10-16
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