LOS ANGELES — The County of Los Angeles has filed a consumer protection lawsuit against Hims and Hers Health, Inc. or Hims & Hers for false and misleading advertising, failure to disclose subscription terms, and disclosure of sensitive health information to advertising companies without consent in violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law or UCL and False Advertising Law . The case is part of a nationwide lawsuit filed by the United States Federal Trade Commission or FTC magainst the online telehealth company.
Hims & Hers offers online telehealth medical treatment for specific conditions targeted towards men on the Hims website and app and women on the Hers website and app. The lawsuit alleges that Hims & Hers misled hundreds of thousands of consumers by charging them for unwanted prescription medication subscriptions without clear and conspicuous disclosures and without consumers’ express informed consent.
The lawsuit claims that Hims & Hers charged consumers for unwanted refills, failed to refund customers when their medications had not yet shipped, and violated the law by making it difficult for consumers to cancel their subscriptions. The lawsuit further claims that Hims & Hers shared consumers’ sensitive health information with third-party advertisers (for example Meta Platform, Inc. and Snap Inc.) without permission.
“Unfair and misleading sales tactics erode public confidence and create an uneven playing field for honest businesses,” said Rafael Carbajal, director of the county’s Department of Consumer and Business Affairs or DCBA. “When consumers are seeking medical treatment, they should be able to focus on their health and not worry about being misled or pressured into unnecessary financial obligations.”
Details: Consumers who believe they have been harmed by Hims & Hers business practices can file an online complaint with DCBA at dcba.lacounty.gov or call 800-593-8222 and/or file an online complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov – Assistant.