• by Ray Schultz , August 21, 2022

Gannett has been hit by a breach of contract lawsuit by a consumer who claims the firm continued automatically billing her even after she canceled a newspaper subscription. 

Nichole Anderson of Franklin Park, New Jersey bought a Courier News Journal digital subscription for the price of $1 for six months and $9.99 per month upon renewal, the complaint states. 

Anderson notified Gannett via its chat service that she wanted to cancel the subscription for financial reasons. But one month later, after the cancellation date, Gannett automatically billed her again for $9.99, she alleges.

The company promises that “consumers may effectively cancel their subscriptions without any limitations and at any point before the auto-renewal period refreshes,” the complaint continues. 

The complaint includes several anonymous quotes from individuals who claim similar experiences. One states, “Company does not make it easy to cancel unwanted service.” Another asserts: “This is a scam.” 

The suit accuses Gannet of breach of contract and unjust enrichment, and of violating New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act and The Electronic Transfer Act. Anderson is seeking class action status and is looking for other complainants. 

Anderson seeks “actual damages, statutory damages, punitive damages, restitution, and an injunction to prevent Defendant from continuing to engage in its illegal billing practices described herein,” the complaint states.  

By itself, the suit does not seem like a devastating one for Gannett—the plaintiff charges that she lost a total of $10.00 – but it may shed unwanted light on automatic subscription renewals in general if it goes forward. There have been other suits of this nature. 

Gannett had not filed an answer to the complaint at deadline. 

The case is on file with the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.