FTC, Utah and Nevada sue Lens.com over allegedly hidden fees on contact lenses
The agencies allege the retailer's advertised prices are routinely doubled by a mandatory charge that is hidden at checkout from shoppers who click "Continue."
What we know
- The Federal Trade Commission, joined by the Utah and Nevada attorneys general, sued contact lens retailer Lens.com Inc. on October 2, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. [1] [2]
- The complaint alleges Lens.com advertises low prices in Google search ads and on its website, then adds a mandatory "Taxes & fees" charge at checkout that routinely doubles the price. [2]
- The complaint also names an affiliated entity, Speed Commerce LLC. [2]
- The FTC's vote to authorize the complaint was 2-0. The court will decide the case. [2]
- Not yet confirmed: The allegations have not been tested in court. The FTC said the case will be decided by the court, and it did not say what penalties or remedies it is seeking. Lens.com's response was not included in the FTC's materials.
The Federal Trade Commission said in a post on X that it and states are suing Lens.com for misrepresenting the price of contact lenses in search ads and on its website. [1]
In a press release, the FTC said it was joined by the attorneys general of Utah and Nevada. The joint complaint names Lens.com Inc. and an affiliated company, Speed Commerce LLC. It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. [2]
The complaint alleges that Lens.com advertises artificially low prices, then charges a mandatory "Taxes & fees" amount at checkout. The agencies allege the charge routinely doubles the advertised price and has cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. [2]
According to the complaint, the line item sits below the visible part of the checkout screen, while a prominent "Continue" button encourages shoppers to move forward without scrolling. The agencies allege that consumers who click "Continue" never see the charge. They also allege the label wrongly suggests the amount covers state sales taxes, even though many states exempt contact lenses from sales tax or have no sales tax. [2]
The complaint further alleges deceptive pricing in Lens.com's "AutoRefill" subscription plan, which automatically bills customers for recurring shipments. It alleges the company did not clearly disclose the charge before collecting billing information, or explain how and by when to cancel to avoid a future shipment. [2]
"Lens.com advertised one price for contact lenses but charged a substantially higher price at checkout, deceiving consumers about the cost of this healthcare necessity," said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. [2]
The agencies allege violations of the FTC Act, the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and Utah and Nevada consumer protection laws. The FTC said it files a complaint when it has "reason to believe" a law is being or is about to be violated, and that the court will decide the case. [2]