The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit on January 13, 2026 against JustAnswer LLC and its founder/CEO, Andrew “Andy” Kurtzig, alleging the company deceived consumers into enrolling in recurring monthly subscriptions after marketing access to experts as a low-cost “join” offer—often $1 or $5.

According to the FTC, consumers were led to believe they were paying a small amount to get an answer, but were also charged a monthly subscription fee immediately and then billed monthly until cancellation.

The FTC’s complaint centers on the allegation that the recurring subscription terms were not clear and conspicuous, and that JustAnswer therefore did not obtain the affirmative express consent required for negative option features under federal law. The FTC also alleges violations of Section 5 of the FTC Act.

The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The FTC is seeking injunctive relief, consumer refunds, and civil penalties.

JustAnswer provided the following statement to Subscription Insider:

“We have engaged constructively with the FTC for nearly three years and are disappointed that the agency has chosen this path. 

JustAnswer’s transparent, affordable membership model has helped millions access professional services when and where they need them, at prices below traditional providers. We clearly publish our pricing and model upfront, and make cancelling simple and convenient through multiple channels, including a 24/7 toll-free number, live chat, email and with one click on the web.

We have met or exceeded all legal disclosure requirements, while providing our members with immediate access to affordable professional services that fit their lives and their needs. 

We are confident in our position and look forward to productively advancing this matter.”

INSIDER TAKE

This case reinforces a message subscription operators have been hearing with increasing volume: enforcement risk often lives in the customer experience details, not the subscription model itself. The FTC is framing the issue as whether a reasonable consumer could clearly understand—at the moment of purchase—that they were entering a recurring subscription, not simply paying a small one-time amount for help.

That matters as more subscription brands lean into guided or “assisted” conversion surfaces—chat-style interfaces, conversational prompts, and other flows that feel like service rather than commerce. These experiences can unintentionally shift the customer’s mental model toward “one-and-done,” making recurring terms easier to miss even when they appear somewhere in the journey.

A practical governance takeaway for executives:

• Treat the subscriber flow as a living system. Product tweaks, A/B tests, new UI patterns, and partner or affiliate entry points can change how disclosures land and how customers interpret what they are agreeing to.
• Regular, structured review of the end-to-end customer experience—including periodic legal review, not just one-time signoff—is increasingly part of subscription risk management.