Microsoft Accused of Double-Billing Customers for Xbox Live
An Xbox Live customer has filed a class-action lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging that the company has been renewing subscriptions and double-billing customers without their consent.
The suit was filed by Ryan Graves, an Indiana resident that claims Microsoft's pre-paid subscriptions are "governed by vague and onerous terms of use." Graves claims that he let his automatically-renewing Xbox Live subscription expire by declining to update his credit card information, and that when he renewed the account several months later with a new card, he was charged for both the new subscription and the previously expired automatic subscription.
Microsoft told Graves that the issue was not a mistake, according to the court filing, and said that he would received two years of Xbox Live service because the charges covered both the pending automatic renewal and the manual renewal.
The suit was filed by Ryan Graves, an Indiana resident that claims Microsoft's pre-paid subscriptions are "governed by vague and onerous terms of use." Graves claims that he let his automatically-renewing Xbox Live subscription expire by declining to update his credit card information, and that when he renewed the account several months later with a new card, he was charged for both the new subscription and the previously expired automatic subscription.
Microsoft told Graves that the issue was not a mistake, according to the court filing, and said that he would received two years of Xbox Live service because the charges covered both the pending automatic renewal and the manual renewal.
Graves, meanwhile, says that he refused to accept Microsoft's response, and says that he did not order a two-year subscription.
With the suit, Graves seeks restitution, statutory, treble and punitive damages for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, conversion and violation of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, and wants Microsoft to "reverse all unlawful, unfair, or otherwise improper charges, and to cease and desist from engaging in further unlawful conduct in the future."
It should be noted that for those looking to turn off automatic renewal on an Xbox Live account, customers can call Xbox Live customer support and have them remove automatic renewal from the account.
With the suit, Graves seeks restitution, statutory, treble and punitive damages for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, conversion and violation of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, and wants Microsoft to "reverse all unlawful, unfair, or otherwise improper charges, and to cease and desist from engaging in further unlawful conduct in the future."
It should be noted that for those looking to turn off automatic renewal on an Xbox Live account, customers can call Xbox Live customer support and have them remove automatic renewal from the account.
