A class-action lawsuit has been filed against NordVPN, accusing the company of using illegal and deceptive practices in its automatic subscription renewals. The complaint was brought by Lanzy Kandeh and names Nordvpn S.A., Tefincom S.A., and Nordsec B.V. as defendants.
The lawsuit was filed on March 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. It claims that NordVPN violated state consumer protection laws.
Difficulties in Canceling Subscriptions
The lawsuit states that NordVPN does not clearly warn customers that their subscriptions will automatically renew. This is referred to as a “negative option” feature. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), this means a seller treats a customer’s silence or failure to cancel as consent to continue the service.
In simple terms, if customers do not cancel, NordVPN assumes they want the service to continue and charges them again—often at a higher rate. Kandeh claims he was charged $119.08 for another year of service that he did not want. He says he did not know his subscription would renew.
The lawsuit lists several ways NordVPN’s practices mislead customers:
- The sign-up process does not clearly explain the subscription terms.
- Receipts do not provide details on auto-renewal or cancellation.
- Renewal charges are applied 14 days before the subscription ends, earlier than most customers would expect.
- Canceling is made very difficult.
- Customers are not given enough notice before renewal.
- Important changes to renewal terms are not clearly shared.
Kandeh seeks to represent New York consumers affected by these practices. He is asking for $50 million in damages.
Additional Claims About Incogni
Kandeh also claims he was misled into thinking his one-year Incogni data removal service, owned by Nord Security, would not renew. However, it did auto-renew. He said he struggled to find a way to cancel both his NordVPN and Incogni subscriptions. Although PayPal provided a refund, Kandeh insists he never agreed to the renewal charges.
Previous Legal Actions
This is not the first time NordVPN has faced legal trouble over auto-renewals. A similar lawsuit was filed in Colorado in 2024. Other VPN providers have also been targeted. In 2022, Proton VPN faced an investigation over its renewal practices, which were called “potentially fraudulent.”
NordVPN Responds
Tom’s Guide reached out to NordVPN. A spokesperson said, “Nord Security continuously strives to provide an excellent customer experience and complies with legal requirements. We have responded to the lawsuits but cannot comment on the specific allegations at this time, other than to state that we are and always have been very clear about the recurring nature of our services.”
