FTC Finalizes Order Requiring Credit Karma to Pay $3 Million and Halt Deceptive ‘Pre-Approved’ Claims

Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission finalized a consent order settling charges that credit services company Credit Karma for deploying dark patterns to misrepresent that consumers were “pre-approved” for credit card offers.

The FTC’s complaint, first announced in September 2022, said that the company used claims that consumers were “pre-approved” and had “90% odds” to entice them to apply for offers that, in many instances, they ultimately did not qualify for.

The FTC’s consent order requires the company to pay $3 million that will be sent to consumers who wasted time applying for these credit cards and to stop making these types of deceptive claims.

The Commission vote to approve the final order and letters to commenters was 4-0.