Nora Kelly from Montreal expressed feeling deceived by Uber when she uncovered multiple charges for a monthly membership called Uber One on her credit card statements. She claimed she never authorized or signed up for this program. Kelly, along with five other Uber users across Canada, reported similar experiences of being enrolled in Uber One without their knowledge, only realizing it when they noticed unexpected charges on their credit cards.
Leah Billard from Ottawa recounted being charged $108.48 for Uber One in March, despite never signing up for it. After disputing the charge with her bank, she managed to get her money back. Following the initial report, CBC News received numerous complaints from individuals who found themselves involuntarily signed up for Uber One and charged monthly fees.
The Federal Trade Commission and 21 states in the U.S. filed a lawsuit against Uber in December 2025, alleging deceptive billing practices related to unwanted Uber One memberships. Toronto-based tech expert Ritesh Kotak mentioned the concept of dark patterns, design strategies that manipulate users into unintended actions online, as a possible explanation for customers unknowingly subscribing to services like Uber One.
Uber denied utilizing dark patterns to enroll customers in Uber One without consent. The company stated that customers must actively choose to sign up for the program. However, complaints surfaced regarding difficulties in canceling unwanted memberships and obtaining refunds, with some users struggling to recover full charges.
Despite Uber’s claims, concerns about dark patterns persist, prompting calls for specific legislation in Canada to address these deceptive practices and ensure transparent consumer decision-making.