NordVPN Faces Class Action Over Alleged Deceptive Auto-Renewal Practices

NordVPN, one of the world's largest virtual private network providers, is confronting a class action lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court that alleges systematic deception in its subscription renewal practices. The lawsuit claims the company quietly increases subscription renewal prices without proper notice, charges customers weeks before their subscriptions actually renew, and denies timely refund requests despite advertising a "30-day money-back guarantee."

This latest legal challenge adds to mounting litigation against NordVPN, with the privacy company already facing class action lawsuits in California, Colorado, New York, Illinois, and North Carolina over similar subscription practices. The Massachusetts case specifically alleges that NordVPN's website and checkout process fail to clearly disclose that renewal prices will increase once the initial subscription period ends, leaving many users to discover the higher charges only when reviewing their credit card statements.

"This case is about fairness and transparency from a company that claims to safeguard both," said Burkett McInturff of Wittels McInturff Palikovic. "NordVPN markets itself as a trusted privacy company, yet it takes advantage of trusting customers—quietly hiking prices, charging early, and misrepresenting its refund policy." The legal team has requested a jury trial to address these allegations.

According to court documents, NordVPN employs a particularly problematic billing tactic by charging the higher subscription renewal price approximately two weeks before the actual renewal date. This practice effectively traps users in a new annual plan before they have the opportunity to cancel. Compounding the issue, NordVPN backdates its "30-day money-back guarantee" to the date of the early charge, rendering the guarantee period substantially shorter than advertised to consumers.

"Consumers sign up expecting privacy and flexibility," said Scott Harris of Bryson Harris Suciu & DeMay, PLLC. "Instead, NordVPN locks them in with hidden charges and fine print that undercuts its own promises." The lawsuit seeks damages, restitution, and a court order to halt NordVPN's allegedly unlawful billing practices, asserting violations of Chapter 93A, the Massachusetts consumer-protection statute, and common law.

The case, Rene Tio v. NordVPN S.A. and Tefincom S.A. d/b/a NordVPN, pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts under case number 1:25-cv-13374, represents growing scrutiny of subscription-based technology companies' billing practices. The outcome could establish important precedents for consumer protection in the digital services industry, particularly for companies that market themselves as privacy-focused while allegedly employing opaque billing methods.

This litigation highlights broader concerns about transparency in subscription services across the technology sector, where automatic renewals and complex billing structures have become increasingly common. For consumers, the case underscores the importance of carefully reviewing subscription terms and monitoring billing statements, even when dealing with companies that position themselves as consumer advocates in the privacy space.