SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bumble Trading Inc. and Bumble Holding Ltd. and proposed classes of Bumble Boost purchasers today announced that they have reached a proposed settlement to resolve a consumer class action.

The lawsuit claims that Bumble’s Terms & Conditions, which state that New York law applies to all Bumble users nationwide, violated a New York law that provides consumers who purchase “social referral services” with a three-day “cooling-off period,” during which a user has a right to a refund upon cancellation. The lawsuit also alleges that Bumble’s auto-renewal practices violated California law. Bumble denies that it is a “social referral service” under the New York law, denies that it violated California’s auto-renewal law, and denies all other allegations against it.

On July 15, 2020, U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Nathanael Cousins granted preliminary approval of the proposed settlement and preliminarily certified two classes for settlement purposes only: a Nationwide Class of all persons who purchased a subscription to Bumble Boost in the United States between November 13, 2014 and July 15, 2020 and a California Class of all persons who purchased Bumble Boost in California and were charged auto-renewal fees during this same time period.

If the settlement is finally approved by the Court, Bumble will make a payment into a settlement fund and will make certain changes in its purchase process and refund policy.

To get a payment, Settlement Class Members must submit a valid claim by November 23, 2020.

Settlement Class Members can exclude themselves from the settlement classes if they want to keep their rights to sue Bumble about the claims in the lawsuit. If Class Members exclude themselves, they cannot receive the benefits provided by the settlement. Exclusion requests must be postmarked by November 13, 2020. Class Members who do not exclude themselves will be bound by releases and any pertinent waivers if the Court approves the settlement.

Class Members who stay in the settlement classes may object to the settlement and tell the Court why they don’t like the settlement. Objections must be filed with the Court by November 13, 2020. Class Members can obtain information about how to exclude themselves or how to object to the settlement on the settlement website at www.BumbleBoostSettlement.com.

The final approval hearing is scheduled for December 16, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. (PT) via Zoom. At the hearing, the Court will decide whether the settlement is fair and reasonable and award attorneys’ fees and expenses and class representative service awards. The attorneys’ fees and expenses and the service awards will be deducted from the settlement fund. Class Members may appear at the hearing, either in person or through an attorney, but this is not required.