OnlyFans Class Action Lawsuits

OnlyFans, a widely used subscription-based content platform, is facing multiple class action lawsuits that make strong allegations concerning  deceptive practices, consumer rights violations, and unfair competition.

These lawsuits center on claims that OnlyFans engaged in deceptive business practices bymisleading subscribers by using paid “chatters” to impersonate content creators, which encouraged excessive spending without disclosure. Additionally, plaintiffs allege that the platform enrolled users in automatic payment renewals without proper consent, making cancellation difficult and leading to unauthorized charges.

Other claims include anti-competitive behavior, where OnlyFans allegedly blacklisted creators promoting rival platforms, and biometric privacy violations, accusing the company of collecting facial recognition data without obtaining legally required consent.

While OnlyFans has built a reputation as a leading platform for creators, these legal challenges highlight significant issues regarding transparency, privacy, and ethical business practices.

What Is OnlyFans?

OnlyFans is a subscription-based platform that allows users to pay for direct access to creators, with the vast majority of its content focused on adult entertainment. The platform is designed to let subscribers interact with creators—many of whom market themselves based on that fact that they are attractive and availability for personalized sexual content—through photos, videos, and private messaging. Unlike traditional adult sites, OnlyFans monetizes the idea of exclusivity and personal connection, giving users the sense that they are engaging in one-on-one interactions with creators willing to fulfill specific requests and fantasies.

Despite branding itself as a space for all types of creators, OnlyFans profits primarily from explicit content, and its business model is structured to encourage ongoing spending through pay-per-view videos, tips, and premium messages.

The platform has long faced scrutiny for deceptive marketing tactics, including allegations that some interactions are actually handled by paid “chatters” impersonating creators, misleading users into believing they are engaging with the person they’re paying for. As a result, OnlyFans has been at the center of multiple legal battles over fraud, privacy violations, and unfair business practices that raise serious questions about how it operates.

Class Action Lawsuit Against Mastercard and Visa for Processing OnlyFans Transactions

In recent developments, Mastercard and Visa have been implicated in allegations concerning their role in processing payments for illicit content on the platform OnlyFans.  How do you sue Visa and Mastercard in claims involving OnlyFans?

A whistleblower complaint filed in January 2023 with the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) accuses these financial giants of facilitating transactions involving child sexual abuse material and sex trafficking. The whistleblower, a senior compliance expert in the credit card and banking industries, asserts that both companies were aware of such activities on OnlyFans since at least 2021 but failed to take appropriate action.

The complaint alleges that Mastercard and Visa violated the Bank Secrecy Act by not maintaining effective anti-money laundering programs, thereby allowing the laundering of proceeds from illegal activities. Despite being alerted by anti-trafficking experts and federal agents in 2021 and 2022, the companies allegedly continued processing these transactions, effectively “turning a blind eye to flows of illicit revenue.”

So the class action lawsuit that we expect will be filed against Visa and Mastercard concerning their involvement with OnlyFans. We would have to identify a lead plaintiff in a civil lawsuit alleging that these payment processors facilitated illegal activities, such as the distribution of child sexual abuse material  and sex trafficking, by allowing transactions for such content on the platform.

The lawsuit would argue that Visa and Mastercard were aware, or should have been aware, of the illicit nature of some content on OnlyFans and failed to implement adequate measures to prevent their payment networks from processing related transactions. This could constitute violations of federal laws, including the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and the Bank Secrecy Act, which mandates financial institutions to establish robust anti-money laundering programs.

The key is knowledge. The plaintiffs would need to demonstrate that the payment processors had knowledge of the illegal activities and neglected their duty to prevent financial transactions facilitating such conduct. If successful, the lawsuit could result in financial compensation for the victims and compel Visa and Mastercard to enhance their monitoring and compliance protocols to prevent future occurrences.

If you or your child were a minor who was exploited by a content creator on OnlyFans, you may have legal options to seek justice. Our lawyers are reviewing these claims for victims. Online platforms that profit from illegal content involving minors, along with the financial institutions that process payments for such content, can be held accountable under federal and state laws.

Victims of child sexual abuse material  and sex trafficking have the right to take legal action against companies that knowingly facilitated or turned a blind eye to these crimes. Laws such as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) provide avenues for survivors to pursue financial compensation and legal remedies against those who enabled their exploitation. If you or someone you know was harmed in this way, understanding your legal rights is the first step toward holding these corporations responsible. You can call us or contact us online.

Lawsuit Over Deceptive Subscriber Interactions (“Chatters” Lawsuit)

One of the most significant lawsuits against OnlyFans involves allegations that subscribers were tricked into believing they were communicating directly with content creators, when in reality, they were engaging with paid “chatters”—individuals or automated bots impersonating creators to drive higher spending. So basically the emotional connect you feel like you have with this attractive woman is really a fraud.  It is just plain taking advantage of people.

How did they do it?  According to the OnlyFans class action lawsuit, the company and several associated agencies hired teams to interact with subscribers, using deceptive tactics to foster emotional connections and encourage increased financial transactions. Many users were allegedly unaware that these conversations were not with the actual creators they were supporting and developing a connection with.  It is awful to spend that come of money, think you are developing a relationship with someone even though you are paying them, and finding out that you were being played the whole time.

The lawsuit claims this practice constitutes fraud, breach of contract, and violations of consumer protection laws, as subscribers were manipulated into spending significant amounts of money under false pretenses. Defendants in this case include OnlyFans’ parent company, Fenix International Limited, Fenix Internet LLC, and several marketing and talent agencies, such as Boss Baddies LLC, Moxy Management, Unruly Agency LLC, Behave Agency LLC, A.S.H. Agency, Content X, Verge Agency, and Elite Creators LLC. If the claims are proven, this lawsuit could lead to refunds for affected subscribers and potentially force OnlyFans to implement more transparent policies regarding user interactions.

Lawsuit Over Auto-Renewal Charges Without Clear Consent

Another major OnlyFans class action lawsuit alleges that OnlyFans enrolled subscribers in automatic renewals without clear consent, in violation of California’s Automatic Renewal Law (ARL) and other consumer protection statutes. We have all seen this scam before.

The plaintiffs claim that OnlyFans failed to provide adequate disclosures regarding recurring billing and that many users were unaware they had been signed up for automatic renewals until unauthorized charges appeared on their statements. Additionally, the lawsuit asserts that OnlyFans made the cancellation process intentionally difficult, preventing users from easily opting out of recurring payments.

Auto-renewal lawsuits are common in the subscription industry, particularly when companies fail to obtain clear, affirmative consent before enrolling users in recurring payment plans. If successful, this case would provide financial restitution for victims.

The reality is that many OnlyFans subscribers will hesitate to push their complaints about unauthorized charges due to the platform’s private nature. This reluctance can lead to underreporting of issues like automatic subscription renewals without clear consent, as alleged in recent class action lawsuits.

The sensitive content associated with OnlyFans makes users less inclined to pursue disputes, fearing exposure of their personal activities. This contrasts with other subscription services, where consumers might feel more comfortable addressing billing concerns. Consequently, platforms like OnlyFans can exploit this discretion, making it challenging for users to cancel subscriptions and avoid recurring charges.

Allegations of Anti-Competitive Behavior and Blacklisting Competitors

A separate lawsuit has accused OnlyFans of engaging in anti-competitive behavior by allegedly working with social media companies to blacklist content creators who promoted rival platforms such as Fansly and Patreon. The plaintiffs claim that OnlyFans collaborated with employees at major social media companies to have competing platforms’ promotional content falsely flagged as associated with illegal or dangerous activities, resulting in account suspensions, shadowbanning, or complete removal from social media.

The lawsuit alleges that this practice not only restricted fair competition in the digital content industry, but also caused significant financial harm to creators whose accounts were suppressed. The plaintiffs argue that these actions violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which is typically used in cases involving fraud and coordinated misconduct. If these allegations are proven, OnlyFans could face substantial penalties and potential changes in how it engages with competitors. This lawsuit could also set a precedent for how social media platforms handle content moderation related to business competitors.

Biometric Privacy Violations and Facial Recognition Lawsuit

OnlyFans has also been sued over allegations that it violated biometric privacy laws by collecting and storing facial recognition data without properly informing users. This lawsuit specifically focuses on OnlyFans’ identity verification process, which allegedly required users to scan their faces without obtaining the legally required explicit consent or providing information on how the data would be stored and used.

The lawsuit claims that this violates Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), one of the strongest biometric privacy laws in the U.S. Under BIPA, companies must inform users when collecting biometric data, explain how long it will be stored, and obtain written consent before collecting and using it. Similar lawsuits against other companies have resulted in massive settlements, including Facebook’s $650 million facial recognition case. If the OnlyFans lawsuit is successful, the platform could face statutory damages for each violation and be required to reform its data collection policies.

What These Lawsuits Mean for Subscribers and Content Creators

The legal challenges facing OnlyFans could have far-reaching consequences for both subscribers and content creators. For subscribers, these lawsuits raise concerns about financial transparency, deceptive marketing practices, and privacy violations. If the claims are upheld, OnlyFans may be required to offer refunds, revise its subscription policies, and provide clearer disclosures regarding automatic renewals and user interactions.

For content creators, the blacklisting lawsuit is particularly significant, as it addresses potential suppression of competitors and the financial harm caused by alleged collusion between OnlyFans and social media platforms. If OnlyFans is found to have engaged in anti-competitive behavior, it could lead to regulatory changes that impact how content creators can promote their work on other platforms.

More broadly, these lawsuits highlight the growing legal scrutiny facing subscription-based platforms and could lead to new industry standards on issues like user transparency, consumer protection, and digital competition. As courts continue to evaluate these claims, the outcomes could shape the future of content monetization and platform accountability in the digital space.

Contact Us About Lawsuits for Non-Consensual Content on OnlyFans

If you (or your child) had non-consensual sexual content posted and sold on OnlyFans, you may qualify to serve as one of the named plaintiffs in a new class action lawsuit against Visa and Mastercard. If you are interested in this, call us today at 888-322-3010 or contact us online.