Telecom "Junk Fee" Overbilling Consumer Fraud Class Actions

This consumer fraud class action targets Comcast, the nation's largest cable television and internet provider, over its alleged practice of advertising deceptively low monthly service rates while burying mandatory additional charges in the fine print or adding them only after customers commit to service contracts. The lawsuit specifically challenges Comcast's "Broadcast TV Fee," "Regional Sports Fee," and mandatory equipment rental fees, which plaintiffs allege can add $40 to $80 or more per month above advertised rates. Plaintiffs contend that these fees are not genuinely separate costs but rather components of the base service price deliberately disaggregated to make advertised rates appear more competitive — a practice the FTC and FCC have separately flagged as a priority enforcement concern.

The complaint alleges violations of state consumer protection statutes, the FTC Act's prohibition on unfair or deceptive practices, and common-law fraud. Plaintiffs argue that Comcast's billing practices affected tens of millions of residential subscribers nationwide and caused billions of dollars in aggregate harm. The case is part of a broader wave of "junk fee" litigation targeting the telecom and cable industry, following heightened regulatory scrutiny from both the Biden and Trump administrations. Similar suits have been filed against Charter Communications (Spectrum) and Cox Communications. As of 2025, the Comcast case is in active pretrial proceedings.