April 3, 2025. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by Monroe County District Attorney Michael Mancuso, has filed a lawsuit against StubHub, Inc. (StubHub), accusing the company of violating the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL). This is the second lawsuit brought by the DA’s new Consumer Fraud Division, spearheaded by Special Assistant District Attorney Patrick Best. This lawsuit aims to end StubHub’s use of the unfair and deceptive practice of advertising artificially low prices on its website and mobile app, then surprising consumers with large hidden “junk fees” at checkout. The Monroe County Office of the District Attorney is joined by attorneys Hassan Zavareei, Peter Silva, and Shana Khader, of the prominent consumer rights law firm Tycko & Zavareei LLP.
Complaint Overview
StubHub, an online marketplace where consumers can buy and sell tickets for a variety of live entertainment events, has allegedly used bait-and-switch practices and digital “dark patterns” to mislead consumers. These practices trick or manipulate consumers into making choices they would not otherwise make, obscuring the true price of tickets. This is an unfair method of competition that prevents consumers from making informed decisions and undermines comparison shopping.
The complaint highlights three main unfair and deceptive practices used by StubHub: drip pricing, fee misrepresentation, and inaccurate fee filters. These unfair and deceptive practices affect consumers throughout Pennsylvania who attend sporting, cultural, and other events by adding fees that increase the advertised price of the ticket by as much as 66%. This violates the law’s prohibition against unfair and deceptive trade practices in any trade or commerce.
The Commonwealth seeks injunctive relief to remedy StubHub’s violations, as well as restitution, and statutory penalties.
“Tycko & Zavareei is proud to stand with the consumers of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in their fight against StubHub’s unfair and deceptive junk fee practices. This case centers on the principles of transparency, informed consumer choice, and fair competition. The price advertised should be the price paid—no surprises, no hidden fees. This ensures consumers can confidently compare options and make decisions that work best for them. Companies must not gain an unfair edge over their competitors by luring customers with artificially low prices, only to pile on undisclosed fees later,” said Peter Silva, of counsel at Tycko & Zavareei.
The case is Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, By Monroe County District Attorney Michael Mancuso v. StubHub, Inc., 001970-CV-2025, in the Court of Common Pleas, Monroe County, Pennsylvania Forty Third Judicial District.
Read the press release and Complaint on the Monroe County District Attorney website