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Thursday, March 28, 2024

New Jersey man alleges Angie's List manipulates results

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NEWARK, New Jersey (Legal Newsline) - A New Jersey man is suing Angie's List, alleging it manipulates its search results for its own gain.

Gary Glick, individually and for all others similarly situated, filed a class action lawsuit Feb. 1 in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against Angie's List, alleging breach of contract and violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.

The complaint states Angie's List allows consumers to share reviews and ratings of local service providers, and members can then search these reviews and ratings via the company's website. Angie's List represents that those who pay for a membership will have access to 100 percent consumer-driven content, according to the suit.

  

However, the suit alleges Angie's List conceals from consumers that service providers are actually able to and do pay "advertising" fees to appear higher in members' search results. The lawsuit states Angie's List ranks service providers higher based on how much they pay in "advertising" fees, and it threatens service providers that they will be buried on the search results list unless they pay to appear higher.

Glick and others in the class seek disgorgement, actual damages, injunctive and declaratory relief, punitive and exemplary damages, interests, attorney fees and other costs of the action. They are represented by attorneys Richard M. Golomb, Ruben Honik, Kenneth J. Grunfeld and David J. Stanoch of Golomb & Honik PC in Philadelphia.

U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey Case number 2:16-CV-00546-MCA-MAH

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