TECH - Airbnb Hit With Massive $10M Penalty For Confessing To Misleading Australian Customers With USD Charges | Benzinga
In a recent legal development, Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) on Wednesday was slapped with an AU$ 15 million ($10 million) fine by an Australian court for misleading customers about the currency used for transactions. The court ruling also stipulates that the company is liable to compensate the affected users.
What Happened: Airbnb misrepresented Australian users by presenting prices for local accommodations in U.S. dollars as Australian dollars. This affected approximately 63,000 customers between January 2018 and August 2021, reported CNBC.
Federal Court Justice Brendan McElwaine dictated that Airbnb should pay the fine within a month for violating Australian consumer law, along with AU$ 400,000 ($269,940) for prosecution costs. Airbnb has assured the court that it may disburse an additional AU$ 15 million as compensation to eligible customers.
After admitting to the misleading representations, Airbnb made amendments ...