New Jersey resident Jenna Goddard is suing Google for serving pay-per-click ads that bamboozle searchers into registering for paid subscription services, reports MediaPost.
The ads in question offer users ringtones and other mobile services on a subscription basis.
Goddard claims Google violates its mobile content ad policy — which states ads must "clearly and accurately [display] price, subscription, and cancellation information" — by accepting ringtone ads that do not meet those standards.
By repeatedly neglecting to enforce the policy, Google "intentionally misleads its users" and "[lines] its own pockets through an 'anything goes' approach to the advertising and sale of mobile content," the lawsuit reads.
The suit was filed in California state court some weeks ago. It is now in federal court. Google said it would "defend vigorously against these claims."
Last year Epic Advertising, formerly AzoogleAds, incurred a $1 million fine for running deceptive "Free ringtones!" ads. Shortly after, Florida Attorney General Michael Palecki committed to crack down on other deceptive ad violators.
