Unhappy Apple App Store customers have filed a class action lawsuit against Zynga, Inc. claiming they bought "ad-free" versions of Zynga games for their devices, but the applications still have advertisements.

 

The Zynga class action lawsuit is challenging the alleged false and deceptive advertising that Zynga uses in the Apple App Store "to induce consumers to buy the paid versions of its games" Words With Friends, Hanging With Friends, Chess With Friends, and Scramble With Friends.

 

"These games are available to consumers free of charge. However, in the App Store Zynga expressly tells consumers that if they purchase the paid versions of the With Friends Games, they will not be subject to any advertisements," the Zynga class action lawsuit says. 

 

"Zynga's false representations are uniform and blatant, and they result in consumers being bilked each time they pay money for a supposedly 'Ad-Free' game," the false advertising class lawsuit says, adding that this is a violation of California's Consumers Legal Remedies Act, False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition Law.

 

The Zynga "With Friends Games" class action lawsuit is brought on behalf of all U.S. residents who, through the Apple App Store, paid to download Chess With Friends, Words With Friends, Hanging With Friends, and/or Scramble With Friends within the last four years, and who have not received a refund of the total amount they paid for the game(s).

 

It is seeking to halt Zynga's fraudulent conduct and to recover injunctive relief and restitution for the customers who paid for those games.

 

A copy of the Zynga Games False Advertising Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.

 

The case is Jason Ackerman v. Zynga, Inc., Case No. CGC-12-518829, Superior Court of the State of California, County of San Francisco.