MyLife

Last updated
MyLife.com
Company type Information broker
Founded2002;22 years ago (2002) (as Reunion.com)
Headquarters Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Key people
Jeff Tinsley (CEO)
Owner Privately held
Website www.MyLife.com

MyLife is an American information brokerage firm. Founded by Jeffrey Tinsley in 2002 as Reunion.com, it changed names following a 2008 merger with Wink.com. MyLife gathers personal information through public records and other sources to automatically generate a "MyLife Public Page" for each person. [1] These pages can list a variety of personal information, including an individual's age, past and current home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, employers, education, photographs, relatives, political affiliations, a mini-biography. [2] [3]

Contents

Public pages can be edited or removed by email/phone request without paying. [1] Additionally, MyLife public pages include personal review sections, which encourages other MyLife members to rate each other. The site also allows people to search for any person in the United States, read their auto-generated public page, and review it. [4] The company claimed in 2019 to provide public background data on over 325 million identities. [5]

History

In 2007, MyLife.com received $25 million in venture funding from Oak Investment Partners. [6] The company changed its name from Reunion.com to MyLife.com after merging with the search engine company, Wink, in the fall of 2008. [4] [7] According to Tinsley, the company's 2008 revenue was estimated at 52 million dollars [7] with 90% of the firm's revenue coming from paid subscriptions. [8]

In August 2007, MyLife described its website as the sixth most popular social networking site with 28 million users, [9] while a 2008 article in the Los Angeles Times criticized the company's "aggressive marketing approach." [10] In February 2009 ComScore reported the company's website as having 18.2 million unique visitors that month, [7] and Tech Crunch said it was the fourth-largest social networking website in January 2009. [7]

As of 2009, the company had acquired several smaller companies including Planet Alumni, GoodContacts, HighSchoolAlumni, and MyAddressBook.com. [7] In 2009, Ancestry.com began a data sharing partnership with MyLife. [11]

2011 class action lawsuit and State of Washington scrutiny

In 2011, a lawsuit against MyLife said the company was engaging in false advertising practices, similar to what was alleged in a 2008 Classmates.com class-action lawsuit. [12] [13] The suit also accused the MyLife of false solicitation by offering monthly memberships and then charging member's credit cards at the annual rate. [14] The class action accused MyLife of spamming contacts improperly gathered from the address books of those visiting the site. [12] U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken's ruling consolidated the 2011 class-action lawsuit with two other fraud class actions against MyLife. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed. [15]

The Washington State Attorney General's Office began an investigation in 2011 stemming from concerns that the company's TV advertisements may have violated the state's Consumer Protection Act, which prohibits unfair and deceptive practice. [16] According to state officials, the company resolved the issue by making an "assurance of discontinuance" and paid $28,000 in attorneys' costs and fees. [17]

2015 lawsuit in California

In 2015, after a joint investigation by the Santa Monica City Attorney's Office and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the company was again sued, this time for allegedly violating California anti-spam laws. [15] Investigators found that MyLife was tricking consumers into giving the company their personal identifying information, and later their money, through false and misleading ads. [18]

MyLife agreed to a court judgment under which it would pay $800,000 in penalties, plus $250,000 in refunds to customers, a ruling referred to as "the first major prosecution of an online business for violations of California's automatic renewal law". [19] The company also is subject to a permanent injunction that prohibits false advertising and unauthorized credit card charges. [20]

2020 DOJ lawsuit

In July 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), filed a lawsuit against MyLife and Tinsley. [21] In the complaint the company is alleged to have violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and used misleading billing and marketing practices. Additionally, the lawsuit mentions that the company deceived consumers with "teaser background reports" which made false claims of information about arrest, criminal, and sex offender records. [22]

In October 2021, a judge issued a summary judgement ruling that MyLife engaged in deceptive acts, as well as violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA). However, the judge denied the FCRA claim as well as any claim that Tinsley was individually liable. [23] The company was also banned from engaging in negative option billing as well as implying that someone who has received a traffic violation has a criminal record. [24]

As a result, the court awarded $34 million in consumer reparations. [23] However, due to the MyLife's financial position and inability to pay, Tinsley will pay $5 millions and MyLife $16 million. [24]

Ratings and reviews

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) rates MyLife as a 'C−' with no accreditation as of June 2022. [25] Formerly, the BBB revoked MyLife's accreditation, initially giving MyLife a rating of D, [26] and later an F. [27] From 2018 to 2020, the BBB received almost 14,000 complaints about MyLife. [28]

A key criticism of MyLife is the difficulty of "opting out" as well as having personal information removed from its website. There has been criticism related to marketing tactics used to entice potential customers to begin a membership. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Trade Commission</span> United States government agency

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction over federal civil antitrust law enforcement with the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. The agency is headquartered in the Federal Trade Commission Building in Washington, DC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Experian</span> Irish multinational consumer credit reporting company

Experian plc is a multinational data analytics and consumer credit reporting company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Experian collects and aggregates information on over 1 billion people and businesses including 235 million individual U.S. consumers and more than 25 million U.S. businesses. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Experian is a partner in USPS address validation. It is one of the "Big Three" credit-reporting agencies, alongside TransUnion and Equifax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair Credit Reporting Act</span> U.S. federal legislation

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq., is federal legislation enacted to promote the accuracy, fairness, and privacy of consumer information contained in the files of consumer reporting agencies. It was intended to shield consumers from the willful and/or negligent inclusion of erroneous data in their credit reports. To that end, the FCRA regulates the collection, dissemination, and use of consumer information, including consumer credit information. Together with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), the FCRA forms the foundation of consumer rights law in the United States. It was originally passed in 1970, and is enforced by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and private litigants.

Vector Marketing is a direct selling marketing subsidiary company and the marketing arm of Cutco Corporation, an Olean, New York–based cutlery manufacturer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">False advertising</span> Misleading content in advertisements

False advertising is the act of publishing, transmitting, distributing, or otherwise publicly circulating an advertisement containing a false claim, or statement, made intentionally to promote the sale of property, goods, or services. A false advertisement can be classified as deceptive if the advertiser deliberately misleads the consumer, rather than making an unintentional mistake. A number of governments use regulations or other laws and methods to limit false advertising.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equifax</span> American consumer credit reporting agency

Equifax Inc. is an American multinational consumer credit reporting agency headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and is one of the three largest consumer credit reporting agencies, along with Experian and TransUnion. Equifax collects and aggregates information on over 800 million individual consumers and more than 88 million businesses worldwide. In addition to credit and demographic data and services to business, Equifax sells credit monitoring and fraud prevention services directly to consumers.

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is an American company founded in 1953 by Harold Mertz. It was originally founded as an alternative to door-to-door magazine subscription sales by offering bulk mail direct marketing of merchandise and periodicals. They are most widely known for their sweepstakes and prize-based games which were introduced in 1967. From August 2020 to March 2024, they owned the Wide Open Media publications Wide Open Spaces, Wide Open Country, and FanBuzz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BlueHippo Funding</span>

BlueHippo Funding, LLC was an installment credit company operating in the USA founded by Joseph Rensin that claimed to offer personal computers, flat-screen televisions and other high-tech items for sale to customers with poor credit. In an article published November 25, 2009 titled BlueHippo files for bankruptcy: Company blames its bank; was accused of violating settlement with FTC, Eileen Ambrose reported that the company "was forced to file for protection under Chapter 11." On Wednesday December 9, 2009, the company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after having its funds frozen by their payment processor. A petition to a Delaware bankruptcy judge to release the funds was denied. The company's advertised toll-free phone number and website are no longer functioning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCO Group</span>

NCO Group, Inc., based in Horsham, Pennsylvania, United States, is a business process outsourcing company and collection agency that provides accounts receivable management, customer relationship management and back office solutions for its clients. Founded in 1926, it was a publicly traded company from 1996 through 2006, when it was purchased by One Equity Partners (OEP), the private investment arm of JP Morgan Chase & Co., and other co-investors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vinpocetine</span> Chemical compound

Vinpocetine is a synthetic derivative of the vinca alkaloid vincamine, differing by the removal of a hydroxyl group and by being the ethyl rather than the methyl ester of the underlying carboxylic acid. Vincamine is extracted from either the seeds of Voacanga africana or the leaves of Vinca minor.

Vertrue Incorporated, headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, is an American consumer services marketing company. The company again received an "F" from the Better Business Bureau for making unauthorized charges to its customers' credit cards. In 2007 it was acquired by a trio of investment firms, including Rho Ventures. In 2010, Vertrue and two of its subsidiaries were found guilty of defrauding nearly 500,000 of their customers in Iowa.

Spokeo is a people search website that aggregates data from online and offline sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Credit One Bank</span> American bank

Credit One Bank, N.A., headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, is a bank specializing in credit cards for borrowers with low credit scores. It is owned by Sherman Financial Group, which runs one of the largest buyers of consumer debt in the United States. Despite the similar names and "nearly identical" logos, Credit One is not affiliated with the much larger Capital One.

A resort fee, also called a facility fee, a destination fee, an amenity fee, an urban fee, or a resort charge, or a hidden hotel booking fee is an additional fee that a guest is charged by an accommodation provider, usually calculated on a per day basis, in addition to a base room rate.

HomeAdvisor is a digital marketplace that connects homeowners with local service professionals to carry out home improvement, maintenance, and remodeling projects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Pillow</span> Pillow-manufacturing company based in Minnesota, U.S.

My Pillow, Inc. is an American pillow-manufacturing company based in Chaska, Minnesota. The company was founded in 2009 by Mike Lindell, who invented and patented My Pillow, an open-cell, poly-foam pillow design. From 2004 to 2009, My Pillows were sold through Lindell's Night Moves Minnesota, LLC, and have been sold through My Pillow, Inc. since 2009. My Pillow has sold over 41 million pillows, due mostly to TV infomercials. The company started with five employees in 2004 and had 1,500 employees by 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Bachman</span> American entrepreneur and investor (born 1983)

Andrew Bachman is an American entrepreneur and investor. He is the founder of several companies, including Game Plan Holdings; after being charged with mobile cramming by the Federal Trade Commission, he resigned as president, chief executive officer, chief financial officer and chairman of Game Plan Holdings on February 11, 2014. He later agreed to a settlement with the FTC that includes a monetary judgment of more than $97 million. The judgment was partially suspended based on Bachman's inability to pay the full amount, after he turned over nearly all of his assets.

Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, 578 U.S. 330 (2016), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court vacated and remanded a ruling by United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on the basis that the Ninth Circuit had not properly determined whether the plaintiff has suffered an "injury-in-fact" when analyzing whether he had standing to bring his case in federal court. The Court did not discuss whether "the Ninth Circuit’s ultimate conclusion — that Robins adequately alleged an injury in fact — was correct."

DoNotPay is an American company specializing in online legal services and chatbots. The product provides a "robot lawyer" service that claims to make use of artificial intelligence to contest parking tickets and provide various other legal services, with a subscription cost of $36 for three months.

Simple Health Plans is a Florida limited liability company founded by Steven Dorfman and Matthew Spiewak in 2015. Simple Health and Simple Health Plans are also the trade name for Health Benefits One LLC, another Florida limited liability company founded by Steven Dorfman and Matthew Spiewak in 2012. The Federal Trade Commission has a preliminary injunction against the Simple Health Plans LLC and affiliated companies granted on May 14, 2019.

References

  1. 1 2 James, Christina (March 14, 2019). "How does Mylife work?". Medium. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  2. Irwin, Luke (2024-06-11). "GDPR: What Exactly Is Personal Data?". IT Governance Blog En. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  3. "What is personal data? - European Commission". commission.europa.eu. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  4. 1 2 Cawley, Christian (March 2011). "What is "My Life" - MyLife.Com?". Bright Hub. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  5. Lazarus, David (February 28, 2019). "MyLife Launches Online Homeservice Marketplaces "Reputation Score" Profile Rating Solution to Enhance Safety and Trust". Accesswire. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  6. Buley, Taylor (September 30, 2009). "Recognize That Cute Picture Online?". Forbes. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Reunion.com and Wink Morph Into MyLife.com". TechCrunch. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  8. "Interview with Jeff Tinsley, Reunion.com". socalTECH.com. July 22, 2008.
  9. "Reunion.com Receives $25M Funding From Oak Investment Partners". Business Wire . April 16, 2007.
  10. "Too much contact at this Reunion". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  11. "Huge new content addition for more recent years". Ancestry.com. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  12. 1 2 Pierce, Sarah (August 23, 2011). "MyLife.com Scam Class Action Lawsuit Moves Ahead". Top Class Actions. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  13. "Web Scam Reborn as MyLife.com, Class Says". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  14. "MyLife.com: People-Searching Website Sued as 'Scam'". ABC News. August 19, 2011.
  15. 1 2 Hudson, Subrina (January 25, 2017). "Reunion.com founder seeks buyer for $7.5M Bel Air estate". The Real Deal: Los Angeles Real Estate News. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  16. "Mylife.com agrees to tell consumers about charges, automatic renewal". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  17. "Washington State Challenges MyLife.com Ads". Consumeraffairs.com. October 12, 2012.
  18. "FTC Report Shows Rise in Sophisticated Dark Patterns Designed to Trick and Trap Consumers". Federal Trade Commission. 2022-09-15. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  19. Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP (May 1, 2015). "Rough life: MyLife.com to pay $1m and face injunction". Lexology. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  20. "MyLife.com to Pay Over $1 Million In Fines and Refunds". Santa Monica, Calif.: City of Santa Monica. Retrieved 2015-07-04.
  21. Skiba, Katherine (July 28, 2020). "Feds Sue MyLife.com Over Deceptive Practices". aarp.org. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  22. "Cases and Proceedings: MyLife.com, Inc". FTC. July 27, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  23. 1 2 Bryan, Kristin L. (October 26, 2021). "Federal Court Partially Grants FTC Summary Judgment on Claims Brought Against MyLife". 9 (299). National Law Review. Retrieved 2021-10-26.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  24. 1 2 "FTC, DOJ Obtain Ban on Negative Option Marketing and $21 Million for Consumers Deceived by Background Report Provider MyLife". FTC.gov. December 16, 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-21.
  25. "BBB Business Review". Better Business Bureau Los Angeles, Calif. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  26. "Mylife.com, Inc. Business Review". Better Business Bureau Los Angeles, Calif. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  27. "Mylife.com, Inc. Business Review". Better Business Bureau Los Angeles, Calif. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  28. Moylan, Martin (May 7, 2020). "Suit alleges firm soils reputations, then seeks money to improve them". MPR News.
  29. Graham, Jefferson (December 9, 2019). "Your data has been sold to websites like MyLife and WhitePages. Here's how to remove it". USA Today. Retrieved November 3, 2020.