FTC Returns More than $15.8 Million to Consumers Misled by Cash Advance App Company Cleo AI

What happened

The FTC’s March 2025 complaint alleged that Cleo AI misled consumers with promises of fast money, advertising access to “hundreds of dollars” in cash advances when almost no one received even close to the advertised amounts. Agency charged that the company deceptively marketed cash advance services and obstructed cancellations The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $15.8 million to consumers impacted by cash advance app company Cleo AI’s deceptive claims about the amounts and timing of available cash advances and the company’s hard-to-cancel subscriptions.

The agency also alleged that Cleo charged additional hidden fees for same-day or instant cash advances that often would not arrive until the next day and that the defendant made it difficult for users to cancel their subscriptions. The FTC plans to send payments to 2,124,796 Cleo AI customers who paid for eligible instant cash advances.

Consumers who are eligible for a payment will get an email between now and October 26, 2026. Recipients should redeem their PayPal payment within 30 days.

Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Rust Consulting Inc., at 877 788 4958, or visit the FTC website to view frequently asked questions about the refund process. In 2025, FTC actions led to more than $435 million in redress to consumers across the country.