10 Common Website Dark Patterns (With Examples and How to Fix Them)

The FTC fined Epic Games $245 million for dark patterns. Amazon settled its Prime dark patterns case for $2.5 billion. Vonage paid $100 million. These are not abstract regulatory risks. They are real penalties imposed on real companies for design choices that many businesses make every day without thinking twice.

Dark patterns are website and app design practices that trick, pressure, or manipulate users into actions they did not intend. Some are deliberate. Many are inherited -- copied from competitors or baked into templates and plugins that nobody questioned. The FTC does not care about the reason. It cares about the effect.

Here are the 10 most common dark patterns, with real-world examples and specific instructions on how to fix each one.

1. Pre-Checked Subscriptions

What It Is

Adding products, services, or subscriptions to a user's order by default, requiring them to notice and uncheck a box to avoid being enrolled. The user never made an affirmative choice to subscribe.

Real-World Example

GoDaddy was widely criticized for pre-checking add-on services like domain privacy, email hosting, and SSL certificates during domain registration checkout. Users who did not carefully review every line item ended up paying for services they never intended to purchase.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: The FTC's Click-to-Cancel Rule requires affirmative consent for recurring charges. Pre-checked boxes do not qualify as affirmative consent. From a UX perspective: Users who discover unexpected charges lose trust immediately and are more likely to file complaints, initiate chargebacks, and leave negative reviews.

How to Fix It

• All checkboxes for optional services, add-ons, and subscriptions must be unchecked by default
• Each optional item needs a clear description of what it is and what it costs
• Separate the "I agree to terms" checkbox from any service enrollment checkboxes
• Never bundle consent -- one checkbox should do one thing

2. Hidden Cancellation Flows

What It Is

Making it easy to sign up for a service (one click, one page) but requiring multiple steps, phone calls, chat sessions, or obscure navigation paths to cancel.

Real-World Example

Amazon Prime's cancellation flow became so notorious that internal documents referred to it as "Iliad" -- a reference to the epic length of Homer's ancient Greek poem. Users had to navigate through multiple pages of retention offers, warnings, and confirmations before successfully canceling. The FTC filed a complaint in 2023 and secured a $2.5 billion settlement in September 2025 -- the largest dark pattern enforcement action in history.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: The FTC's Click-to-Cancel Rule (finalized October 2024, later vacated by the Eighth Circuit in July 2025) established that cancellation must be as easy as sign-up. While the federal rule's status is uncertain, the principle is enforced by state laws (notably California's Automatic Renewal Law) and FTC enforcement actions. From a UX perspective: Users who feel trapped become hostile. They file regulatory complaints, post on social media, and leave one-star reviews.

How to Fix It

• Place a clear "Cancel Subscription" link in the account settings page, visible without scrolling
• Limit the cancellation flow to the same number of steps as sign-up (or fewer)
• You may offer one retention offer (discount, pause, downgrade), but the user must be able to decline and complete cancellation immediately
• Confirm the cancellation with an email receipt

3. Confirm-Shaming

What It Is

Using emotionally manipulative language on the "decline" option to guilt users into accepting an offer. The accept button says something neutral; the decline option says something designed to make the user feel foolish or irresponsible.

Real-World Example

Pop-up modals across thousands of e-commerce sites use language like: "Yes, I want 20% off!" for the accept button and "No thanks, I prefer paying full price" for the decline. More aggressive versions include "No, I don't care about my health" (supplement sites) or "I'll pass on protecting my family" (insurance upsells).

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: The FTC's 2022 report specifically identified confirm-shaming as a dark pattern. While standalone confirm-shaming has not yet been the primary basis for a major FTC fine, it is included in enforcement actions as evidence of a broader pattern of deceptive design. From a UX perspective: It alienates users. Research consistently shows that confirm-shaming reduces long-term trust and brand loyalty.

How to Fix It

• Both options should use neutral, factual language: "Yes, apply discount" / "No, continue without discount"
• Never use first-person negative statements ("I don't want to save money")
• Both options should be visually equal -- same size, same prominence
• Let the user dismiss the modal by clicking outside it or pressing Escape

4. Hidden Fees at Checkout

What It Is

Displaying a low initial price throughout the shopping experience, then adding service fees, processing fees, handling fees, or "convenience" charges at the final checkout step -- after the user has invested time and effort.

Real-World Example

Ticketmaster has faced years of regulatory scrutiny and consumer lawsuits for displaying base ticket prices on search results and event pages, then adding service fees, facility charges, and order processing fees that can increase the total by 30-50% at checkout. The practice triggered FTC investigation and contributed to legislative action.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: The FTC considers hidden fees a form of deceptive pricing. The agency has pursued enforcement actions against companies in multiple industries for failing to disclose the full price upfront. Several states have enacted "junk fee" legislation. From a UX perspective: Cart abandonment data consistently shows that unexpected fees are the single most common reason users abandon a purchase.

How to Fix It

• Display the total price including all mandatory fees from the first moment a price appears
• If fees vary (e.g., shipping based on location), show a clear range or estimate
• Itemize fees on the checkout page so users understand what each charge is for
• Never add fees that are not disclosed before the user begins the checkout process

5. Deceptive Button Contrast

What It Is

Designing the button that benefits the company (accept, upgrade, subscribe) to be large, colorful, and prominent, while making the button that benefits the user (decline, skip, close) small, gray, low-contrast, or styled as a plain text link that does not look clickable.

Real-World Example

Many cookie consent banners use this pattern: a bright blue "Accept All Cookies" button next to a barely visible gray text link that says "Manage Preferences." The visual hierarchy makes accepting all cookies the path of least resistance, while exercising your privacy rights requires effort and attention.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: The FTC and European regulators have both cited deceptive button contrast as evidence of manipulative design. GDPR enforcement in the EU has specifically targeted cookie consent banners where "reject" is visually suppressed. From a UX perspective: Users who feel manipulated by visual tricks lose trust in the entire brand.

How to Fix It

• Give both options equal visual weight -- same size buttons, comparable contrast
• The decline/skip option should be a button, not a text link
• Do not use color to create a hierarchy that steers the user (e.g., green for accept, gray for decline)
• Test your design: if a user glancing at the screen for two seconds would not see both options, the design is deceptive

6. Fake Urgency and Countdown Timers

What It Is

Displaying countdown timers, low-stock warnings, or "limited time" messaging that is false or misleading. The urgency is artificial -- the timer resets when the user returns, the "limited" stock never runs out, or the sale price is always available.

Real-World Example

Fashion Nova and other fast-fashion retailers have been criticized for displaying "Sale ends in 2:47:33" countdown timers that reset every time a user visits the page. Booking.com has faced regulatory action in the EU for displaying "Only 2 rooms left!" warnings that were misleading about actual availability.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: False urgency is deceptive advertising. The FTC can pursue enforcement under Section 5 of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair or deceptive acts. Multiple state AGs have also taken action. From a UX perspective: Manufactured urgency pressures users into impulse decisions they may regret, leading to higher return rates and lower customer satisfaction.

How to Fix It

• Only display urgency indicators that reflect real, verifiable conditions
• If a sale has an end date, display the actual date -- not a countdown that resets
• If stock is limited, display actual inventory levels, and remove the warning when it is no longer accurate
• Never use urgency messaging on products or offers that are always available at the same price

7. Roach Motel (Easy In, Hard Out)

What It Is

Making it trivially easy to enter a commitment (subscription, account, service agreement) but placing deliberate obstacles in the path of exiting. The name comes from the advertising tagline: "Roaches check in, but they don't check out."

Real-World Example

The New York Times was sued by the New York State Attorney General over its cancellation process, which at various points required a phone call to a retention specialist during business hours -- despite the fact that subscribing could be done online in under a minute at any time.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: The FTC's Click-to-Cancel Rule was designed to eliminate roach motel patterns, and state automatic renewal laws (California, New York, and others) enforce the same principle: cancellation must be as easy as enrollment. From a UX perspective: Users trapped in services they want to leave generate support tickets, file complaints, initiate chargebacks, and damage brand reputation.

How to Fix It

• Audit every user commitment on your site (subscriptions, accounts, trials, services)
• For each one, ensure the exit path has equal or fewer steps than the entry path
• Provide self-service cancellation through the same channel as sign-up (web, app)
• Do not require phone calls, chat sessions, or email for cancellation if sign-up did not require them

8. Forced Continuity (Auto-Renew Without Notice)

What It Is

Automatically converting a free trial into a paid subscription, or renewing a subscription, without providing clear advance notice and an easy way to cancel before the charge occurs.

Real-World Example

ABCmouse enrolled families in "free trials" that automatically converted to $9.95/month subscriptions. The conversion notice was buried in terms of service that few users read, and cancellation was deliberately made difficult. The FTC ordered $10 million in refunds.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: Both the FTC and state consumer protection laws require clear disclosure of auto-renewal terms and advance notice before charging. California's Automatic Renewal Law is particularly strict. From a UX perspective: Users who discover unexpected charges feel deceived. The resulting chargebacks, refund requests, and negative reviews cost more than the subscription revenue gained.

How to Fix It

• Send a clear email reminder at least 7 days before a free trial converts to a paid subscription
• Include in the reminder: the date the charge will occur, the amount, and a direct link to cancel
• Display auto-renewal terms prominently during sign-up -- not buried in fine print
• Make the renewal date visible in the user's account settings at all times

9. Trick Questions (Double Negatives and Confusing Language)

What It Is

Using confusing phrasing -- particularly double negatives -- to cause users to make choices opposite to their intent. The language is technically accurate but designed to confuse.

Real-World Example

Privacy and marketing consent forms frequently use phrasing like: "Uncheck this box if you would prefer not to receive promotional emails." This triple-negative construction (uncheck / prefer not / not receive) is nearly impossible to parse quickly. Users who want to opt out often accidentally opt in, and vice versa.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: The FTC considers confusing language that causes unintended consent to be a form of deceptive design. If users cannot reasonably understand what they are agreeing to, the consent is not informed. From a UX perspective: Confusing language erodes trust and increases support burden as users contact you to undo choices they did not understand.

How to Fix It

• Use simple, affirmative statements: "Send me promotional emails" with an unchecked checkbox
• Avoid negatives entirely -- never use "uncheck to not receive"
• Have someone with no knowledge of your product read every consent statement and explain what they think checking/unchecking does
• If the user cannot correctly explain it in 5 seconds, rewrite it

10. Visual Misdirection

What It Is

Drawing the user's attention away from important information -- recurring charges, data sharing disclosures, terms changes -- by using small text, low contrast, placement outside the focal area, or visual noise that overwhelms the key details.

Real-World Example

Many SaaS pricing pages display monthly prices in large, bold font while showing the annual billing requirement in small gray text below. Users see "$9/month" prominently but miss "billed annually at $108" -- making them think they can pay month-to-month when they are actually committing to a year.

Why It Is Problematic

Legally: The FTC has established that material information must be presented clearly and conspicuously. Information that a reasonable consumer would need to make an informed decision cannot be hidden in fine print or visually de-emphasized. From a UX perspective: Users who feel they were misled about pricing or terms become adversarial. They dispute charges, leave negative reviews, and tell others.

How to Fix It

• All material terms (price, billing frequency, commitment length, auto-renewal) must be displayed in the same size, font, and contrast as the primary marketing claim
• Do not separate related information across different visual areas
• Terms and disclosures should be near the action button, not at the bottom of a scrollable page
• Test by covering the large text and asking: can a user find the important terms quickly?

The Bottom Line

Every one of these patterns has appeared in FTC enforcement actions, state AG complaints, or both. The penalties are real and they are growing. The FTC's general penalty authority allows fines of up to $53,088 per violation (2025 figure, adjusted annually for inflation) for deceptive practices, including subscription-related dark patterns. The FTC's Click-to-Cancel Rule, finalized in October 2024, was vacated by the Eighth Circuit in July 2025 -- but state laws and the FTC's broader Section 5 authority continue to target these practices.

The good news: these patterns are fixable. Most can be corrected in a matter of hours once identified. The hard part is identifying them -- because the people who built the site are often blind to patterns that feel normal within their industry.

That is where automated scanning helps.

Check your website for dark patterns at PageAuditors