FTC Settlement for Unfair Payment Processing and Facilitating Deceptive Tech-Support Schemes (critical) Paddle.com, a UK-based fintech company, agreed to pay a $5 million settlement to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for allegations of unfair payment-processing practices and facilitating deceptive tech-support schemes. The FTC's complaint, filed on June 16, 2025, alleged that Paddle and its subsidiary processed payments for these schemes, enabling them to access the US credit-card system, and turned a blind eye to red flags about their clients' conduct, which cost consumers millions of dollars. Paddle was accused of violating the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) and the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), and its practice of aggregating merchant transactions under its own name led to masked chargeback levels and disputes. As part of the settlement, Paddle is permanently banned from processing payments for tech-support telemarketers and is required to implement enhanced client screening and monitoring. This settlement was discussed in various publications up to September 2, 2025.. Co-founder Christian Owens Quits Board After Stepping Down as CEO (medium) Christian Owens, who co-founded Paddle in 2012, stepped down from his role as CEO in April 2023, transitioning to Executive Chairman. Approximately one year later, in May 2024, he subsequently quit the board of the London fintech firm. This represents a complete departure of a founding member from the company's leadership and governance structure within a relatively short period.. Recurring Public Queries on Legitimacy and Unidentified Charges (low) Paddle's official website features an FAQ section directly addressing the question "Is Paddle legit?" and provides a "lookup service" for customers who are "unable to identify a Paddle transaction on your card statement." This indicates a pattern of customer confusion or suspicion regarding charges from Paddle, necessitating dedicated resources to address concerns about the company's legitimacy and transaction clarity. While the company provides a solution, the prevalence of such queries suggests a minor reputational challenge.