Leap Event Technology Hit with Class Action Lawsuit Over ‘Hidden’ Charges for Celebrity Photo Ops

A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that Nortap Technology, Inc., doing business as Leap Event Technology, deceptively overcharges consumers who purchase celebrity photo ops online by automatically adding extra services without their consent.

The 27-page lawsuit asserts that Leap Event Technology, an event management technology company, claims to have facilitated over 420,000 “celebrity photo and autograph experiences” at numerous large events, including Fanatics Fest 2026, WWE Entertainment’s SummerSlam Takeover and New York Comic Con. As part of its photo op management services, Leap allows fans to reserve and purchase photo opportunities with select celebrities, the lawsuit says.

According to the complaint, Leap regularly tries to upsell fans with various add-ons, including JPEG copies of the photo, extra prints and photo protectors, which can be added by selecting a checkbox next to each item.

However, unlike the other options, the box for “Email Me a JPEG Copy” is pre-checked by Leap, meaning the ostensibly “extra” service is automatically added to each purchase without any affirmative action from consumers, the suit says.

According to the suit, the charge for a digital copy of the photo is not clearly and conspicuously disclosed to fans before they purchase a photo op, nor does the company obtain express consent from consumers before charging them for the JPEG image.

Per the case, the additional charge results in consumers paying more than the advertised price for celebrity photo opportunities online.

Lawsuit claims Leap uses negative-option pricing, drip pricing to dupe consumers

The lawsuit alleges that Leap essentially strips consumers of their decision-making ability by pre-selecting the digital image add-on for every online photo op purchase. Once fans reach the checkout page, there is no readily apparent way for them to remove the extra charge for a JPEG image short of completely removing the photo op from their cart, the case says.

The suit alleges that the automatically checked box for the “Email Me a JPEG Copy” add-on is an example of negative-option pricing, or the practice of giving consumers services that were not previously provided and charging them for the service unless they affirmatively decline. Essentially, negative-option pricing interprets a consumer’s silence or lack of action as consent, the suit adds.

“That pre-checked box is neither reasonably understandable nor readily noticeable to the consumers, failing to alert them that they will be charged for an additional product or that they can avoid that charge,” the filing states.

The lawsuit notes that federal law makes it unlawful for online sellers to charge consumers for any transaction stemming from a negative option feature without first disclosing the charge and obtaining consumer consent. The case states that unlawful negative-option pricing “results in the loss of consumer autonomy” and increases overall transaction costs, ultimately harming consumers.

Additionally, the case says that Leap’s use of negative-option pricing can be considered a form of drip pricing, which the Federal Trade Commission describes as an unlawful trade practice in which sellers “advertise only part of a product’s price and reveal other charges later as consumers go through the buying process.”

Leap pressures consumers to make purchases quickly, class action suit says

The case further states that Leap’s online purchase process, which is “predicated on confusion and deception,” is made worse by the fact that consumers are pressured to make their photo op purchases quickly.

The lawsuit speculates that photo ops are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and that even after a fan selects a photo op and puts it in their online cart, there is no guarantee they will be able to successfully purchase the opportunity until the purchase is actually confirmed. Consequently, Leap is able to “leverage” this time pressure to compel consumers to make their purchases before they notice the undisclosed JPEG charge, per the case.

As a result of Leap’s “duplicitous” conduct, the case claims, fans were tricked into paying more for photo ops than they expected to pay or otherwise would pay.

Who is covered by the Leap Event Technology lawsuit?

The Leap Event Technology class action lawsuit looks to cover all individuals who purchased one or more photo ops from Leap and paid for a JPEG copy of the photograph within the relevant statute of limitations.

How do I sign up for the Leap Event Technology class action lawsuit?

Generally, you don’t need to do anything to join or sign up for a class action lawsuit when it is initially filed. Should the case be resolved with a class action settlement, settlement class members will typically receive written notice of the deal via mail and/or email with instructions on any next steps and details about their legal rights.

If you’ve purchased a Leap celebrity photo op online or just want to stay informed about class action lawsuit and class action settlement news, sign up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter.

Check out ClassAction.org’s free legal resources to learn how to file a class action lawsuit.