Senator Grassley Urges FTC to Investigate Allegations of Fraudulent Business Practices at The Knot

Strategic Insights -

Iowa Senator Charles Grassley has sent a follow-up letter to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, urging the agency to investigate allegations of fraudulent and deceptive business practices at The Knot, a wedding planning website. Since Grassley first raised the issue in March, his office has received nearly 200 messages from whistleblowers nationwide reporting misconduct at The Knot. The allegations include repeated failures to honor contracts, and deliberate attempts at fraud, with over 200 formal complaints made to the FTC about alleged fraudulent activity on The Knot and WeddingWire since 2018.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FTC has received over 200 formal complaints about alleged fraudulent activity on The Knot and WeddingWire since 2018.
  • Over 184 complaints have been made to the FTC by small businesses across the country alleging The Knot engaged in misconduct.
  • One small business owner alleges that a supervisor on The Knot's customer support team told her to create fake accounts and leave her own business fake reviews to boost the credibility of her profile.
  • The Knot removed a small business' page from its website in September 2025, without explanation, but still charged the credit card for advertisement services.
  • Senator Grassley has received nearly 200 messages from whistleblowers nationwide reporting misconduct at The Knot since March.
  • The allegations include repeated failures to honor contracts, and deliberate attempts at fraud.
  • Senator Grassley is urging the FTC to investigate these allegations and hold violators accountable.

Statistics:

  • Over 200 formal complaints have been made to the FTC about alleged fraudulent activity on The Knot and WeddingWire since 2018.
  • 184 complaints have been made to the FTC by small businesses across the country alleging The Knot engaged in misconduct.
  • Nearly 200 messages have been received by Senator Grassley's office from whistleblowers nationwide reporting misconduct at The Knot.
  • Over 2 years-worth of complaints have been made to the FTC, with over 201 formal complaints made since 2018.

Sources:

  • Letter from Senator Charles E. Grassley, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary to Mark T. Uyeda, Acting Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission and Andrew N. Ferguson, Chairman, Federal Trade Commission (Mar. 28, 2025) https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/grassley_to_sec_ftc_-_the_knot.pdf
  • Letter from Andrew N. Ferguson, Chairman, Federal Trade Commission to Senator Charles E. Grassley, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary (Apr. 15, 2025) (on file with Committee staff)
  • Adam Iscoe, Does the Knot Have a "Fake Brides" Problem?, The New Yorker (Mar. 31, 2025) https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/04/07/does-the-knot-have-a-fake-brides-problem
  • Thomas Barrabi, The Knot's angry vendors dismiss CEO memo as 'damage control' after swindling advertisers allegations, New York Post (Aug. 11, 2023) https://nypost.com/2023/08/11/the-knots-vendors-dismiss-memo-after-alleged-advertiser-swindling/
  • Alexandra S. Levine and Richard Nieva, How Wedding Giant The Knot Pulled The Veil Over Advertisers' Eyes, Forbes (Aug. 3, 2023) https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2023/08/03/the-knot-wedding-whistleblowers-advertisers-fraud/