OLYMPIA, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Settlement money is on the way for Washington residents who booked hotel rooms on a handful of websites.

Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown says that his office recently reached the agreement with Bookonline.com and Lexyl Technologies.

The companies are alleged to have misled customers about opting out of a “refund protection fee” between November 2023 and March 2025.

A pre-checked box for the fee was placed underneath the billing details for a reservation, where consumers were unlikely to look before they finished the booking.

The AG’s Office says the practice of including a “negative option feature” violates state law, as it’s considered deceptive.

Roughly 12,000 Washington residents are expected to benefit from the $750,000 settlement.