Pearl.com

Pearl.com[1][2] is an "online paid question-and-answer service" based in San Francisco.[3][4][5]

History

The company was founded in 2003 by Andy Kurtzig as JustAnswer. Kurtzig had previously built and sold a company called Anser that automated the making of classified advertisements for newspapers.[3]

By about 2012, JustAnswer offered customers a forum for posing questions to lawyers, healthcare professionals, computer technicians, and relationship counselors.[5] By 2014, the company changed its operations to comply with regulations.[6]

Controversy

Regarding providing legal advice for "$30 to $40" and glossing over "details that could more easily emerge face to face" founder Andy Kurtzig conceded that an in-person followup may be needed. He said to The Wall Street Journal his service enables "to get key insights that will cut your appointment time from three hours to less than an hour.”[5]

In January 2026 FTC sued JustAnswer for "..deceive[ing] consumers into enrolling in a monthly recurring subscription by claiming that consumers can “join” JustAnswer and get access to Experts for a nominal fee (either $1 or $5, depending on the advertisement). In reality, consumers cannot join JustAnswer for $1 or $5. After consumers enter their credit card information to pay the nominal “join” fee, Defendants simultaneously charge them a subscription fee that has ranged between $28 and $125. Defendants then continue to charge the subscription fee every month until the consumer cancels their subscription. While Defendants provide limited information about the required monthly subscription on their website, Defendants do not present it clearly and conspicuously. As a result, hundreds of thousands of consumers have provided their credit card information to Defendants without affirmatively consenting to enroll in an ongoing monthly subscription and pay the monthly fee."[7]

As of February 1, 2026, over 9k customers reported on TrustPilot to have been defrauded by the American branch of JustAnswer[8] and almost 5k by the UK branch.[9]

References

  1. ^ Deborah Gage (October 8, 2012). "Pearl.com Raises $26M, Hires CFO". The Wall Street Journal.
  2. ^ Patrick Hoge (June 19, 2012). "JustAnswer -- now Pearl.com -- raises $25 million". BizJournals (San Francisco).
  3. ^ a b Patrick Hoge (August 17, 2012). "Kurtzigs' entrepreneurial flair runs in family: Mother, sons have started six ventures". BizJournals (San Francisco). Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  4. ^ "The Daily Start-Up: Kutcher-Backed Language Site Duolingo". The Wall Street Journal. a website for connecting people who have questions to professionals
  5. ^ a b c Charles Passy (November 5, 2012). "Verdict is Out on Virtual Lawyers". Wall Street Journal.
  6. ^ Sachiko Yoshitsugu (March 14, 2014). "Emily Su-lan Reber Porter helped Pearl overhaul pro hiring". BizJournals (San Jose).
  7. ^ "Federal Trade Commission v. JustAnswer LLC et al (3:26-cv-00333), California Northern District Court". www.pacermonitor.com. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  8. ^ "JustAnswer is rated "Excellent" with 4.6 / 5 on Trustpilot". Trustpilot. January 30, 2026. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  9. ^ "JustAnswer.co.uk is rated "Excellent" with 4.6 / 5 on Trustpilot". Trustpilot. January 30, 2026. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
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