Anonymous messaging app NGL was acquired by ‘EarnPhone’ startup Mode Mobile

NGL also came under fire for its shady growth hacking tactics, like sending fake messages to users that seemed like they were from real people but were actually automated by the app. Some users were tricked into paying a $9.99 monthly subscription to get hints about who sent the messages, which were fake.

“NGL’s bait-and-switch tactic prompted many consumers to complain, which NGL executives laughed off, dismissing such users as ‘suckers’,” the FTC said in a statement at the time. NGL paid a $5 million fine to the FTC and complied with its demands.

Given NGL’s track record of dubious growth hacking, this partnership with Mode Mobile seems like a good match.

The terms of the sale were not disclosed.