Minimizing the Effect of Malware on Your Computer: FTC Offers Information on Protecting, Reclaiming Your Computer

Criminals are hard at work thinking up creative ways to get malware on your computer, warns the Federal Trade Commission. With appealing Web sites, desirable downloads, and compelling stories, these criminals try to lure consumers to links that will download malware, especially on computers that don’t use adequate security software. Then, they use the malware […]

FTC Asks Court to Hold Internet Pagejacking Defendants in ContemptPrevious FTC Order Barred Phishing, Pagejacking, and Mousetrapping

The Federal Trade Commission has asked a U.S. district court to hold three Internet pagejackers in contempt and order them to give up their ill-gotten gains for violating a previous order barring their unfair and deceptive practices. According to papers filed by the FTC with the court, Walter Rines, his company, Online Turbo Merchant, Inc., […]

Imbee.com Settles FTC Charges Social Networking Site for Kids Violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act; Settlement Includes $130,000 Civil Penalty

The operators of imbee.com, a social networking site specifically targeting kids and “tweens,” have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their data-collection practices violated federal law. The settlement bars future violations of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Commission’s implementing rule, requires that the defendants delete all personal information they […]

Sellers of Obesity Treatment Program Settle with FTC for False Weight-Loss Claims

Sellers of the “Centro Natural de Salud Obesity Treatment” have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they made false and unsubstantiated claims that their product causes rapid, substantial, and permanent weight loss. The “treatment” consists of three pills and a bar of “special soap.” According to a complaint filed by the FTC, in […]

Online Advertiser Settles FTC Charges. “Free” Products Weren’t Free; Settlement Calls for $200,000 Civil Penalty

An online advertiser that drove traffic to its Web sites using spam e-mails with misleading subject lines has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it failed to disclose that consumers have to spend money to receive the so-called “free” items it touts. The settlement, filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of […]

Dietary Supplement Marketers Violated Court Order in Some of Their Ads

Dietary supplement marketers must run more frequent and prominent advertising disclosures after violating a court order entered against them two years ago. The original order settled Federal Trade Commission charges that the defendants deceptively marketed their dietary supplements, sublingual sprays, and other products. Despite the order’s specific requirements on how to disclose that the programs […]

FTC Settles Charges Against Telemarketer that Made More Than 46 Million Unlawful Prerecorded Calls

The Federal Trade Commission today announced a complaint and proposed consent decree settling charges that a California-based “voice broadcaster” made over 46 million unlawful telemarketing calls. The proposed court order permanently bars the defendants from violating the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) and requires them to pay $180,000 in civil penalties. According to the complaint […]

Commission Approves Amicus Brief Filing in Matter of Arkansas Carpenters Health and Welfare Fund v. Bayer AG; FTC Authorizes Filing of Joint FTC/DOJ Letter with Hawaii Supreme Court Regarding Proposed Rules Regarding the Practice of Law

Commission approval of amicus brief filing: The FTC’s Office of General Counsel has filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in the matter of In re Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride Antitrust Litig., sub nom. Arkansas Carpenters Health and Welfare Fund v. Bayer AG, No 08-1097 (Fed. Cir.). In the brief, […]

Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice to Host Workshop on International Technical Assistance

The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division today announced that they will host a joint workshop entitled, “2008 International Technical Assistance Workshop: Charting the Future Course of International Technical Assistance at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.” The workshop, which will be held on February 6, 2008, […]

Court Enters Final Order in FTC Action Against Florida Debt Collectors

A federal court has entered a final order against a Florida debt collection agency, its principals, and its attorney, settling a Federal Trade Commission action that alleged that the defendants violated the FTC Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) while collecting consumers’ debts. The FTC’s complaint alleged that the enterprise used misleading […]