FTC Sues Two Mortgage Foreclosure Rescue Operations

As part of the Federal Trade Commission’s intensified efforts to protect consumers from mortgage foreclosure rescue scams, the agency has filed two lawsuits charging six individuals and their businesses with falsely claiming that they will stop foreclosure. The FTC will seek to bar them from further violations and make them forfeit their ill-gotten gains. “Consumers […]

FTC Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee on Consumer Protection in Financial Services

The Federal Trade Commission today presented testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, discussing how the Commission protects consumers at every stage of the consumer credit life cycle, from the advertising and marketing of financial products to debt collection and debt relief. Lydia B. Parnes, Director of […]

Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras to Leave FTC in Late March

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras today announced her decision to leave the FTC in late March. Majoras was appointed by President George W. Bush and sworn into office on August 16, 2004. “It has been my honor to serve U.S. citizens as Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission,” Majoras said. “The FTC plays […]

FTC Charges Mortgage Foreclosure Rescuers with Deceiving Homeowners

In an ongoing effort to crack down on businesses that prey upon homeowners facing foreclosure, the Federal Trade Commission has charged six businesses and three individuals with violating the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA), the FTC Act, and the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) by enticing homeowners into high-cost, short-term loans secured by […]

Court Bars Georgia Defendants from Selling Bogus Business Opportunities

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, has issued an order finding that several Georgia-based defendants violated the FTC Act and the Commission’s Franchise Rule and Business Opportunity Rule by pitching fraudulent ink cartridge business opportunities […]

FTC Charges Three Internet Payday Lenders with Not Disclosing Required APR Information in Ads

Three payday lenders have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their Internet advertising stated the cost of loans without disclosing annual percentage rate information that federal law requires. This information helps consumers compare the costs of these payday loans to other payday loans and to alternative forms of short-term credit. The settlements require […]

Marketers of 7 Day Miracle Cleanse Program Banned From Infomercials

The marketers of the 7 Day Miracle Cleanse Program, a purported herbal colon-cleansing program, have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they falsely claimed that their program would cure cancer and other serious diseases. Among other things, the settlements broadly ban them from involvement in future infomercials for any product, service, or program, […]

FTC Approves Final Consent Order in Matter of Herbs Nutrition Corp., et al.

For Your Information February 26, 2008 Commission approval of final consent order: Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved the issuance of a final consent order in the matter of Herbs Nutrition Corporation, et al. The vote approving issuance of the final consent order was 5-0. (FTC Docket No. D09325; the staff contact […]

BlueHippo Defendants Will Pay up to $5 Million to Settle FTC Charges

Two companies that offer to finance the sale of personal computers to consumers with poor credit ratings have agreed to pay up to $5 million for consumer redress to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated federal laws. According to the FTC’s complaint, BlueHippo Funding, LLC and BlueHippo Capital, LLC offered to extend credit […]

FTC Announces Workshop on Green Guides and Packaging

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the second in a series of public workshops being held as part of the agency’s regulatory review of the “Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims,” commonly known as the Green Guides. The workshop, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Washington, DC, […]