A one-day “back to basics” workshop on complying with truth-in-advertising laws is being presented in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday, May 29, 2008, by the Federal Trade Commission and Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan Dallas. Green Lights & Red Flags: FTC-BBB Rules of the Road for Advertisers features a roster of national experts discussing the latest […]
Monthly Archives: April 2008
FTC Charges Mortgage Foreclosure Rescuers
The Federal Trade Commission has charged Foreclosure Solutions, LLC and Timothy A. Buckley with operating a nationwide mortgage foreclosure “rescue” scam that charged consumers as much as $1,200 to save their homes from foreclosure but failed to do so. The FTC seeks to bar them from further law violations and make them forfeit their ill-gotten […]
FTC Testifies on Efforts to Protect Consumers in Subprime Mortgage Market
The Federal Trade Commission testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Interstate Commerce, Trade, and Tourism, about the Commission’s continuing efforts to protect subprime mortgage borrowers. The testimony described the agency’s priorities, including deceptive mortgage advertising, deceptive or unfair servicing practices, discrimination in lending, and foreclosure rescue scams, and […]
FTC Issues Final Opinion and Order to Restore the Competition Lost in Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Corporations Acquisition of Highland Park Hospital
The Federal Trade Commission today issued its final opinion and order to restore the competition that was lost when Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Corporation (ENH) in suburban Chicago, Illinois, acquired its competitor, Highland Park Hospital. The order sets out the specific requirements for the remedy the Commission ordered in its August 2007 liability decision. In 2007, […]
Work-At-Home Marketer Settles FTC Charges in Envelope-Stuffing Scheme
Byron C. Peterson has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges for his role in an operation that allegedly misled consumers with false earnings claims for an envelope-stuffing business opportunity. According to the FTC, operating from Florida as “Home Business System,” Peterson and others placed classified ads throughout the nation, including in Spanish-language newspapers. They […]
FTC Challenges Acquisitions by TALX Corp. that Stifled Competition in Unemployment Compensation Management and Employment Verification Services
The Federal Trade Commission announced today that it issued a complaint challenging a series of acquisitions by TALX Corporation that substantially lessened competition in the markets for outsourced unemployment compensation management (UCM) and verification of income and employment (VOIE) services. The Commission and TALX have reached an agreement settling the Commission’s challenge. TALX, which in […]
FTC To Host Public Workshop on Green Guides and Packaging
As part of its review of its environmental marketing guidelines, also known as the “Green Guides,” the Federal Trade Commission will host its second public workshop to examine developments in green packaging claims and consumer perceptions of those claims on Wednesday, April 30, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The workshop will be held […]
Court Orders Telemarketers Responsible for Wal-Mart Shopping Spree Scam to Pay $28.2 Million
The Federal Trade Commission today announced several court actions obtained against a nationwide telemarketing scheme that the media has dubbed the “Wal-Mart Shopping Spree” scam. In this scam, consumers were falsely promised free gifts and wrongfully paid monthly fees for “program memberships” such as discount buyers’ and travel clubs. The actions announced today ban Brian […]
Canadian House of Cards Continues to Fall, as Bogus Biller Settles FTC Charges
The Federal Trade Commission today announced the issuance of a stipulated final court order against Emma G. Wanjiku, a Kenyan citizen and Canadian resident who participated in a wide-ranging scheme to trick U.S. consumers into paying for bogus business and travel directory advertisements and listings, office supplies, and consulting services they never authorized, ordered, or […]
Debt Reduction Defendant Settles FTC Charges
The last “Debt-Set” defendant has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges for his role in an operation that allegedly violated federal law by falsely claiming that it could reduce consumers’ credit card interest rates or the amount of their credit card debt. Terms of the settlement, in which the defendant has not admitted liability, […]