The Federal Trade Commission is requiring Pilot Corporation, owner of the largest travel center network in the United States, to sell 26 locations as part of a settlement that will replace the competition lost because of Pilot’s proposed $1.8 billion acquisition of Flying J Inc.’s travel center network. Pilot has agreed to sell the travel […]
Monthly Archives: June 2010
‘Telefunder’ to Pay $300,000 for Abandoning Millions of Telemarketing Calls to Potential Charity Donors
The president of a Georgia-based telemarketing company will pay $300,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that his company “abandoned” millions of calls when consumers answered their telephones. The FTC also alleged that the defendants made thousands of illegal calls to consumers who had told the company that they did not wish to be called. […]
FTC Approves Final Settlement Regarding Agilent Technologies’ Proposed Acquisition of Varian
The Federal Trade Commission has approved a final settlement that resolves competition concerns raised by Agilent Technologies, Inc.’s proposed acquisition of Varian, Inc. and preserves competition in three markets for high-performance scientific measurement instruments. The final order, approved following a public comment period, requires the companies to sell three product lines to settle charges that […]
FTC Obtains Court Order Halting International Scheme Responsible For More Than $10 Million In Unauthorized Charges On Consumers’ Credit and Debit Cards
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal court has halted an elaborate international scheme that used identity theft to place more than $10 million in bogus charges on consumers’ credit and debit cards, pending a trial. More than a million consumers were hit with one-time charges of $10 or less, and their […]
FTC Approves SCI’s Application to Sell 23 Funeral Homes and Cemeteries to Foundation Partners
The Federal Trade Commission has approved a proposal by the largest U.S. funeral services provider, Service Corporation International, to sell 23 funeral homes, cemeteries, and combined funeral home-cemeteries in order to resolve competition concerns raised by SCI’s acquisition of Keystone North America, Inc. Under SCI’s proposal, which was approved by the FTC following a public […]
Twitter Settles Charges that it Failed to Protect Consumers’ Personal Information; Company Will Establish Independently Audited Information Security Program
Social networking service Twitter has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it deceived consumers and put their privacy at risk by failing to safeguard their personal information, marking the agency’s first such case against a social networking service.The FTC’s complaint against Twitter charges that serious lapses in the company’s data security allowed hackers […]
Coming in 2011: New Labels for Light Bulb Packaging
Starting in mid-2011, the Federal Trade Commission announced today, consumers shopping for light bulbs will notice new labeling on packaging designed to help them choose among the different types of bulbs on the market – traditional incandescent bulbs, and newer high-efficiency compact fluorescent (CFL) and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. The new labels will enable consumers […]
FTC Presents Criminal Liaison Award to Assistant United States Attorney Ellyn Lindsay
The Federal Trade Commission has honored Assistant United States Attorney Ellyn Lindsay with its fourth Annual Criminal Liaison Award for her work to combat consumer fraud. With assistance from the FTC, other U.S. law enforcement agencies, and Canadian authorities, Lindsay successfully prosecuted telemarketers operating from abroad who prey on older Americans. At an awards ceremony […]
FTC Approves Whole Foods Markets Divestiture of Three Stores and Wild Oats Intellectual Property, Denies Sale of Wild Oats Intellectual Property to Topco Associates; FTC Comments on Information Privacy and Innovation in the Internet Economy in Response
FTC Approves Whole Foods Market’s Divestiture of Three Stores and Wild Oats Intellectual Property, Denies Sale of Wild Oats Intellectual Property to Topco Associates The Federal Trade Commission has acted upon several applications filed by the Whole Foods Divestiture Trustee to sell assets under a March 5, 2009 consent order designed to help restore the […]
Minnesota Health Care Provider Group Settles FTC Price Fixing Charges
A group of doctors and hospitals in southwestern Minnesota has agreed to a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission that prohibits anticompetitive tactics the group allegedly used to increase health insurance reimbursement rates. Under a proposed settlement order, the Minnesota Rural Health Cooperative, or MRHC, will be prohibited from using coercion in its negotiations with […]