The Federal Trade Commission moved to further strengthen its longstanding enforcement program aimed at preventing deceptive mortgage advertising, proposing a rule that would ban misrepresentations for all mortgages and would allow the FTC and the states to seek civil penalties against those who violate the rule. The proposed rule would prohibit all material misrepresentations in […]
Monthly Archives: September 2010
Online Data Broker Settles FTC Charges Privacy Pledges Were Deceptive
An online data broker that charged consumers $10 based on the promise that it could “lock their records”so others could not see or buy them, has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its claims were deceptive and violated federal law. The settlement requires that the operation refund the fees it charged to nearly […]
FTC Testifies on Data Security Legislation
The Federal Trade Commission today told a Senate Subcommittee that it supports proposed legislation that would require many companies to use reasonable data security policies and procedures and require those companies to notify consumers when there is a security breach. In testimony before the Committee on Science, Commerce, and Transportation Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product […]
FTC and International Privacy Enforcement Authorities Launch Global Privacy Cooperation Network and Website
The Federal Trade Commission and privacy enforcement authorities from 11 countries around the world recently launched the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), a new network that promotes information sharing and international assistance in enforcement of privacy laws. Today the network unveiled GPEN’s public website, www.privacyenforcement.net. The new website is designed to promote public awareness of […]
Court Halts Deceptive Envelope-Stuffing Operation
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has temporarily halted an envelope-stuffing operation that allegedly scammed cash-strapped consumers by falsely promising they could make substantial income working from home. As part of ongoing efforts to protect Americans who are struggling to cope with the economic downturn, the FTC charged that […]
Concertgoers Who Bought Springsteen Tickets from Ticketmaster Resale Website Are Sent Refund Claim Forms by FTC
An administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission has mailed claim forms to 1,174 consumers who are eligible for refunds because they allegedly were steered from the Ticketmaster website to its ticket resale website TicketsNow while buying tickets to attend Bruce Springsteen concerts last year. Ticketmaster and its affiliates agreed to pay refunds to some […]
Mortgage Lender Will Pay $1.5 Million to Settle FTC Charges That It Discriminated Against Hispanic Borrowers
A California-based mortgage lender and its owner have agreed to settle FTC charges that they illegally charged Hispanic consumers higher prices for mortgage loans than non-Hispanic white consumers – price disparities that could not be explained by the applicants’ credit characteristics or underwriting risk. “We will continue to be vigilant in enforcing fair lending laws […]
FTC, Fordham Law School To Hold Panel on New Horizontal Merger Guidelines and International Convergence on September 22
The Federal Trade Commission and Fordham Law School will co-sponsor a panel discussion on September 22, 2010, on the recently revised Horizontal Merger Guidelines and their role in promoting closer consensus among international antitrust authorities regarding how they assess mergers among competitors. Panelists will include the Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Economics, Dr. Joseph […]
FTC Seeks Public Comments on Agilent Technologies Application to Modify its Divestiture Obligation Related to Varian Acquisition
The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments on an application by Agilent Technologies, Inc. to modify the final FTC Order settling charges that Agilent’s acquisition of Varian, Inc. would reduce competition in the market for high-performance scientific measuring instruments such as gas chromatographs. A public version of the application can be found on the […]
FTC Staff Will Not Recommend Agency Challenge Two New Drug Supplier Audit Programs; FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges That Fidelity National Financial’s Acquisition of Land America was Anticompetitive; Seeks Public Comments on Divestiture
FTC Staff Will Not Recommend Agency Challenge Two New Drug Supplier Audit Programs The staff of the Federal Trade Commission has advised a consortium of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies that it has no present intention to recommend that the agency challenge the Consortium’s planned joint supplier quality and safety audit programs. Under these programs, consortium […]