Immigration Scam Shut Down by FTC

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal judge has shut down an operation that allegedly posed as the U.S. government, then duped consumers into paying fees ranging from $200 to $2,500 by claiming the fees would cover processing by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The court froze the defendants’ assets […]

Operator of Deceptive “Scareware” Scheme Will Pay More than $8 Million to Settle FTC Charges

An operator of an online “scareware” scheme will pay more than $8 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that he used deceptive ads to trick consumers into thinking their computers were infected with malicious software, and then sold them software to “fix” their non-existent problem. As part of the FTC’s ongoing efforts to protect […]

Court Freezes Assets of Massive Internet Enterprise in Alleged Billing Scheme

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal court has frozen the assets of corporations and an individual behind a far-reaching Internet enterprise that allegedly made more than $275 million by luring consumers into deceptive “trial” memberships, and bogus government-grant and money-making schemes. The court froze the assets of 61 corporations (collectively known […]

FTC Forum in May 2011 Will Examine Ways to Protect Consumers From “Cramming” of Unauthorized Charges on Their Phone Bills

The Federal Trade Commission will host a forum on May 11, 2011, in Washington, DC, examining how the government, businesses, and consumer protection organizations can work together to prevent consumers from being hit with unauthorized third-party charges on their phone bills, a practice known as “cramming.” The FTC brings law enforcement actions against companies engaged […]

FTC Extends Deadline for Comments on Privacy Report Until February 18

For Your Information January 21, 2011 The Federal Trade Commission has extended the deadline for the public to submit comments on a preliminary staff report issued on December 1, 2010, “Protecting Consumer Privacy in an Era of Rapid Change: a Proposed Framework for Businesses and Policy Makers.” The Commission extended the original January 31 deadline […]

FTC Staff Questions Rules Proposed by North Carolina Board of Opticians That Would Restrict Retail Sales of Contact Lenses and Eyeglasses

The staff of the Federal Trade Commission sent comments to the North Carolina Board of Opticians explaining that the Board’s proposal to restrict the sale of contact lenses, eyeglasses, and other optical goods in the state is likely to raise costs to consumers unnecessarily. The comments also state that the proposal appears to conflict with […]

FTC Announces Revised Thresholds for Clayton Act Antitrust Reviews; FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Simon Property Group’s Acquisition of Prime Outlets was Anticompetitive

FTC Announces Revised Thresholds for Clayton Act Antitrust Reviews The Federal Trade Commission announced it has revised the thresholds that determine whether companies are required to notify federal antitrust authorities about a transaction under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. The HSR Act requires companies to notify authorities if – among other things – the value […]

FTC Settlement Bans Marketers from Debt Relief Business

Three companies and their owner, who allegedly falsely claimed they could help consumers quickly eliminate their credit card debts and stop calls from debt collectors, have been banned from the debt relief business under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. According to the FTC’s complaint, the defendants, doing business as The Hermosa Group and […]

FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges That Nestlé Subsidiary Made Deceptive Health Claims for BOOST Kid Essentials

Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission finalized the Order settling charges that a subsidiary of Nestlé S.A., the world’s largest food and nutrition company, made deceptive advertising claims about the health benefits of its children’s drink BOOST Kid Essentials.  As part of the settlement for this case, which is the FTC’s first […]

FTC Offers Tips on Making the Most of Your Auto Warranty

Can a dealer void your car’s warranty if you have someone else do routine maintenance on the vehicle?  The answer is no, and the Federal Trade Commission wants to make sure consumers know it. Under federal law, it is illegal for manufacturers or dealers to refuse to honor a warranty or to deny coverage simply […]