FTC Sues Two Funeral Homes for Failing to Provide Price Lists; Undercover Inspections in Eight States Find Violations of FTCs Funeral Rule

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice has charged funeral homes in Chicago and Washington, D.C. with violating an FTC consumer protection rule designed to ensure that people have the information they need to compare prices and buy only the funeral services and goods they want. The FTC’s complaints […]

FTC Returns Nearly $108 Million to 450,000 Homeowners Overcharged by Countrywide for Loan Servicing Fees

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 450,177 refund checks worth almost $108 million to homeowners who were allegedly overcharged by Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. As part of the FTC’s efforts to protect financially distressed homeowners, the FTC reached a settlement with Countrywide last year over allegations that the company collected excessive fees from borrowers who […]

FTC Issues Final Policy Statement on Collecting Debts of the Deceased

The Federal Trade Commission has finalized a policy statement clarifying that the agency will not take enforcement action under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) or the FTC Act against companies that are attempting to collect the debts of deceased consumers, if the companies communicate with someone who is authorized to pay debts from […]

FTC Issues Report: “Forty Years of Experience with the Fair Credit Reporting Act”

The Federal Trade Commission today issued a staff report, that compiles and updates the agency’s guidance on the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the 1970 law designed to protect the privacy of credit report information and ensure that the information supplied by credit reporting agencies is as accurate as possible. A credit report contains information […]

FTC Settlement Requires Internet Marketer to Stop Selling Cosmetic Contact Lenses without Prescriptions

The Federal Trade Commission has reached a settlement with an Internet marketer and his company that will put a stop to their alleged illegal practice of selling cosmetic contact lenses to consumers without prescriptions. The settlement with Scott Smiledge-Ferragamo and Jokeshop USA, LLC is part of the FTC’s ongoing efforts to help protect consumers from […]

Administrative Law Judge Concludes That North Carolina Dental Board Illegally Blocked Non-Dentists from Providing Teeth Whitening Services

In an Initial Decision announced today, Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell has concluded that the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners violated the law by trying to block non-dentists in the state from providing teeth-whitening goods or services. Ruling that the Dental Board does not have the authority to order non-dentists to discontinue […]

FTC Issues New Rule Strengthening Consumer Protections Against Deceptive Mortgage Advertisements

A new Federal Trade Commission Rule will strengthen consumer protections by banning deceptive claims about consumer mortgages in advertising or other types of commercial communications. The Rule is designed to create a level playing field for legitimate businesses to compete in the marketplace. Congress directed the FTC to initiate a rulemaking proceeding on mortgage loans […]

FTC Halts Timeshare Property Resale Scam; Telemarketers Falsely Claimed They Had Buyers Lined Up, Agency Alleges

At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a federal court has temporarily halted a telemarketing operation that targeted consumers trying to sell their timeshare properties. The defendants allegedly charged consumers thousands of dollars, falsely claiming they had buyers lined up for sales that supposedly would be reviewed and approved by the FTC. As part of its […]

FTC Will Not Enforce Provisions of MARS Rule Against Real Estate Professionals Helping Consumers Obtain Short Sales

The Federal Trade Commission today issued a statement announcing that it will forbear from enforcing most provisions of its Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) Rule against real estate brokers and their agents who assist financially distressed consumers in obtaining short sales from their lenders or servicers. As a result of the stay on enforcement, these […]

FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges That Irving Oil’s Acquisition of ExxonMobil Assets in Maine Was Anticompetitive; FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges of Anticompetitive Conduct Against Southwest Health Alliances, Inc.

FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges That Irving Oil’s Acquisition of ExxonMobil Assets in Maine Was Anticompetitive Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission approved a final order settling charges that Irving Oil’s acquisition of Exxon-Mobil’s diesel and gasoline related assets in Maine was anticompetitive and would have led to higher prices for […]