FTC Withdraws Agency’s Policy Statement on Monetary Remedies in Competition Cases; Will Rely on Existing Law

The Federal Trade Commission has withdrawn the Policy Statement on Monetary Equitable Remedies in Competition Cases. The Statement was issued in 2003 and outlined a framework for determining when the Commission would seek equitable monetary remedies, such as disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, in competition cases. In a statement issued today, the Commission wrote that, “Although […]

FTC Staff Comment to CFPB Supports Protection of Consumers Who Use General Purpose Reloadable Cards

In a comment submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), staff of the Federal Trade Commission expressed support for protecting users of general purpose reloadable (GPR) cards and for the CFPB’s proposal to solicit information about the costs and benefits of extending additional protections to these cards. GPR cards are a type of prepaid […]

FTC Action Halts Dominican Mortgage Assistance Scam That Allegedly Defrauded Spanish-Speaking U.S. Homeowners of more than $2 Million

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has halted anationwide scam operating from the Dominican Republic – but pretending to be in Chicago – that allegedly peddled fake mortgage assistance relief to financially distressed Spanish-speaking homeowners in the United States.  The defendants promised to dramatically lower homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments […]

FTC Alerts Consumers Who Want to Help Colorado Movie Theater Shooting Victims

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, has tips for anyone who may want to donate money to the victims and families of the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooting. One opportunity for giving, the Aurora Victim Relief Fund, has been established by Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and the Community First Foundation to meet […]

FTC Action Results in Contempt Order Against Online Check Writing Marketers

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal court found a check creation and delivery business and its operators in contempt for violating a court order barring them from creating and e-mailing checks for consumers without verifying users’ identities or their authority to draw funds on the financial accounts they use, leaving unsuspecting […]

FTC Becomes First Enforcement Authority in APEC Cross-Border Privacy Rules System

The Federal Trade Commission welcomed the approval of the United States’ participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Cross-Border Privacy Rules system, which was announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce today. The APEC privacy system is a self-regulatory initiative to enhance the protection of consumer data that moves between the United States and other […]

FTC Calls Wireless Phone Bill Cramming a Significant Consumer Problem

In response to a request by the Federal Communications Commission for comment, the Federal Trade Commission said that the “cramming” of unauthorized charges on wireless phone bills poses a serious problem for American consumers. The FTC said in its comment that wireless providers should be required to give customers the option to block all third-party charges […]

DC Funeral Home Agrees to Pay $25,000 for Funeral Rule Violations

A Washington, DC, funeral home and its owners will pay a $25,000 civil penalty to resolve charges that they violated the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, which helps to ensure that people have the information they need to compare prices and buy only the funeral services and goods they want. In May 2011, at the […]

FTC and Florida Attorney General Win Court Judgment of More Than $700,000 in Bogus Alcoholism Cure Scheme

A federal court in Florida has ruled in favor of the Federal Trade Commission and the Florida Attorney General, and ordered the marketers of a phony alcoholism “cure” program to pay more than $700,000 for having tricked consumers into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars to participate in the program. On its website, ACF repeatedly […]

FTC and Florida Attorney General Sue Timeshare Rental/Resale Operation for Deception

The Federal Trade Commission and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi brought legal action against a timeshare rental/resale telemarketing business and its owner for allegedly deceiving thousands of consumers throughout the country into paying up to $2,000 based on false promises that they had buyers or renters lined up for consumers’ timeshare properties, and then failing […]