FTC to Announce More Cases Against Deceptive Robocallers

At a press conference in Chicago, Illinois, the Federal Trade Commission will announce a new set of cases targeting telemarketing “robocallers,” as part of a joint federal/state enforcement sweep to protect consumers from unwanted, sometimes harassing calls.  Charles Harwood, Deputy Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, and Steven Baker, Director of the agency’s […]

FTC Warns Consumers: Charity and Home Repair Scams May Appear After a Disaster

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Federal Trade Commission reminds consumers that scams often follow disasters.  The nation’s consumer protection agency warns people about urgent appeals for charitable donations, and cautions residents in stricken areas about fraudulent home repair offers. If you are asked to make a charitable donation to help people in disaster-affected […]

FTC Puts Conditions on Corning’s Proposed Purchase of Discovery Labware, Inc

The Federal Trade Commission will require Corning, Inc. to transfer assets and to supply some of its laboratory products to another company, under a proposed settlement that resolves charges that Corning’s proposed acquisition of Becton, Dickinson and Company’s Discovery Labware Division would otherwise be anticompetitive. Under the FTC settlement, Corning will provide assets and assistance […]

FTC Finalizes Settlements with Businesses that Exposed Consumers Sensitive Information by Installing Peer-to-Peer File-Sharing Software on Corporate Computer Systems

Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has accepted as final settlements with two operations it charged with illegally exposing the sensitive personal information of thousands of consumers by allowing peer-to-peer file-sharing software to be installed on their corporate computer systems.  Settlements with Utah-based debt collector EPN, Inc., and Georgia auto dealer Franklin […]

FTC Videos Remind Consumers to Check AnnualCreditReport.com

Consumers shopping for a car, looking for a job or just getting their financial house in order should check their free annual credit reports.  The FTC is offering new videos, in English and Spanish, explaining why, and advising them what to do if a report contains inaccurate information. During the fall, when people turn back […]

Sherwin-Williams and PPG Settle FTC Charges That They Misled Consumers to Believe Their Paints Were Free of Potentially Harmful Volatile Organic Compounds

Two of the nation’s leading paint companies, The Sherwin-Williams Company and PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc., have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they misled consumers to believe that some of their paints are free of potentially harmful chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The two companies agreed to settlements with the FTC […]

U.S. Defendants Who Allegedly Abetted Fake Debt Collector Calls from India Agree to Settle FTC Charges

A California man who worked with bogus debt collectors in India has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that he and his companies deceived and threatened consumers into paying debts that were not owed or that the defendants were not authorized to collect. As part of the settlement, the defendants will turn over nearly […]

FTC Recommends Best Practices for Companies That Use Facial Recognition Technologies

The Federal Trade Commission today released a staff report “Facing Facts: Best Practices for Common Uses of Facial Recognition Technologies” for the increasing number of companies using facial recognition technologies, to help them protect consumers’ privacy as they use the technologies to create innovative new commercial products and services. Facial recognition technologies have been adopted […]

Tracking Software Company Settles FTC Charges That it Deceived Consumers and Failed to Safeguard Sensitive Data it Collected

A web analytics company has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated federal law by using its web-tracking software that collected personal data without disclosing the extent of the information that it was collecting. The company, Compete Inc., also allegedly failed to honor promises it made to protect the personal data it […]

Fake News Site Operator to Surrender Assets Totaling More than $2 Million

An operation that allegedly used fake news websites to deceptively market acai berry weight-loss products will pay more than $2 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges. Last year, the FTC charged defendants Circa Direct LLC and Andrew Davidson with running internet advertisements designed to look like news websites, with misleading titles such as “News […]