The Clickbooth affiliate network has agreed to pay $2 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its affiliate marketers deceived consumers through bogus weight-loss claims on fake news sites about acai berry supplements and so-called “colon cleansers.” The FTC will seek to use the $2 million judgment announced today to provide refunds to consumers […]
Monthly Archives: November 2012
FTC Announces Agenda for Upcoming Forum on Protecting Consumers Through Cross-Border Codes of Conduct
8:30 Registration 9:00 Introductory Remarks Commissioner Edith Ramirez Federal Trade Commission 9:10 Panel The Rise of Cross-Border Codes of Conduct Moderator: Stacy Feuer, Assistant Director for International Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission Panelists: Sungjoon Cho, Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law Joseph N. Mariano, President, Direct Selling Association Robin Simpson, Senior Policy Adviser, Consumers International David […]
FTC Announces Departure of General Counsel Willard K. Tom, Appointments of David Shonka as Acting General Counsel and Peter Miller as Chief Privacy Officer
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz today announced that Willard K. “Will” Tom, the agency’s General Counsel, has left the agency to return to the private sector, and that David Shonka, the FTC’s Principal Deputy General Counsel, will serve as Acting General Counsel. Leibowitz also announced the appointment of Peter Miller as the FTC’s Chief […]
FTC Approves Kinder Morgans Application to Sell Pipeline Assets
The Federal Trade Commission has approved an application by energy company Kinder Morgan, Inc. requesting FTC approval for the company to sell certain natural gas pipeline and other assets to Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP. The FTC required Kinder Morgan to sell Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC, its interest in the Rockies Express Pipeline and […]
FTC Begins Refund Process for Consumers Harmed by Mortgage Foreclosure ‘Rescue’ Scheme
To help Spanish-speaking consumers recover money lost to a scam that promised to stop foreclosure or obtain mortgage loan modifications, the Federal Trade Commission mailed claim forms this week, that must be submitted no later than January 14, 2013. Consumers who paid defendants Dinamica Financiera LLC, Soluciones Dinamicas Inc., Valentin Benitez, or Jose Mario Esquer […]
Companies that Own and Manage Payday Lending and Check Cashing Stores to Settle FTC Charges That They Tossed Sensitive Consumer Data into Trash Dumpsters
A company that provides management services to more than 300 payday loan and check cashing stores, and an affiliated company that owns and operates several stores, will pay $101,500 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated federal law by allowing sensitive consumer information to be tossed into trash dumpsters. The FTC charged that […]
FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Pharmacy Group in Puerto Rico Engaged in Illegal Anticompetitive Conduct
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that a Puerto Rican cooperative of pharmacy owners, Cooperativa de Farmacias Puertorriquenas, known as “Coopharma,” harmed competition by negotiating and entering into agreements among its member pharmacies to fix prices on which they contract with insurers and pharmacy benefit […]
FTC Closes Its Investigation Into Hilcorp Alaskas Proposed Acquisition of Marathon Alaskas Natural Gas Production, Transmission, and Storage Assets
The Federal Trade Commission has closed its nonpublic investigation of Hilcorp Alaska LLC’s proposed acquisition of Marathon Alaska LLC’s Cook Inlet, Alaska, natural gas production, storage, and pipeline assets without taking any action, and the Commission has issued a related statement. The Commission vote to close the investigation was 5-0. The closing letters to the […]
FTC Leads Joint Law Enforcement Effort Against Companies That Allegedly Made Deceptive Cardholder Services Robocalls
The Federal Trade Commission escalated its campaign against illegal, unwanted robocalls announcing that it pulled the plug on five companies based in Arizona and Florida allegedly responsible for millions of illegal pre-recorded calls from “Rachel” and others from “Cardholder Services.” State partners in Arizona, Arkansas, and Florida also took legal action against similar companies. Just […]
FTC Tells Consumers They May Be Due a Refund If They Purchased Walgreens “Wal-Born” Cold and Flu Supplements
If you purchased “Wal-Born” – a Walgreens’ brand dietary supplement, the Federal Trade Commission wants you to know that you may be eligible for a refund. National pharmacy chain Walgreens agreed to pay nearly $6 million in 2010, to settle FTC charges that it deceptively advertised that its “Wal-Born” line could effectively prevent colds, fight […]