FTC to Present Report on Mobile Privacy, Announce Enforcement Action

The Federal Trade Commission will host a call-in media availability Friday, Feb. 1, at 10:30 a.m. EST, to announce the publication of a new staff report that recommends ways in which mobile marketplace leaders can keep consumers informed about their data and privacy practices. In addition, the commission will announce a related law enforcement action.  […]

FTC Action Leads to Shutdown of Texas-based Debt Collector that Allegedly Used Deception, Insults, and False Threats Against Consumers

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court shut down a Houston-based debt collection operation that allegedly illegally used insults, lies, and false threats to collect on payday loans – including telling a Virginia woman that she would be arrested and jailed for three years, and would lose her disability payments […]

FTC Robocall Challenge Garners More Than 700 Submissions

The Federal Trade Commission wrapped up a three-month submission period for the FTC Robocall Challenge, which seeks the best technical solution to block illegal sales robocalls on landlines and mobile phones. The FTC received 798 eligible submissions before the Challenge closed Jan. 17, 2013. Judging begins next week. A brief description of each entry is […]

FTC Action Leads to Court Order: Home Insulation Marketer to Pay $350,000

A federal court ordered a home insulation marketer to pay a $350,000 civil penalty for making deceptive and unsubstantiated claims about his products’ insulation capabilities.  On the Federal Trade Commission’s behalf, the U.S. Department of Justice won the order on the merits of the case without a trial.  The $350,000 figure is the largest civil […]

The First of Its Kind, FTC Study Shines a Light on the Debt Buying Industry, Finds Consumers Would Benefit from Use of Better Data in Debt Collection

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the results of the first empirical study of debt buyers – companies that are in the business of buying consumer debts and trying to collect on them.  As the Commission has found in its prior work, debt collectors who have insufficient information may approach the wrong consumers, try to […]

Settlement with FTC Bans Sellers of Alleged Fraudulent Auto Loan Modifications from Marketing Debt Relief Services

In a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, two California-based companies and their principals, who allegedly took hundreds of thousands of dollars from consumers, are banned from marketing auto loan relief or any other type of debt relief to consumers. The FTC filed charges against the companies – Kore Services LLC, doing business as Auto […]

FTC/DOJ Amicus Brief Supports Right of Private Parties to Pursue Relief Under the Antitrust Laws

The staff of the Federal Trade Commission has joined the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the right of private parties to pursue relief under the antitrust laws. At issue is whether courts should enforce an arbitration agreement under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) when […]

FTC Sends $7.4 Million in Refunds to Consumers Harmed by Scheme That Sold Allegedly Bogus ‘Platinum’ Credit Card

On January 16, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission mailed 70,511 refund checks to consumers who lost money to a scheme that allegedly sold bogus “platinum” credit cards and illegally debited consumers’ bank accounts. Under a settlement entered by the court in September 2012 as part of the FTC’s ongoing efforts to protect consumers in financial […]

FTC Announces Action Against Alleged Pyramid Scheme

The Federal Trade Commission will co-host a press conference in Lexington, KY, today at 1 p.m. ET (Noon Central Time), with the Kentucky Attorney General’s office, to announce a major action against an allegedly illegal pyramid scheme. Steve Baker, Director of the FTC’s Midwest Region Office, and Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway will be available […]

FTC Action Leads Court to Halt Alleged Pyramid Scheme

At the request of the Federal Trade Commission and the states of Illinois, Kentucky, and North Carolina, a federal court has halted an allegedly illegal pyramid scheme pending trial.  The FTC and the state attorneys general seek to stop the allegedly illegal practices of the Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing (FHTM) operation, which claimed consumers would make […]