Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that a non-compete agreement between bulk bleach producers Oltrin Solutions, LLC and JCI Jones Chemicals, Inc. reduced competition in North Carolina, South Carolina, and southern Virginia. In settling the FTC’s complaint, Oltrin has agreed to release JCI from an […]
Monthly Archives: March 2013
FTC and DOJ Extend Public Comment Period for PAE Workshop Through April 5, 2013
The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have extended the deadline for submitting comments on their recent Patent Assertion Entity Activities Workshop to April 5, 2013. The workshop, held December 10, 2012, explored the impact of patent assertion entity (PAE) activities on innovation and competition and the implications for antitrust enforcement and […]
FTC Cracks Down on Senders of Spam Text Messages Promoting “Free” Gift Cards
The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on affiliate marketers that allegedly bombarded consumers with hundreds of millions of unwanted spam text messages in an effort to steer them towards deceptive websites falsely promising “free” gift cards. In eight different complaints filed in courts around the United States, the FTC charged 29 defendants with collectively […]
Marketers of Alleged “Mass Joinder” and “Forensic Loan Audit” Mortgage Relief Services Scams Settle FTC Charges, Agree to Surrender Assets and Halt Deceptive Conduct
The defendants behind an alleged mortgage relief scam have agreed to settle FTC charges that they deceived cash-strapped consumers into believing they could hold onto their homes and reduce their mortgage payments by either suing their mortgage lenders in so-called “mass joinder” lawsuits or buying “forensic loan audits.” All of the defendants, including two individuals […]
In Comments to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, FTC Staff Expresses Concerns About Proposed Motor Vehicle Transportation Rules
The Federal Trade Commission staff submitted written comments to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission expressing concern that proposed regulatory changes may hurt competition in the marketplace for passenger vehicle transportation services. In particular, the staff stated that the changes could inhibit the use of mobile smartphone software applications that allow consumers to arrange and pay […]
Court Bans Auto Loan Modification Company from the Debt Relief Services Business
Acting on a Federal Trade Commission complaint, a federal court has banned a California-based company from providing modification services for auto loans and for any other type of debt. The court imposed a $362,388 default judgment against Hope for Car Owners, LLC, a company owned by Patrick Freeman. In December 2012, Freeman settled charges with […]
FTC Approves Final Orders Settling Charges Against The Sherwin-Williams Co. and PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc.; Issues Enforcement Policy Statement on “Zero VOC” Paint Claims
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission approved final orders settling charges that The Sherwin-Williams Co. and PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc made false and unsubstantiated claims that some of their paints contained zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) after tinting. Based on these cases, the FTC has issued a new enforcement policy statement regarding […]
FTC to Announce Nationwide Crackdown on Text Message Scams
Media Advisory March 6, 2013 The Federal Trade Commission will host a media availability Thursday, March 7 at 11:30 a.m. ET/10:30 a.m. CT at its Midwest Region Office in Chicago to announce a series of enforcement actions designed to protect consumers nationwide from a pervasive series of scams built on text messages. A call-in line […]
FTC Sends Over $1 Million in Refunds to Consumers Harmed by Mortgage Relief Scheme That Posed as Government Assistance Program
The Federal Trade Commission mailed 17,213 refund checks to consumers who were deceived by an operation that charged an up-front fee for bogus mortgage relief services and posed as a government mortgage assistance program. Under a settlement entered by the court in 2011 as part of the FTC’s continuing crackdown on scams that target homeowners […]
FTC’s Northeast Region Releases Top Complaint Categories in 2012
The Federal Trade Commission’s Northeast Region today announced the release of the FTC’s annual Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book detailing the number of consumer complaints, including those relating to identity theft, consumer fraud and deception. The Data Book lists the categories of complaints from the nation and New York State filed with the FTC in […]