A U.S. district court has permanently barred the ringleader of a multi-million dollar fraud that targeted seniors from all telemarketing activities, agreeing with the Federal Trade Commission’s allegations that he illegally withdrew money from U.S. consumers’ accounts and funneled it across the border to Canada. The summary judgment entered against Ari Tietolman and the related […]
Monthly Archives: March 2015
FTC Charges DIRECTV with Deceptively Advertising the Cost of Its Satellite Television Service
Note: A conference call-in for media with FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich will occur as follows: Her remarks will be followed by an opportunity for media to ask questions about the FTC’s complaint against DIRECTV. WHAT: Press Call on Enforcement Action WHEN: 1:00 p.m. ET, Wednesday, March 11, 2015 The Federal Trade […]
FTC Sends More Than $2.4 Million in Refunds to Consumers Harmed by Investment Scam
The Federal Trade Commission has sent more than $2.4 million in refund checks to just over a hundred consumers harmed by the Premier Precious Metals scheme, which bilked millions of dollars from investors, including many senior citizens. In February 2014, the defendants were permanently banned from selling any investment opportunities under a settlement with the […]
FTC Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Dutch Agency On Privacy Enforcement Cooperation
The Federal Trade Commission has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Dutch Data Protection Authority to enhance information sharing and enforcement cooperation on privacy-related matters. FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and Dutch Data Protection Authority Chairman Jacob Kohnstamm signed the MOU, which is similar to agreements the FTC has with data protection authorities in […]
FTC Requires Divestitures in Connection With Impax Laboratories Inc.’s Proposed Acquisition of CorePharma, LLC
Pharmaceutical companies Impax Laboratories Inc. and CorePharma, LLC have agreed to divest all of CorePharma’s rights and assets to generic pilocarpine tablets and generic ursodiol tablets, in order to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that Impax’s proposed $700 million acquisition of CorePharma would likely be anticompetitive. Perrigo Company plc, a global drug company headquartered in […]
Direct Marketer Agrees to Pay $8 Million for Deceiving Consumers
A direct marketing company selling “as-seen-on-TV” type products such as Snuggies and the Magic Mesh door cover has agreed to pay $7.5 million to the Federal Trade Commission for consumer restitution to settle FTC charges in connection with its deceptive “buy-one-get-one-free” promotions. The FTC’s settlement with Allstar Marketing Group, LLC, was reached alongside actions by […]
FTC Approves Final Order Preserving Competition in Market for Treating Heartworm Disease in Dogs
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that Eli Lilly and Company’s acquisition of Novartis Animal Health would likely be anticompetitive. Under the order, first announced in December 2014, Eli Lilly and Company has agreed to divest its Sentinel product line of medications for treating heartworm […]
FTC Approves Community Health Systems’ Application to Divest Riverview Regional Medical Center to Prime Healthcare
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved an application from Community Health Systems to sell Riverview Regional Medical Center and its associated assets near Gadsden, Alabama. The divestiture was required under the FTC’s April 2014 final order settling charges that CHS’s acquisition of rival health system Health Management Associates, Inc. was […]
FTC and Ten State Attorneys General Take Action Against Political Survey Robocallers Pitching Cruise Line Vacations to the Bahamas
The Federal Trade Commission and 10 state attorneys general have taken action against a Florida-based cruise line company and seven other companies that assisted a massive telemarketing campaign resulting in billions of robocalls. The FTC and state partners allege that that the companies illegally sold cruise vacations using political survey robocalls. Although the FTC’s do-not-call […]
FTC Announces New Robocall Contests to Combat Illegal Automated Calls
The Federal Trade Commission announced today that it is launching two new robocall contests challenging the public to develop a crowd-source honeypot and better analyze data from an existing honeypot. A honeypot is an information system that may be used by government, private and academic partners to lure and analyze robocalls. The challenges are part […]