A federal court has granted the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a lien on the Florida home of Sam J. Goldman, the operator of an alleged precious metals scam that conned senior citizens. For the first time, the FTC obtained a court order requiring the sale of a defendant’s Florida home to pay a fraud […]
Monthly Archives: May 2017
Acting FTC Chairman Ohlhausen Welcomes New FCC Proceeding on Internet Openness
Acting Federal Trade Commission Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen issued the following statement on the Federal Communications Commission’s adoption of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to reinstate a light-touch regulatory approach protecting Internet openness: “I welcome the adoption of this NPRM as further progress toward restoring the FTC’s ability to protect broadband subscribers from unfair and […]
Federal Judge Approves FTC Order for Owners of Certain Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche 3.0 Liter “Clean” Diesels to Receive Refunds
A federal district court judge in San Francisco today signed a settlement negotiated by the Federal Trade Commission and private plaintiffs providing for consumer redress and starting the formal claims process for owners of Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche 3.0 liter TDI diesel cars. The FTC will monitor VW’s compliance with the settlement’s provisions, which include […]
International Competition Network Adopts Recommended Practices on Merger Notification and Review and New Work on a Framework for Analyzing Unilateral Conduct
At its annual meeting, the International Competition Network (ICN) adopted new recommended practices for merger review, addressing notification thresholds, remedies, and efficiencies; a framework for analyzing unilateral conduct; guiding principles for market studies; and a report on setting cartel fines, the Federal Trade Commission announced today. The ICN held its 16th annual conference, hosted by […]
FTC and Federal, State and International Partners Announce Major Crackdown on Tech Support Scams
The Federal Trade Commission, along with federal, state and international law enforcement partners, today announced “Operation Tech Trap,” a nationwide and international crackdown on tech support scams that trick consumers into believing their computers are infected with viruses and malware, and then charge them hundreds of dollars for unnecessary repairs. As part of this coordinated […]
FTC Returns Money to Victims of Bogus Business Services Scam
The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 1,187 checks totaling more than $48,000 to people who lost money to CPU Service Inc., a company that sent fake invoices to more than 150,000 small businesses to trick them into paying for computer support and consulting they didn’t order. The company and its owner, Robert Ray Law, are […]
FTC and Partner Agencies to Announce Nationwide Consumer Fraud Enforcement Initiative
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Florida Office of the Attorney General will host a press conference in Tampa, Florida at noon on Friday, May 12 to announce a major consumer fraud enforcement initiative. Senior FTC and Florida Attorney General’s Office officials involved in the initiative will be available at the press conference to […]
FTC Acting Chairman Maureen K Ohlhausen to Participate in International Competition Network Conference in Porto, Portugal
Federal Trade Commission Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen and Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew C. Finch of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division will participate in the 16th annual International Competition Network (ICN) conference in Porto, Portugal from May 10 to 12, 2017. At the conference, antitrust officials, private sector antitrust experts and representatives of intergovernmental […]
New FTC Website Helps Small Businesses Avoid Scams and Cyber Attacks
At the direction of Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen, the Federal Trade Commission has launched a new website – ftc.gov/SmallBusiness – with articles, videos, and other information aimed at helping small business owners avoid scams and protect their computers and networks from cyberattacks and other threats. “Small businesses are critical to our economic strength, building America’s […]
FTC Action Stops Unsupported Claims for Opiate Withdrawal Treatments
A company that marketed itself as “the leader in home opiate detox since 2009” and its CEO have settled Federal Trade Commission charges that the withdrawal treatment claims for their “Withdrawal Ease” and “Recovery Ease” products were false or unsupported by scientific evidence. The court order settling the FTC’s charges bars Catlin Enterprises, Inc. and […]