An office supplier and its owner will pay $7 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they tricked child care centers, schools, and police and fire departments into paying for products they never ordered. “Billing for unordered merchandise is against the law, and small businesses like those affected here are under no obligation to […]
Monthly Archives: September 2017
FTC Seeks Presentations from Students to Coincide with PrivacyCon 2018
To encourage the next generation of privacy and data security researchers to explore economic questions in privacy and data security, the Federal Trade Commission today issued a call for presentations from students to coincide with the agency’s third PrivacyCon conference on February 28, 2018. The PrivacyCon Student Poster Session will coincide with PrivacyCon 2018, which […]
Mobile App Settles FTC Allegations That it Failed to Deliver Promised Cash Rewards for Meeting Exercise and Diet Goals
The operators of a mobile app that promised cash incentives to get consumers to commit to fitness and nutrition goals have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that they falsely promised that consumers who met weekly goals would be paid financial rewards, and unfairly billed many consumers without their consent. Consumers who used the […]
Court Finds Defendants Lied to Consumers When Selling Legal Services for Mortgage Relief
A federal court has found that Jeremy Foti and Charles Marshall, acting through Brookstone Law and Advantis Law, “made numerous false and/or misleading material statements to consumers” when selling legal services for purported mortgage relief. The court found that Foti and Marshall controlled or participated in the scheme, knew they were deceiving consumers, and illegally […]
FTC Helps Consumers Understand Affiliate Marketing in Online Advertising
A “free” trial offer may be tempting, but it could be a scam out to get your money. The Federal Trade Commission wants consumers to be aware of affiliate marketing in online advertising. Affiliate marketing is a good way to promote a product or service, but only if the ad is truthful. Some marketers may […]
Joint Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Securities Transaction Settlement Cycle
FIL-44-2017 September 19, 2017 Joint Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Securities Transaction Settlement Cycle Subject: The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR), issued jointly by the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), would shorten the standard settlement cycle for securities purchased or sold by FDIC-supervised institutions, national banks, and federal savings […]
FTC to Hold Twitter Chat on Social Media Influencer Disclosures
The Federal Trade Commission will hold a Twitter chat to address a range of issues surrounding disclosures social media influencers must make if they are compensated by — or have some other material relationship with — a brand or product they post about. During the chat, Commission staff also will be available to answer questions […]
FTC Revises Fuel Economy Guide
Today the Federal Trade Commission announced that the agency has approved changes to the Fuel Economy Guide as part of Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen’s regulatory reform initiative to keep pace with technological advances in the marketplace while continuing to protect consumers. Adopted in 1975, the Guide (formally, the “Guide Concerning Fuel Economy Advertising for […]
FTC Upgrades RN Webpage for Labels on Clothing and Other Textile or Fur Products
Today the Federal Trade Commission announced that the agency is streamlining requirements under the Fur, Textile and Wool Labeling Rules as part of Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen’s regulatory reform agenda. The FTC is updating the Fur, Textile and Wool Rules to implement web-based electronic filings of requests to obtain, update, or cancel registered identification […]
Online Marketers Banned from Deceiving Shoppers
A group of online marketers will pay more than $2.5 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they deceived consumers with “free” and “risk-free” trials for cooking and golfing products. According to an FTC complaint filed in March 2017, the defendants offered “free” products, without clearly disclosing that by accepting the “free” product consumers […]