FTC Obtains Court Order against Deceptive Marketers Who Tricked Consumers with Ads for Non-existent Rental Properties and ‘Free’ Credit Reports

The Federal Trade Commission has obtained a court order against two men for their roles in an alleged scheme that lured consumers with fake rental property ads and deceptive promises of “free” credit reports into signing up for a costly credit monitoring service. The two settling defendants will pay a total of $762,000 to resolve […]

Administrative Law Judge Upholds FTC’s Complaint that 1-800 Contacts Unlawfully Harmed Competition in Online Search Advertising Auctions, Restricting the Availability of Truthful Advertising to Consumers

In an Initial Decision announced today, Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell upheld a Federal Trade Commission complaint against 1-800 Contacts, ruling that the agency has proved that the nation’s largest online retailer of contact lenses unlawfully orchestrated a web of anticompetitive agreements with rival online contact lens sellers. “The Challenged Agreements restricted advertisements […]

FTC Obtains Settlements from Operators of Tech Support Scams

The operators of two tech support scams have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they tricked consumers into believing their computers were infected with viruses and malware, and then charged them hundreds of dollars for unnecessary repairs. The defendants will be permanently banned from the tech support business under the terms of the […]

Regulatory Relief:

FIL-56-2017 October 26, 2017 Regulatory Relief: FDIC Issues Temporary Exceptions to Appraisal Requirements in Areas Affected by Severe Storms and Flooding Related to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria Printable Format: FIL-56-2017 – PDF (PDF Help) Summary: The FDIC is providing flexibility relative to appraisal requirements for real estate-related transactions in areas declared a major disaster […]

FTC Releases Reports on 2015 Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Sales and Marketing Expenditures

The number of cigarettes the largest cigarette companies in the United States sold to wholesalers and retailers nationwide declined from 253.8 billion in 2014 to 244.2 billion in 2015, according to the most recent Federal Trade Commission Cigarette Report. The amount spent on cigarette advertising and promotion increased from $8.03 billion in 2014 to $8.24 […]

FTC Staff Supports Certificate of Need Application for Lee County, Georgia

Federal Trade Commission staff has submitted comments to Frank W. Berry, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health, supporting a Certificate of Need (CON) application filed by Lee County Medical Center. State CON requirements typically require healthcare providers to obtain state approval before expanding, establishing new facilities or services, or making certain large capital […]

Interagency Community Bank Teleconference: Liquidity and Funding Risk Management

FIL-55-2017 October 24, 2017 Interagency Community Bank Teleconference: Liquidity and Funding Risk Management Printable Format: FIL-55-2017 – PDF (PDF Help) Summary: The FDIC, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors are jointly hosting a teleconference to discuss trends […]

Interagency Community Bank Teleconference: Liquidity and Funding Risk Management

FIL-55-2017 October 24, 2017 Interagency Community Bank Teleconference: Liquidity and Funding Risk Management Printable Format: FIL-55-2017 – PDF (PDF Help) Summary: The FDIC, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors are jointly hosting a teleconference to discuss trends […]

Interagency Community Bank Teleconference: Liquidity and Funding Risk Management

FIL-55-2017 October 24, 2017 Interagency Community Bank Teleconference: Liquidity and Funding Risk Management Printable Format: FIL-55-2017 – PDF (PDF Help) Summary: The FDIC, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors are jointly hosting a teleconference to discuss trends […]

FTC Provides Additional Guidance on COPPA and Voice Recordings

The Federal Trade Commission is providing additional guidance on how the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule applies to the collection of audio voice recordings by organizations covered by the law, which requires certain operators of commercial websites or online services to obtain parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. The FTC updated […]