FTC Sending Refund Checks Totaling More Than $533,000 to Consumer Victims of Phony Mortgage Relief Scam

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 862 refund checks totaling more than $533,000 to consumers deceived by a phony mortgage relief scheme allegedly perpetrated by a company called A to Z Marketing, Inc. Starting today, many homeowners who paid for the bogus “service” will receive refunds, with the average check totaling $619.24 and representing 26 […]

Bollman Hat Company Settles with FTC, Agrees to Stop Making Deceptive ‘Made in USA’ and Certification Claims

A Pennsylvania-based company has agreed to stop making false claims that the hats and other products it sells are all or virtually all made in the United States, and to stop deceptive use of its “American Made Matters” certification and marketing materials under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. Exhibit B – Screen capture […]

Statement by Acting FTC Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen Regarding Announcement of the President’s Intent to Nominate Her to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims

“I am honored that the President has expressed his intent to nominate me to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, one of the oldest federal courts in our nation. In the meantime, I will continue to serve at the Federal Trade Commission until a time when I may be so fortunate […]

FTC Halts Deceptive Mortgage Loan Modification Scheme

The defendants, charged with violating the FTC Act and the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Rule [MARS Rule (Regulation O)], are Preferred Law PLLC; Consumer Defense LLC (Nevada); Consumer Defense LLC (Utah); Consumer Link Inc.; American Home Loan Counselors; American Home Loans LLC; Consumer Defense Group LLC, formerly known as Modification Review Board LLC; Brown Legal […]

FTC Returns Money to Victims of High School ‘Diploma’ Scheme

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing 8,043 checks totaling more than $216,000 to people who paid Stratford Career Institute, a correspondence school whose expensive high school “diploma” program failed to meet the basic requirements set by most states. People who tried to use the company’s diplomas often were told by potential employers and college admissions […]

FTC Requires Divestitures as Condition of 7-Eleven, Inc. Parent Company’s $3.3 Billion Acquisition of Nearly 1,100 Retail Fuel Outlets from Competitor Sunoco

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd, the Tokyo-based parent company of the 7-Eleven network of convenience stores, has agreed to certain conditions in order to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its proposed $3.3 billion acquisition of approximately 1,100 retail fuel outlets from Sunoco would violate federal antitrust law. According to the complaint, which also […]

FTC Releases Annual Privacy and Data Security Update

The Federal Trade Commission today released its annual report summarizing its privacy and data security work in 2017. The Commission is the nation’s primary privacy and data security enforcer and one of the most active privacy and data security enforcers in the world. The FTC uses a variety of tools to protect consumers’ privacy and […]

FTC Staff Issues Comment on Proposed Occupational Licensing Reform in Nebraska

Federal Trade Commission staff submitted written comments on proposed Nebraska legislation that would require review of the competitive impact of the state’s licensing regulations and laws, with the goal of procompetitive reform of restrictions on regulated occupations. The comments, drafted in response to a request from Nebraska State Senator Laura Ebke, support the approach described […]

FTC Updates Textile Rules to Eliminate Obsolete Requirement

The Federal Trade Commission is updating the Rules and Regulations under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (Textile Rules). The Textile Rules require marketers to place a label on certain textile products to disclose certain information, such as the name under which the manufacturer or other responsible company does business. In June 2017, the Commission […]

Acting FTC Chairman Ohlhausen Reports One Year of Agency Accomplishments

Federal Trade Commission Acting Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen released a summary of the agency’s major accomplishments one year after being named to lead the agency. Building upon the work of the first six months of her tenure, the FTC pursued vigorous enforcement of competition and consumer protection laws, promoted economic liberty, and extended the agency’s […]