Operators of Student Loan Debt Relief Schemes Settle FTC Charges

The defendants in two student loan debt relief cases have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission claims that they charged consumers illegal upfront fees and falsely promised to help reduce or forgive student loan debt burdens. The settlements with Strategic Student Solutions and Bloom Law Group are part of a coordinated federal-state law enforcement initiative […]

FTC Staff Submits Comment to Pennsylvania PUC

The Federal Trade Commission staff has submitted a comment to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) on a proposed rulemaking that would update rules and regulations that provide retail electricity pricing transparency to residential and small commercial electricity customers. The staff comment, representing the views of the agency’s Office of the General Counsel, Office of Policy […]

FTC Requests Public Comment on Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.’s Application to Approve Sale of Three Fuel Stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin

The Federal Trade Commission is currently accepting public comments on an application by Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (“ACT”) to divest three of its 10 fuel stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The divestitures are required under the FTC’s Feb. 16, 2018 final order settling charges that ACT’s proposed acquisition of Holiday Companies would violate federal antitrust law. […]

Administrative Law Judge Dismisses FTC Antitrust Complaint against Generic Pharmaceutical Company Impax Laboratories, Inc.

In an Initial Decision announced on May 18, 2018, Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell dismissed the antitrust charges in a complaint issued by the Federal Trade Commission against generic pharmaceutical company Impax Laboratories, Inc. The FTC’s January 2017 administrative complaint alleged that in June 2010, Impax and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. illegally agreed that […]

FTC Gives Final Approval to Settlement with PayPal Related to Allegations Involving its Venmo Peer-to-Peer Payment Service

The Federal Trade Commission has given final approval to a settlement with PayPal, Inc. over allegations that its Venmo peer-to-peer payment service misled consumers about their ability to transfer funds to external bank accounts and control the privacy of their Venmo transactions. In its complaint, the FTC alleges that when Venmo notified users that money […]

FTC Announces Agenda for June 5 Workshop on Competition in Residential Real Estate Brokerage to Be Held Jointly with the Department of Justice

The Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice issued the agenda today for a joint public workshop that will explore competition issues in the residential real estate brokerage industry. The workshop will take place on June 5, 2018, at the FTC’s Constitution Center Auditorium, 400 7th St., SW, Washington, DC. The event begins at 9:00 a.m. […]

FTC Action Halts Deceptive Robocalls Aimed at Small Business Owners

The Federal Trade Commission has charged a Florida-based scheme with deceiving small business owners by falsely claiming to represent Google, falsely threatening businesses with removal from Google search results, and falsely promising first-place or first-page placement in Google search results. According to the FTC, the Point Break defendants have no relationship with Google, and yet they […]

FTC Testimony Highlights Agency’s Work to Protect Consumers, Promote Competition

In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, the Federal Trade Commission described its work to protect consumers and promote competition through vigorous enforcement, education, advocacy, and policy work, and by anticipating and responding to changes in the marketplace. Testifying on behalf of the Commission, Chairman Joe Simons noted that the […]

FTC Announces Refund Claim Process for Consumers Who Bought the NutriMost Weight-Loss System in the Pittsburgh Area

The Federal Trade Commission today announced a refund claim process in its case against NutriMost. The Commission has posted a refund claim form online. Consumers who bought the NutriMost Ultimate Fat Loss System in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area between October 1, 2012 and August 9, 2016, are eligible to apply for a refund. Specifically, consumers […]

Oversight of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement

Washington D.C. Before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment Chairman Huizenga, Ranking Member Maloney, and Members of the Subcommittee:   Thank you for inviting us to testify today on behalf of the Division of Enforcement (“Enforcement” or the “Division”) of the U.S. Securities and […]