At FTC’s Request, Federal Court Finds Defendants in Contempt for Continuing to Pitch Bogus Credit Repair Services in Violation of Prior Court Order

Responding to charges by the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has found a credit repair operation in contempt for violating a previous court order that required the defendants to stop promoting bogus credit repair products and services to consumers.  The court ordered the defendants to pay $6.4 million to the FTC within 30 […]

FTC Announces Agenda for Workshop Exploring Practices, Privacy Implications of Comprehensive Collection of Web Data

The Federal Trade Commission announced a preliminary agenda for The Big Picture: Comprehensive Data Collection, a workshop that will explore the practices and privacy implications of comprehensive data collection.  The workshop will be held in Washington, DC, on Dec. 6, 2012, and is free and open to the public. Consumer protection organizations, academics, business and […]

Statement by FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director David Vladeck Regarding Judges Approval of Google Safari Settlement

Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection Director David Vladeck issued the following statement regarding a federal judge’s approval of the FTC proposed order and $22.5 million civil penalty settling charges that Google misrepresented privacy assurances to users of Apple’s Safari Internet browser in violation of a previous FTC settlement Order: “The court’s approval of […]

FTC Warns Mortgage Advertisers that Their Ads May Violate Federal Law

After reviewing hundreds of mortgage advertisements, the Federal Trade Commission staff has sent letters to 20 companies, warning them that their ads may be deceptive. The FTC sent its warning letters to real estate agents, home builders, and lead generators, urging them to review their advertisements for compliance with the Mortgage Acts and Practices Advertising […]

FTC Warns Consumers: Robocalls Touting Expedited FTC Refunds Are Fake

Scammers are using illegal robocalls to impersonate the Federal Trade Commission, and to try to trick consumers into disclosing their bank account information on a non-FTC website, the agency warns.  The scammers’ robocalls direct consumers to the website http://ftcrefund.com, which deceives consumers into thinking they can get, or expedite, a refund from the FTC by […]

FTC Issues Performance and Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2012

The Federal Trade Commission has issued its Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Performance and Accountability Report. The report shows American taxpayers how the FTC has managed its resources, highlights major accomplishments in fulfilling the FTC’s two core goals of protecting consumers and promoting competition, and outlines plans for addressing future challenges. As required by the Reports […]

FTC Announces Expanded Fight to Stop Deceptive Business Opportunity Schemes

The Federal Trade Commission will host a press conference in Washington, DC, on Thursday, November 15, 2012, at 11 a.m. ET to announce a major federal-state law enforcement crackdown on scams that falsely promise jobs and opportunities to “be your own boss” to people who are unemployed or underemployed.  David C. Vladeck, Director of the […]

Marketers Behind Fake News Sites Settle FTC Charges of Deceptive Advertising

The Clickbooth affiliate network has agreed to pay $2 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its affiliate marketers deceived consumers through bogus weight-loss claims on fake news sites about acai berry supplements and so-called “colon cleansers.” The FTC will seek to use the $2 million judgment announced today to provide refunds to consumers […]

FTC Announces Departure of General Counsel Willard K. Tom, Appointments of David Shonka as Acting General Counsel and Peter Miller as Chief Privacy Officer

Federal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz today announced that Willard K. “Will” Tom, the agency’s General Counsel, has left the agency to return to the private sector, and that David Shonka, the FTC’s Principal Deputy General Counsel, will serve as Acting General Counsel.  Leibowitz also announced the appointment of Peter Miller as the FTC’s Chief […]

FTC Announces Agenda for Upcoming Forum on Protecting Consumers Through Cross-Border Codes of Conduct

8:30 Registration 9:00 Introductory Remarks Commissioner Edith Ramirez Federal Trade Commission 9:10 Panel The Rise of Cross-Border Codes of Conduct Moderator: Stacy Feuer, Assistant Director for International Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission Panelists: Sungjoon Cho, Professor, Chicago-Kent College of Law Joseph N. Mariano, President, Direct Selling Association Robin Simpson, Senior Policy Adviser, Consumers International David […]