For the first time, imposter scams topped the list of consumer complaints submitted in 2018 to the Federal Trade Commission’s nationwide Consumer Sentinel database, driven in part by a jump in reports about government imposter scams. Click image to see full visual snapshot Fraudsters operating government imposter scams falsely claim to be from the Internal […]
Category Archives: Federal Trade Commission
FTC Continues Actions to Stop Deceptive Free-Trial and Negative Option Pitches
The Federal Trade Commission today announced another case in a series of recent actions targeting allegedly deceptive online “free-trial” offers that tricked consumers into enrolling in negative option plans. The Commission’s complaint against a Puerto Rico-based defendant and the companies he controlled alleges violations of the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA) through negative option […]
FTC Extends Public Comment Periods for Some Sessions of its Hearings Initiative
The Federal Trade Commission announced that it has extended the public comment periods for some of the sessions in its Hearings Initiative, and that comments for all the remaining sessions will be due by May 31, 11:59 PM EDT. Specifically, for the following sessions, the deadline for members of the public to submit a comment […]
Video Social Networking App Musical.ly Agrees to Settle FTC Allegations That it Violated Children’s Privacy Law
Note: The FTC will host a conference call for media with Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Andrew Smith: Date: Feb. 27, 2019Time: 2 pm ETCall-in: (800) 553-0318, confirmation number: 464703 Call-in lines, which are for media only, will open 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. Andrew Smith will be available to take […]
FTC Releases Reports on Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Sales and Marketing Expenditures for 2017
The number of cigarettes that the largest cigarette companies in the United States sold to wholesalers and retailers nationwide declined from 240.5 billion in 2016 to 229.1 billion in 2017, according to the most recent Federal Trade Commission Cigarette Report. The amount spent on cigarette advertising and promotion decreased from $8.71 billion in 2016 to […]
FTC and CFPB Reauthorize Memorandum of Understanding
Federal Trade CommissionHeadquarters:600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20580Contact Us Related posts: FTC Presents Criminal Liaison Unit Award to Fraud and Cybercrime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York FTC, CFPB Reauthorize Memorandum of Understanding FTC Presents Criminal Liaison Unit Award to Two San Francisco-Based Assistant U.S. Attorneys for Prosecution […]
FTC Staff Provides Annual Letter to CFPB with ECOA Activities
The staff of the Federal Trade Commission has provided the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with an annual summary of its activities enforcing the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. The FTC is responsible for ECOA enforcement and education regarding most non-bank financial service providers. In its 2018 summary, FTC staff describes the Commission’s work on ECOA-related policy […]
FTC Brings First Case Challenging Fake Paid Reviews on an Independent Retail Website
The Federal Trade Commission today announced its first case challenging a marketer’s use of fake paid reviews on an independent retail website. In settling the agency’s complaint, Cure Encapsulations, Inc. and its owner, Naftula Jacobowitz, resolved allegations that they made false and unsubstantiated claims for their garcinia cambogia weight-loss supplement and that they paid a […]
FTC’s Bureau of Competition Launches Task Force to Monitor Technology Markets
Note: The FTC hosted a conference call for media with Bureau of Competition Director Bruce Hoffman: Date: Feb. 26, 2019Time: 12 noon ETCall-in: (800) 288-8961, confirmation number 464702 Call-in lines, which were for media only, opened 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. Bruce Hoffman took questions about the FTC Technology Task Force. The Federal […]
FTC Halts Fake Job Opportunity and Resume Repair Operation
The Federal Trade Commission charged two companies and their owner with bilking hundreds of thousands dollars annually from consumers for sham job placement and resume repair services. A federal court halted the scheme and froze the defendants’ assets at the FTC’s request. According to the FTC’s complaint, Worldwide Executive Job Search Solutions, LLC, PrivateEquityHeadhunters.com, and […]