Markets Wired

Following a trial, a federal court has found Terrason Spinks and his company, Jet Processing Inc., liable for more than $280 million in consumer harm caused by the IWorks scheme.

IWorks’ online marketing campaigns falsely claimed that federal grants for personal needs were generally available to consumers, and that people who used its money-making product were likely to earn substantial income. The company unlawfully enrolled consumers in membership programs without disclosing, or without disclosing clearly, that it would charge their accounts on a recurring basis until they canceled.

The court found that Spinks participated in creating IWorks’ money-making product, and that he and Jet Processing obtained merchant accounts that allowed IWorks to continue bilking consumers when payment processors were closing IWorks accounts because of high chargeback rates – reversals of charges to consumers’ credit cards.

The court’s final order bans Spinks and Jet Processing from selling grant and money-making products, and imposes a $280,911,870 judgment against them.

All of the other defendants in this matter – nine individuals and dozens of corporations – have settled with the FTC. Scott Leavitt and his company, Employee Plus, and Duane Fielding and his companies, Network Agenda and Anthon Holdings, settled with the Commission shortly before the trial. Other individual defendants settled with the FTC in October 2013, April 2014, February 2016, and August 2016.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about consumer topics and file a consumer complaint online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357). Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, read our blogs and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.