Markets Wired

FTC Approves Final Settlement Order with Dave & Busters

Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final settlement order with entertainment operation Dave & Busters. The final order settles charges that the company failed to secure customers’ sensitive credit and debit card information, resulting in several hundred thousand dollars in fraudulent charges.

The FTC vote approving the final order was 4-0, with Commissioner Edith Ramirez not participating. (FTC File No. 0823153; the staff contact is Katrina Blodgett, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3158. See press release dated March 25, 2010 at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/03/davebusters.shtm.)

FTC Rejects COPPA Safe Harbor Application

The Commission has rejected the application of iSAFE, Inc. to operate as a Safe Harbor program under the FTC Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA) Rule. The application was submitted to the FTC under a provision of the COPPA Rule that allows entities to request FTC approval of proposed guidelines that govern compliance with the Rule.

The vote denying iSafe’s application to operate a Safe Harbor Program under COPPA was 5-0. (FTC File No. P094504; the staff contacts are Mamie Kresses and Phyllis Marcus, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-2070 or 202-326-2854. See press release dated
January 6, 2010 at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/01/isafe.shtm.)

The Federal Trade Commission works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, click http://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or call 1-877-382-4357. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,800 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. For free information on a variety of consumer topics, click http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/consumer.shtm.