Markets Wired

The Federal Trade Commission has extended the deadline through August 8, 2013 for public comments regarding recently announced proposed changes to the agency’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR).  The proposed changes concern banning certain payment methods favored in fraudulent telemarketing transactions.  In a press release issued May 21, 2013, the FTC announced July 29, 2013 as the close of the public comment period. 

A slightly modified version of the original notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the Federal Register on July 9.  The revised notice contains non-substantive changes that remove quoted excerpts of current and proposed TSR provisions, which were included in the original version of the notice to provide readers with a better understanding of the proposed changes.  The FTC has extended the deadline to the public comment period for 30 days after the notice was published in the Federal Register, until August 8. Comments can be submitted electronically.

The Commission vote to extend the public comment period was 4-0.  (FTC File No. R411001; the staff contact is Karen Hobbs, 202-326-3587)

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers 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, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.