A mortgage foreclosure rescue service that claimed that, for a $1,200 fee, they would stop foreclosure and save consumers’ homes, has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated federal law. Many consumers who paid the company ultimately lost their homes to foreclosure, and others avoided foreclosure only through their own efforts. Under […]
Tag Archives: Consumer Protection
Three Home Loan Advertisers Settle FTC Charges; Failed to Disclose Key Loan Terms in Ads
Three mortgage loan advertisers that allegedly deceptively touted low monthly payments and low rates without fully disclosing loan terms have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their ads violated federal law. According to the FTC, the ads represented that people could receive mortgage loans at the terms prominently stated in the ads. However, […]
FTC Town Hall to Address Digital Rights Management Technologies
The Federal Trade Commission and the Technology Law and Public Policy Clinic at the University of Washington School of Law will host a conference on the use of digital rights management technologies, a widespread practice that is expected to become increasingly prevalent in the U.S. marketplace in the coming years. Digital rights management (DRM) refers […]
FTC Town Hall to Address Digital Rights Management Technologies
The Federal Trade Commission and the Technology Law and Public Policy Clinic at the University of Washington School of Law will host a conference on the use of digital rights management technologies, a widespread practice that is expected to become increasingly prevalent in the U.S. marketplace in the coming years. Digital rights management (DRM) refers […]
FTC Files Comment with Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission About Retail Electricity Pricing and Customer Participation
The FTC has approved the filing of a comment with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) concerning the PA PUC’s implementation plan for its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program. The comment also replies to the November 18, 2008, presentation made by the Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA) at the PA PUC’s en banc hearing […]
FTC Files Comment with Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission About Retail Electricity Pricing and Customer Participation
The FTC has approved the filing of a comment with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC) concerning the PA PUC’s implementation plan for its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program. The comment also replies to the November 18, 2008, presentation made by the Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA) at the PA PUC’s en banc hearing […]
FTC Approves Federal Register Notice Announcing Increase in the Ceiling on Allowable Charges Required By Section 612(f) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act
The Federal Trade Commission has approved the publication of a Federal Register notice announcing that the ceiling on allowable charges under Section 612(f) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) will increase from $10.50 to $11.00, effective January 1, 2009. Under 1996 amendments to the FCRA, the FTC is required to revise the ceiling each […]
Getting Rid of Your Old Computer?
Computers are a popular gift during the holiday season. People with a new computer often wonder about the best way to get rid of the old one. OnGuardOnline.gov, the computer safety Web site managed by the Federal Trade Commission, has some tips to make this task easier – and more secure. Passwords, health information, and […]
Sony BMG Music Settles Charges Its Music Fan Websites Violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Sony Music) has agreed to pay $1 million as part of a settlement to resolve Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the Commission’s implementing Rule. The Commission’s complaint alleges that, through its music fan Web sites, Sony Music improperly collected, maintained and […]
Court Halts Bogus Computer Scans
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court has issued a temporary halt to a massive “scareware” scheme, which falsely claimed that scans had detected viruses, spyware, and illegal pornography on consumers’ computers. According to the FTC, the scheme has tricked more than one million consumers into buying computer security products […]