August 28, 1998

• For Release: August 28, 1998
  Two Companies And Their Principals Agree to Settle FTC Charges of Misrepresenting "Credit Repair" Services
  The Federal Trade Commission has taken another step to halt fraudulent credit repair

• For Your Information: August 28, 1998
  FTC Staff Files Comment with FDA About Substantiation of Dietary Supplement Claims
The staff of the Federal Trade Commission today filed comments with the Food and Drug Administration suggesting that FDA highlight, in its proposed rule on dietary supplement claims, the requirement that such claims be substantiated.

August 27, 1998

• For Release: August 27, 1998 - CORRECTED
  Merck Settles FTC Charges that Its Acquisition of Medco Could Cause Higher Prices and Reduced Quality for Prescription Drugs (Corrected)
  Company Agrees to Preserve Competition in the Pharmaceutical Market
  

August 26, 1998

• For Release : August 26, 1998
  Toys Unlimited Defendants to Settle FTC Charges
  Toys Unlimited International, Inc., and its principals, have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated the Commission's Franchise Rule.

• For Release: August 26, 1998
  FTC Charges Against Trans Union Upheld
  Administrative Law Judge Orders Credit Bureau Stop Using Credit Data to Create Target Marketing Lists

• For Release: August 26, 1998
  Washington, DC-based Title Plant Agrees to Settle FTC Charges
  Agency Alleges Combination of Two Firms Would Reduce Competition

• For Your Information: August 26, 1998
  Announced Action for August 26, 1998
  Several consent orders with Columbia/HCA Corporation have been modified by the Commission.

August 24, 1998

• For Release: August 24, 1998
  Design Travel Settles FTC Charges
  A California telemarketer who promised "resort accommodations" and "luxury cruises," but delivered third-rate hotels and ferry boat rides, has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that he deceptively marketed travel services in violation of federal law.

August 21, 1998

• For Release: August 21, 1998
  Summit and VISX Settle FTC Charges of Violating Antitrust Laws
  Summit Technology, Inc. and VISX, Inc., two firms that compete in the market for equipment and technology employed in photorefractive keratectomy ("PRK"), a form of eye surgery that uses lasers to correct vision, have settled Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated antitrust laws by creating a patent pool that raised prices and eliminated competition .

• Regulatory Reform Update: August 21, 1998
  FTC Rescinds Feather and Down Guides
  After extensive review of the Guides for the Feather and Down Products Industry, the Federal Trade Commission has determined that the Guides have not promoted compliance with provisions of the FTC Act, and may, in fact, have hindered industry compliance.

• For Your Information: August 21, 1998
  Announced Actions for August 21, 1998
  The FTC has received a petition from the following entity seeking changes in an FTC order.

August 20, 1998

• Regulatory Reform: August 20, 1998
  FTC Votes to Retain Negative Option Rule For Sales of Merchandise
  The Federal Trade Commission today announced that it has voted to retain the Negative Option Rule, which governs the operation of prenotification subscription plans.

• For Release: August 20, 1998
  Exxon, Royal Dutch Shell Settle FTC Charges
  The Federal Trade Commission has reached a settlement agreement with Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon over charges that their proposed joint venture to develop, manufacture, and sell viscosity index improver -- an essential motor oil additive -- would reduce competition and violate federal antitrust laws.

• For Release: August 20, 1998
  Merger of Only Two Hospitals in Poplar Bluff, Mo., Would Violate Antitrust Laws, FTC Charges
  The Federal Trade Commission yesterday issued an administrative challenge to the $40 million proposed merger of Lucy Lee Hospital, owned by Tenet Healthcare Corporation (Tenet), and Doctors Regional Medical Center (DRMC), the only two general hospitals in Poplar Bluff, Missouri.

August 19, 1998

• For Release: August 19, 1998
  "Operation Cold Call" Disconnects Suspected Violators of California Telemarketing Law
  FTC Joins FBI and California Officials in Law Enforcement Sweep

August 18, 1998

• For Release: August 18, 1998
  Gemstone Telemarketers Agree to Pay Monetary Judgment to Settle FTC Charges
  Three California-based telemarketing companies and their owner, Hari Jiwan Singh Khalsa, have agreed to settle charges filed by the Federal Trade Commission as part of "Project Field of Schemes" -- a sweep targeted at investment-related fraud -- alleging that they made numerous misrepresentations when soliciting consumers to buy gemstones as investments.

August 13, 1998

• For Release: August 13, 1998
  Internet Site Agrees to Settle FTC Charges of Deceptively Collecting Personal Information in Agency's First Internet Privacy Case
  Commission Establishes Strong Mechanisms for Protecting Consumers' Privacy Online

• For Release: August 13, 1998
  Federal/State Report, "Milk: Does it Measure Up?--One Year Later," Finds Improved Accuracy of Milk Labeling
  Federal and state authorities today released a nationwide study of the accuracy of net content labeling of milk.

• For Your Information: August 13, 1998
  Associates in Neurology
  Staff of the Federal Trade Commission have advised a group of neurologists in the Los Angeles area that they do not intend to recommend a challenge to the neurologists' plan to establish an independent provider association known as Associates in Neurology (AIN).

August 12, 1998

• Electric Industry Restructuring: August 12, 1998
  FTC Staff Files Comment With Louisiana Public Service Commission
  The staff of the Federal Trade Commission on August 10 filed a comment with them Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) about stranded costs and benefits arising from electric industry restructuring and competition in the provision of retail electric service.

• Electric Industry Restructuring: August 12, 1998
  FTC Files Comment with State Attorneys General About Green Guidelines for Electricity
  The staff of the Federal Trade Commission on August 10 filed a comment with the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) about its discussion draft Green Guidelines for Electricity.

• Electric Industry Restructuring: August 12, 1998
  FTC Staff Files Comment With Michigan Public Service Commission
  The staff of the Federal Trade Commission on August 10 filed a comment with the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) about its staff report, "Staff Market Power Discussion Paper."

August 11, 1998

• For Release: August 11, 1998
  Federal, State Law Enforcers Move Against Bogus Entertainment and Media-related Investments
  Dozens of Investment Opportunity Businesses Targeted in "Project Risky Business"
  
  
• For Release: August 11, 1998
  Project Risky Business
  Opening Statement of Jodie Bernstein, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection at press conference

August 10, 1998

• For Release: August 10, 1998
  Professional Charitable Fundraiser Settles Allegations Of Fraud: Agrees to a Half-million Dollar Judgment
  The Federal Trade Commission today announced a $500,000 settlement agreement with a Phoenix, Arizona, fundraiser who, the FTC alleges, fraudulently solicited donations on behalf of various nonprofit law enforcement, firefighting and veterans' organizations.

• Regulatory Reform Update: August 10, 1998
  FTC Votes to Update Vocational Schools Guides
  The Federal Trade Commission has voted to update its Vocational Schools Guides -- renamed the Guides for Private Vocational and Distance Education Schools.

August 7, 1998

• For Release: August 7, 1998
  FTC Settlement with General Electric Capital Corp. Will Safeguard $60 Million in Redress to Consumers
  50-State Settlement Resolves Charges over Collection of "Reaffirmed Debts" from Consumers in Bankruptcy

• For Your Information: August 7, 1998
  Announced Actions for August 7, 1998
  Shell Oil Company has been granted permission to divest the Shell Anacortes Refining Company in Anacortes, Washington, to Tesoro Petroleum Corporation.

August 6, 1998

• Media Advisory: August 6, 1998
  FTC, Sec and State Securities Administrators Announce "Project Risky Business"
  Nationwide law enforcement crackdown on bogus "investment opportunities" -- risky businesses that have bilked consumers out of millions.

• For Release: August 6, 1998
  FTC Halts Operations of Marketer Selling Bogus "Viagra-like" Impotence Treatment Products
  The Federal Trade Commission has obtained a court order temporarily halting the marketing operations of the American Urological Corporation, and several related companies, all under the direction of David A. Brady, for allegedly false claims about the effectiveness of its impotence treatment products.

• For Release: August 6, 1998
  Alcohol Companies to Supply Data on Their Self-regulatory Activities to FTC
  Agency also Announces Settlement of Charges that TV Ads for Beck's Beer and Kahlua White Russian Violated Federal Law

• For Your Information: August 6, 1998
  Announced Actions for August 6, 1998
  LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc., formerly known as Lawyers Title Corporation (LTC), has been given permission to divest seven title plants in the District of Columbia, Florida and Michigan.

August 5, 1998

• For Release: August 5, 1998
  Consumers Receive "Rust Evader" Refund Checks
  The Federal Trade Commission today announced that it has sent to 738 consumers who purchased purported vehicle anti-corrosion devices sold by RustEvader Corporation refund checks totalling $205,827.52.

• For Release: August 5, 1998
  Auto Dealers in Northwest Threatened Chrysler with Illegal Boycott; FTC Settles Charges
  Agency Claims Unlawful Activity Aimed at Restraining Internet Dealers with Lower Prices

August 4, 1998

• For Release: August 4, 1998
  Connecticut Mail Order House Operators Banned from the Mail Order Business
  International Direct, Inc., a Stamford, Connecticut, mail order house, its counterpart, American Security Products, Inc., and their officers, have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated the FTC's Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule and the FTC Act by failing to deliver mail order goods in a timely manner, issue refunds or provide notification of delays to consumers.

August 3, 1998

• For Release: August 3, 1998
  Canadian-based Telemarketer Banned from the Credit Card Protection Business
  The Tracker Corporation of America, and its president Bruce Lewis, have agreed to be permanently barred from engaging in the credit card protection and credit card registration business as part of a settlement with the FTC.

• For Release: August 3, 1998
  Court Imposes Large Bond Requirements on "Project Roadblock" Defendants
  The Federal Trade Commission today announced that the last of its eight enforcement actions undertaken as part of "Project Roadblock" has been resolved through court action.