News Releases for October 1998
October 30, 1998
- For Your Information: October 30, 1998
Announced Actions for October 30, 1998
The FTC has received applications for approval of transactions from the following entities. The FTC is seeking public comments on the applications for 30 days, until November 30, 1998.
October 28, 1998
- For Release: October 28, 1998
Announced Actions for October 28, 1998
Shell Oil Company and Texaco Inc. have been granted approval to divest 29 Shell and Texaco service stations in San Diego, California, to New West Petroleum, Inc. and 27 gas stations and Texaco’s interest in a terminal in Oahu, Hawaii, to U.S. Restaurant Properties, Inc.
- For Release: October 28, 1998
Major Producer of Merged Credit Reports Agrees to Settle Charges of Violating Fair Credit Reporting Act;
Settlement Would Require Company to Investigate; Take Other Actions
October 27, 1998
- For Release: October 27, 1998
FTC Announces Results of Inspection of Funeral Homes in Nevada for Compliance with Consumer Protection Law
The Federal Trade Commission today announced the results of a sweep of 38 funeral homes in Las Vegas, Reno and Carson City.
- For Release: October 27, 1998
Settlement with Company that Offered "Credit Repair Services Bans Principals from Such Business in Future
Individuals Liable for $350,000 in Consumer Redress
October 23, 1998
- For Release: October 23, 1998
Federal/Industry/Consumer Partnership Announces Consumer Education Campaign to Combat Home Improvement Fraud
Consumers annually spend over $120 billion on home improvement projects. Unfortunately, say law enforcement officials, many of these consumers are victimized by unscrupulous or fraudulent contractors.
- For Release: October 23, 1998
Commission to Seek Public Comment on 900-Number Rule Revisions
Agency Believes Proposed Changes Would Combat Telephone Bill Cramming and Other Fraudulent Practices in Pay-Per-Call Industry
October 21, 1998
- Media Advisory : October 21, 1998
"Home Improvement: Tools You Can Use"
Federal, Industry and Consumer Groups to Announce Joint Consumer Education Effort
October 20, 1998
- For Release: October 20, 1998
"Y2K? Y 2 CARE" Series Offers Tips for Consumers and Industry about How To Prepare for the Year 2000
Agency Focuses on Education and Outreach to Take the Sting Out of the "Millennium Bug"
- For Release: October 20, 1998
FTC and DOJ Announce "Communiqué" from First Antitrust "Summit of the Americas"
The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice today published a "Communiqué" from the first "Antitrust Summit of the Americas."
- For Release: October 20, 1998
FTC Accepts Ahold/Giant Settlement
Agreement Will Keep Supermarket Prices Competitive in Maryland and Pennsylvania
October 19, 1998
- For Your Information: October 19, 1998
Announced Actions for October 19, 1998
Under the terms of a final order approved by the Commission, Nortek, Inc. will divest M&S, its wholly-owned subsidiary and the second-largest seller of hard-wired residential intercoms in the United States, to a Commission-approved third-party by no later than December 30, 1998.
October 16, 1998
- For Release: October 16, 1998
Pitofsky Assesses Impact of Merger Guideline Revisions
Robert Pitofsky, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, said today that 18 months after adoption of new guidelines for treating efficiency claims in defense of mergers, dire predictions about the effect of the guideline revisions have proven inaccurate.
- For Release:October 16, 1998
LaFarge Settles FTC Charges (Corrected)
Agreement To Buy Holnam's Assets Restructured To Protect Cement Prices In Puget Sound
October 15, 1998
- For Release: October 15, 1998
FTC and Eight Attorneys General Seek Preliminary Injunction to Require Marketer of "Do-It-Yourself" Termite Bait System to Change Its Ads
Complaint Alleges that Ads and Promotional Materials For "TERMINATE" Are Deceptive
- For Release: October 15, 1998
FTC Continues to Steer Consumers away from Deceptive Automobile Lease and Credit Ads
Chrysler and Two Ad Agencies Settle Commission Charges That Their Car Ads Were Deceptive
October 14, 1998
- For Release: October 14, 1998
FTC Upholds Charges that Toys "R" Us Induced Toy Makers to Stop Selling Desirable Toys to Warehouse Clubs
Nation’s Largest Toy Retailer Ordered To Stop Illegal Practices Which Have Injured Competition and Consumers
- Electric Industry Restructuring: October 14, 1998
FTC Staff Files Comment with Massachusetts Office about Rules Governing Regulated Utilities and Unregulated Affiliates
The staff of the Federal Trade Commission on October 8 filed a comment with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (MDTE) outlining issues it may wish to consider as it reviews its rules governing transactions between a regulated electric utility and its unregulated affiliates.
October 13, 1998
- For Your Information: October 13, 1998
FTC Premerger Notification Office Issues Formal Interpretation Under Hart-Scott-Rodino Act
The Premerger Notification Office of the Federal Trade Commission, with the concurrence of the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, has issued a Formal Interpretation under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (HSR) and rules setting forth the conditions under which the creation, or acquisition of an interest in, a Limited Liability Company (LLC) will be reportable under the HSR Act.
October 8, 1998
- For Release: October 8, 1998
FTC Wins Landmark Case Against National Franchisor
Minuteman Press Caused Substantial Injury to Consumers and Must Pay Monetary Redress, Court Says
- For Release: October 8, 1998
FTC Wraps Up Record Year in Antitrust Enforcement [corrected]
Antitrust enforcement at the Federal Trade Commission has just concluded one of the most active years in recent memory, according to William J. Baer, Director of the agency's Bureau of Competition.
October 7, 1998
- For Release: October 7, 1998
FTC Charges Three Indiana Telemarketers with Deceptively Soliciting Small Businesses to Pay for Advertisements "Community" Publications
A U.S. District Court has ordered a temporary halt to the operations of three Fort Wayne-based telemarketers charged by the Federal Trade Commission with deceptively convincing small businesses they owe for unordered advertisements in publications purported to be affiliated with "civic" or "charitable" organizations.
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For Release: October 7, 1998
Two Companies And Their Principals Agree to Settle FTC Charges of Misrepresenting "Credit Repair" Services; Court Enters Final Judgment Against a Third
The Federal Trade Commission has negotiated settlements with two companies and their principals to resolve charges brought against them as part of "Operation Eraser," a federal-state crackdown on fraudulent credit repair firms.
October 6, 1998
- For Release: October 6, 1998
One of Country's Largest Debt Collectors Agrees to Pay Record $1 Million Civil Penalty to Settle Charges of Violating Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Settlement Includes Comprehensive Consumer Complaint Handling, Employee Training
- For Release: October 6, 1998
Las Vegas Filmmaking Telemarketers in FTC Investment Fraud Case Permanently Banned from Engaging in Telemarketing Activities
Four individuals and four companies, named by the Federal Trade Commission in its "Project Field of Schemes" investment fraud cases, have agreed to settle FTC charges that they, and others, made numerous misrepresentations when soliciting consumers to invest in films produced by filmmaker, Lyman Dayton.
- For Release: October 6, 1998
FTC Staff and Washington, D.C. and Oregon Officials Check Used Car Lots for "Buyers Guide"
Staff of the Federal Trade Commission and local investigators recently checked used car lots in Washington, D.C. and Oregon to evaluate compliance with the FTC's Used Car Rule, which requires used car dealers to post a Buyers Guide detailing warranty and other important information on the used cars they sell.
- For Your Information: October 6, 1998
FTC Files Comment with FCC About Advanced Telecom Services
On September 25, the Federal Trade Commission staff filed a comment with the Federal Communications Commission about competition issues related to FCC's proposed framework for the development and deployment of advanced telecommunications services by the local exchange carriers (LEC).
- For Your Information: October 6, 1998
Announced Action(s) for October 6, 1998
The Commission has voted to make final a consent order against TrendMark International, Inc. and its owners, William McCormack and E. Robert Gates.
October 5, 1998
- For Release: October 5, 1998
Court Halts Pre-Paid Telephone Cards Scam Following FTC Charges
A federal District Court has ordered a temporary halt to the allegedly deceptive sales practices of a Hollywood, Florida company and its principals selling "talking" vending machines and pre-paid telephone cards.
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For Release: October 5, 1998
"Project $cholar$cam" Defendants Settle FTC Charges
A Florida company and its officers have been banned from providing scholarship services and business information reporting services as part of a settlement resolving Federal Trade Commission charges that they fraudulently promoted these services to consumers across the country.
October 2, 1998
- For Release: October 2, 1998
FTC Testifies Before Senate Subcommittee on International Antitrust Issues
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Robert Pitofsky today presented Commission testimony on international antitrust issues before a Senate Subcommittee.
October 1, 1998
- Embargoed for 10:30 am Release: October 1, 1998
Federal/State Campaign Targets Mass Mail Fraud
New Initiatives, Private Sector Contributions Are Designed To Give The Bandit In The Mailbox The Boot
- For Release: October 1, 1998
Shell Oil Company to Divest Parts of Gas Pipeline System in Oklahoma and Texas to Resolve FTC Competition Concerns over ANR Acquisition
Shell Oil Company and its subsidiary, Tejas Energy, LLC, have agreed to divest approximately 171 miles of their natural gas pipeline system in Oklahoma and Texas in order to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the firms' acquisition of gas gathering assets of The Coastal Corporation violates antitrust laws.
- For Release: October 1, 1998
FTC Accepts Agreement to Resolve Antitrust Concerns Arising from an Acquisition in The Automated External Defibrillators Market The Federal Trade Commission today announced a proposed settlement to resolve competitive concerns arising from Medtronic, Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Physio-Control International Corporation's automated external defibrillator ("AED") business.
- For Release: October 1, 1998
FTC Announces Reorganization of Its Competition Bureau
William J. Baer, Director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition, has announced a reorganization within the Bureau and the appointment of three new Assistant Directors.