News Releases for December 2003
December 30, 2003
- For Your Information: December 30, 2003
Announced Actions for December 30, 2003
The Commission has approved the filing of a complaint against Vinyard Enterprises, Inc., et al.; The FTC has modified its policy regarding the presumptive disclosure of privileged materials that relate to closed matters.; Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved a final consent order in the matter concerning GenCorp Inc.’s acquisition of certain assets of Atlantic Research Corp., a subsidiary of Sequa Corporation, and a letter responding to the commentor of record.
December 29, 2003
- For Release: December 29, 2003
FTC Closes Investigation of Sunoco’s Proposed Acquisition of Coastal Eagle Point Oil Company
Unanimous Vote Allows Sunoco to Buy Philadelphia-Area Eagle Point Refinery
- For Release: December 29, 2003
FTC Announces Results of Inspection of New York Metropolitan Area Funeral Homes For Compliance with Consumer Protection Laws
The Federal Trade Commission staff today announced the results of a sweep of 29 funeral homes in the greater New York City metropolitan area, including Kings County in New York and Fairfield County in Connecticut, to test compliance with the FTC’s Funeral Rule.
December 24, 2003
- For Release: December 24, 2003
FTC Charges Piedmont Health Alliance And 10 Physicians with Price Fixing
Frye Regional Medical Center and Tenet Healthcare Corporation Settle FTC Charges About Their Role in Physician Price Fixing
December 23, 2003
- For Release : December 23, 2003
Court Bars Canadian Company from Misleading Consumers in Marketing of Internet Domain Name Services
Stipulated Order Requires Payment of Consumer Redress, Prohibits Future Deceptive Conduct
- Joint Release : December 23, 2003
Federal Regulators Seek Public Comment on Ways to Improve Privacy Notices
Eight federal regulators today issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) requesting public comment on ways to improve the privacy notices financial institutions provide to consumers under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB Act).
December 19, 2003
- For Your Information: December 19, 2003
Announced Action for December 19, 2003
The Commission has approved the publication of a Federal Register notice regarding the ceiling on allowable charges for certain disclosures under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
December 18, 2003
- For Release: December 18, 2003
Resolving Anticompetitive Concerns, FTC Clears General Electric’s Acquisition of AGFA’s Nondestructive Testing Business
GE Required to Divest its Panametrics Ultrasonic NDT Business to R/D Tech, Inc.
- For Release: December 18, 2003
FTC and Department of Justice Issue Merger Challenges Data, Announce Upcoming Merger Enforcement Workshop
The Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today issued a report summarizing merger challenges data for the two agencies for fiscal years 1999-2003, and announced that they will hold a joint workshop on merger enforcement in Washington, DC, on February 17-19, 2004.
- For Release: December 18, 2003
Commission Rules Schering-Plough, Upsher, and AHP Illegally Delayed Entry of Lower-Cost Generic Drug
In an administrative opinion made public today, the Federal Trade Commission ruled that Schering-Plough Corporation (Schering), Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. (Upsher), and American Home Products (AHP) entered into illegal agreements in 1997 and 1998 to delay the entry of lower-cost generic competition for Schering’s prescription drug K-Dur 20, which is used to treat people with low potassium.
December 17, 2003
- For Release : December 17, 2003
Court Settlements Bar Defendants from Sale of Credit Card Protection, Advance-Fee Credit Cards
Joint FTC/Illinois Complaint Filed as Part of 2001's “Operation Ditch the Pitch”
- For Release: December 17, 2003
Sellers of ‘Girls Gone Wild’ Videos Charged with Deceptive Practices
Company Allegedly Charged Consumers’ Credit and Debit Cards Without Consent
- For Release: December 17, 2003
Court Closes the Book on Charity Scam
Defendants Solicited Donations for Books for Hospitalized Children
December 16, 2003
- For Your Information: December 16, 2003
Announced Action for December 16, 2003
The Commission, in conjunction with the Federal Reserve Board, has approved the publication of two Federal Register notices issuing Interim Rules and a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to set effective dates for provisions of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) that do not contain effective dates.
- For Release: December 16, 2003
Agencies “Pushing the Envelope” to Protect Consumers
FTC, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, States, and Council of BBBs Announce Crackdown on Deceptive Pitches for Work-at-Home Envelope-Stuffing Business Opportunities
December 15, 2003
- For Release: December 15, 2003
Marketers of Cell Phone Radiation Protection Patches Settle FTC Charges
Distributors of the “WaveShield” cell phone radiation patches that claim to protect consumers by blocking up to 99 percent of electromagnetic (“EM”) radiation emitted by cell and cordless phones have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their claims are unsubstantiated and false.
- For Release: December 15, 2003
FTC Staff Weighs in on Food Labels and Obesity
Recommended Label Changes May Help Consumers Choose Lower-Calorie Foods
- For Release: December 15, 2003
FTC Committed to Fighting Identity Theft
The Federal Trade Commission continues to be vigilant in protecting consumers from identity theft, according to FTC testimony delivered today.
December 12, 2003
- Media Advisory : December 12, 2003
FTC, Postal Inspectors, and Better Business Bureau To Announce Results of “Operation Pushing the Envelope”
The Federal Trade Commission will host a joint press conference on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 at 10:30 a.m. E.S.T., to announce the results of an enforcement and consumer education effort targeting work-at-home business opportunity fraud.
December 9, 2003
- For Release: December 9, 2003
FTC Releases Guidance to Media on False Weight-Loss Claims
Staff Report on Weight-Loss Advertising Workshop Made Available
- For Release: December 9, 2003
FTC Announces Law Enforcement Actions Against Marketers of Fraudulent Weight-loss Products
“Fraudulent weight-loss products target people desperate to lose weight and willing to try almost anything,” said Federal Trade Commission Chairman Timothy Muris in announcing law enforcement actions against three marketers of weight-loss products.
- For Your Information: December 9, 2003
Announced Action for December 9, 2003
Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved three final consent orders in matters concerning: the New Hampshire Motor Transport Association; the Alabama Trucking Association, Inc.; and the Movers Conference of Mississippi, Inc.
- For Release: December 9, 2003
Internet Mortgage Scam Halted
An Internet operation that advertised “3.95% 30 Year Mortgages” to obtain sensitive financial information from consumers has been barred from violating federal lending and privacy laws.
December 8, 2003
- For Release: December 8, 2003
Only You Can Register Your Number on FTC’s Do Not Call List
Court Order Prohibits Defendant from Claiming Ability to Sign Up Consumers on the Registry
- Media Advisory: December 8, 2003
FTC to Unveil Media Guidance for Weight Loss Advertising Claims
The Federal Trade Commission will host a press conference Tuesday December 9, 2003 to unveil new media guidance for weight loss advertising claims.
December 5, 2003
- For Your Information: December 5, 2003
Announced Action for December 5, 2003
The Commission has received a petition from Sasol North America, Inc. (Sasol), formerly Vista Chemical Company and CONDEA Vista Company (collectively, Vista), requesting that the Commission reopen and set aside an FTC consent order entered in June 1991, and finalized on November 13, 1991.
December 3, 2003
- For Release: December 3, 2003
Former FTC Consumer Protection Director Named Recipient of 2003 Miles K. Kirkpatrick Award
Jodie Bernstein, former Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, has been named the 2003 recipient of the Miles W. Kirkpatrick Award. FTC Chairman Timothy J. Muris called Bernstein “a legend in her own time.”
December 2, 2003
- For Release: December 2, 2003
FTC Staff Provides FDA with Comments on Direct-To-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising
Agency Encouraged to Examine Ways to Provide Consumers with Truthful, Non-Misleading Information in a Format That is Easy to Understand and Access
December 1, 2003
- For Your Information: December 1, 2003
La FTC Advierte A Los Consumidores Sobre La Estafa De Una Lotería Española Denominada “El Gordo”
- For Release: December 1, 2003
FTC Urges Consumers to Be Wary of “El Gordo” Spanish Lottery Scam