News Releases for October 2010

October 29, 2010

• For Release: October 29, 2010
  Appellate Court Upholds Order Requiring Promoters of Supreme Greens and Coral Calcium Dietary Supplements To Pay $48.2 Million for Deceptive AdsCourt Backs FTC, Cites "Complete Absence of Support" for Vast Majority of Health Claims
• For Release: October 29, 2010
  Psst... Hey Buddy, Wanna Sell a Timeshare?At FTC’s Request, Court Stops Fraudsters Who Took Advantage of Consumers Trying to Resell Timeshares
• For Your Information: October 29, 2010
  FTC Approves Dow Chemical Company Application to Modify Contract with Arkema Inc.Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a request submitted by The Dow Chemical Company to modify a software licensing agreement with Arkema Inc.

October 28, 2010

• For Release: October 28, 2010
  FTC Charges Marketer for Making Phony Claims That Dietary Supplements Can Treat and Prevent DiabetesAs part of its ongoing efforts to stop bogus disease treatment claims, the Federal Trade
  Commission has filed suit against an online marketer that allegedly deceived consumers with baseless claims that its supplements would treat and prevent diabetes.
• For Your Information: October 28, 2010
  FTC Staff Report Recommends Expanding Coverage of Business Opportunity Rule and Streamlining Required DisclosuresThe Federal Trade Commission has released a staff report recommending that coverage of the FTC’s Business Opportunity Rule be expanded to include work-at-home opportunities such as envelope stuffing, medical billing, and product assembly, many of which have not been covered before.
• For Release: October 28, 2010
  FTC Obtains Court Order Barring Credit Repair Operation from Making False Claims and Charging Up-Front FeesA credit repair operation has agreed to stop making false claims and stop charging up-front fees under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

October 27, 2010

• For Release: October 27, 2010
  FTC Issues Enforcement Policy Statement on New Debt Relief RuleEnforcement Deferred for Tax Debt Relief Services, but Most Companies Are Now Prohibited From Collecting Advance Fees
• For Release: October 27, 2010
  Starting in 2011, FTC Will Require EnergyGuide Labels for TelevisionsTelevisions manufactured after May 10, 2011 must display EnergyGuide labels so consumers shopping for TVs will have more information about different models and how much energy they use.

October 26, 2010

• For Your Information: October 26, 2010
  FTC Mails Redress Checks Totaling $1.2 Million to Debt Reduction Scam VictimsThe Federal Trade Commission is mailing almost 7,000 refund checks to victims of a nationwide operation that falsely claimed it would reduce consumers’ debt, leading many people into financial ruin and bankruptcy.

October 25, 2010

• For Your Information: October 25, 2010
  FTC Advises Consumers: Notices from Mortgage Servicers Always Demand Homeowner AttentionStories about a “freeze” or “moratorium” on mortgage foreclosures are in the headlines, so it’s no surprise if you’ve heard that some mortgage lenders are stopping foreclosures while their paperwork is investigated to be sure it’s in order.

October 22, 2010

• For Your Information: October 22, 2010
  FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Air Products' Potential Acquisition of Rival Airgas Would be AnticompetitiveFollowing a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that Air Products and Chemicals Inc.’s potential acquisition of rival firm Airgas, Inc., would be anticompetitive in the U.S. market for certain industrial gases.

October 21, 2010

• For Release: October 21, 2010
  Debt Collector Will Pay $1.75 Million to Settle FTC ChargesIgnored Consumers’ Disputes Without Checking Its Information for Accuracy
• For Release: October 21, 2010
  FTC Offers Legal Assistance Guide to Help Identity Theft VictimsThe Federal Trade Commission has created a guide to help attorneys and victim advocates provide legal assistance to identity theft victims.

October 20, 2010

• For Your Information: October 20, 2010
  Debt Relief Companies Prohibited From Collecting Advance Fees Under FTC Rule That Takes Effect October 27, 2010Starting October 27, consumers trying to settle their debts will be protected by a new rule that prohibits companies that sell debt relief services over the telephone from charging fees before settling or reducing a customer’s credit card or other unsecured debt.
• For Release: October 20, 2010
  FTC Testifies on the Rights of Employees Under the Fair Credit Reporting ActThe Federal Trade Commission today told the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) imposes requirements on Consumer Reporting Agencies (CRAs) - which include the three major credit bureaus - and on employers that use the information “to ensure that sensitive consumer report information is used with fairness, impartiality, and respect for consumers’ privacy.”

October 19, 2010

• For Your Information: October 19, 2010
  FTC Submits Comment to FERC on Demand Response Compensation in Wholesale Electricity MarketsThe Federal Trade Commission has provided a comment to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission outlining its views on a proposal to set compensation levels for customers that reduce their electricity consumption in response to an increase in electricity prices, a practice known as “demand response.”

October 18, 2010

• For Release: October 18, 2010
  FTC Settles with Defendants that Claimed Bogus Ties to Google and Unlawfully Charged Consumers Hidden FeesGoogle Money Tree Defendants Must Surrender Assets of More than $3.5 Million, Banned from Using ‘Negative Option’ Strategy to Automatically Bill Consumers
• For Your Information: October 18, 2010
  During National Protect Your Identity Week, Learn How to Deter, Detect and Defend Against ID TheftFTC Has Free Information to Help Consumers

October 15, 2010

• For Your Information: October 15, 2010
  FTC Offers Sound Advice for People Considering Buying a Hearing AidMore than 35 million Americans suffer from some degree of hearing loss.

October 13, 2010

• For Your Information: October 13, 2010
  FTC Appoints Monitor to Ensure Compliance with Commission Order Related to Coca-Cola’s Acquisition of its Largest North American BottlerThe Federal Trade Commission has appointed Theodore L. Banks, Esq., to monitor Coca-Cola Company's compliance with the FTC order settling charges that the company’s acquisition of Coca-Cola Enterprises, its largest North American bottler, would be anticompetitive.
• For Your Information: October 13, 2010
  FTC Files Comments on FCC's Proposed Cyber Security Certification ProgramThe Federal Trade Commission has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission in response to the FCC’s proposal to establish a voluntary program under which communications service providers would be certified if they adhere to a set of cyber security objectives or practices.

October 8, 2010

• For Release: October 8, 2010
  FTC Chairman Leibowitz Announces New Resources Communities Can Use to Promote Online Child SafetyWith More Than 5 Million Copies of 'Net Cetera' Booklet Distributed, FTC Expands Campaign
• For Your Information: October 8, 2010
  FTC Submits Comment to EPA on Proposed Rule Concerning Confidentiality of Greenhouse Gas Data; FTC Approves El Paso Energy Corp.’s Request to Modify Final Commission Order Regarding its Acquisition of Coastal CorporationThe Federal Trade Commission has submitted a comment to the Environmental Protection Agency in response to a proposed EPA rule concerning the confidentiality of data submitted under EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule.
  The Federal Trade Commission has approved a request by El Paso Energy Corporation that the FTC modify a final consent order issued in 2001.

October 7, 2010

• Media Advisory: October 7, 2010
  FTC Chairman Leibowitz to Announce New Resources Communities Can Use to Promote Online Child SafetyFederal Trade Commission Chairman Jon Leibowitz will announce tomorrow a community outreach kit to promote online safety for children.

October 6, 2010

• REVISED
  Media Advisory: October 6, 2010
  FTC Announces Major Law Enforcement Action Against National Tax Relief ScamDue to a technical problem, the Federal Trade Commission press conference in Chicago will be repeated at 12:15 p.m. CST (1:15 p.m. EST) to announce a major law enforcement action against a national operation based in Beverly Hills, California, that allegedly bilked consumers out of more than $60 million by falsely claiming it can lower people’s tax debts.
• For Release: October 6, 2010
  At FTC’s Request, Court Halts Tax Relief Scam That Collected More Than $60 MillionCompany’s Owners Lived Lavish Lifestyle, Targeted Financially Distressed Consumers
• For Release: October 6, 2010
  Federal Trade Commission Proposes Revised "Green Guides"Seeks Public Comment on Changes that Would Update Guides and Make Them Easier to Use

October 5, 2010

• Media Advisory: October 5, 2010
  FTC to Hold Media Phone Briefing on Proposed Changes to the Agency’s Green Marketing GuidesGuides Help Firms Ensure Their Environmental Claims Are Truthful and Substantiated
• For Your Information: October 5, 2010
  FTC Submits Comments to FERC on Electricity Transmission Planning and Cost Allocation by Public UtilitiesThe Federal Trade Commission provided comments to U.S. energy regulators outlining its views on pro-competitive and efficient ways for public utilities to plan for new electricity transmission lines and allocate the costs of paying for them.

October 4, 2010

• For Release: October 4, 2010
  Technology Officer of PayDay Loan Marketer Settles FTC Charges That PayDay Loan Websites Were Unfair and DeceptiveThe technology officer of a payday loan marketer has agreed to pay $850,000 to settle FTC charges for his role in an allegedly deceptive and unfair scheme that allegedly debited the bank accounts of hundreds of thousands of cash-strapped consumers in violation of federal law.
• For Your Information: October 4, 2010
  FTC Proposes Policy Statement Clarifying How to Collect Decedents' DebtsThe Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comment on a proposed policy statement clarifying when the FTC will take action under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the FTC Act against companies trying to collect the debts of deceased consumers.

October 1, 2010

• For Your Information: October 1, 2010
  FTC Approves FY 2009 HSR Premerger Notification Report; FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Novartis AG’s Acquisition of Alcon, Inc. Was Anticompetitive in U.S. Eye Care MarketThe Federal Trade Commission, with the concurrence of the U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, has approved and released the Thirty-Second Annual Report Regarding the Hart-Scott-Rodino Premerger Notification Program.
  Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that Novartis AG’s acquisition of Alcon, Inc., as proposed, would have been anticompetitive in the U.S. market for certain eye care treatments.