Every year the FTC brings hundreds of cases against individuals and companies for violating consumer protection and competition laws that the agency enforces. These cases can involve fraud, scams, identity theft, false advertising, privacy violations, anti-competitive behavior and more. The Legal Library has detailed information about cases we have brought in federal court or through our internal administrative process, called an adjudicative proceeding.
Novant Health, Inc. and Community Health Systems, Inc., In the Matter of
Concurring Statement of Commissioner Melissa Holyoak In the Matter of Arise Virtual Solutions, Inc.
Legion Media LLC, et al., FTC v.
In July 2024, a U.S. district court in central Florida unsealed a Federal Trade Commission complaint charging two related groups of defendants with defrauding consumers nationwide by enrolling them, without their knowledge, into continuity plans where they are shipped and charged repeatedly for personal care products that they did not agree to purchase.
The defendants allegedly deceived consumers with ads for “free” CBD and Keto-related personal care products, billing many for products they did not consent to purchase, signing many up for unwanted continuity plans, and debiting money from their bank accounts without prior authorization. In September 2024, the FTC announced three orders settling the Commission’s complaint and requiring the defendants to pay approximately $40 million in total to defrauded consumers.
Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Andrew N. Ferguson, joined by Commissioner Melissa Holyoak, In the Matter of the Non-Compete Clause Rule
Panda Benefit Services, LLC., FTC v.
In June 2024, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it took action to stop Prosperity Benefit Services, a student loan debt relief scheme that the agency says bilked more than $20.3 million from consumers seeking debt relief by pretending to be affiliated with the Department of Education. The FTC also charged that the company and its operators falsely claimed that they would take over consumers’ student loans to get them loan forgiveness that did not exist. A federal court temporarily halted the scheme and froze its assets at the request of the FTC, which seeks to end the defendants’ deceptive practices.
Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Melissa Holyoak, Joined by Commissioner Andrew N. Ferguson, In the Matter of the Non-Compete Clause Rule
Avast
The FTC will require Avast to pay $16.5 million and prohibit the company from selling or licensing any web browsing data for advertising purposes to settle charges that the company and its subsidiaries sold such information to third parties after promising that its products would protect consumers from online tracking.
Monument, Inc., U.S. v.
The FTC has taken action against an alcohol addiction treatment service for allegedly disclosing users’ personal health data to third-party advertising platforms, including Meta and Google, for advertising without consumer consent, after promising to keep such information confidential.
Lurn
The Federal Trade Commission is taking action to stop Lurn, a Maryland-based online business coaching seller, from making unfounded claims that consumers can make significant income by starting an array of online businesses. The company, its CEO Anik Singal, and spokespeople Tyrone Cohen and David Kettner have agreed to court orders that will require them to stop their unlawful practices, and require Lurn and Singal to turn over $2.5 million to the FTC to be used to refund money to consumers they harmed.
The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $2.4 million in refunds to consumers who paid for Lurn’s business consulting programs and were deceived about the amount of money they could make from these services.
Cerebral, Inc. and Kyle Robertson, U.S. v.
Cerebral, Inc. has agreed to an order that, will restrict how the company can use or disclose sensitive consumer data and require it to provide consumers with a simple way to cancel services to settle FTC charges that the telehealth firm failed to secure and protect sensitive health data.
Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Melissa Holyoak, Joined by Commissioner Andrew N. Ferguson In the Matter of The Kroger Company and Albertsons Companies, Inc.
Nerium International, LLC
The Federal Trade Commission sued the multi-level marketer Neora, LLC, formerly known as Nerium International, LLC, and its Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey Olson, alleging that the company operates as an illegal pyramid scheme and falsely promises recruits they will achieve financial independence if they join the scheme. The lawsuit also alleged that defendants deceptively promote “EHT” supplements as an antidote to concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy caused by repetitive brain trauma, as well as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The FTC sought to permanently stop the defendants’ deceptive practices alleged in the complaint. In September 2023, the district court ruled against the FTC on its claims. In May 2024, the district court ruled that Neora could not recover its fees and expenses because the FTC’s position in this case was “substantially justified.”