FTC sends checks to people who lost money to a tech support scheme
The FTC is sending a second round of checks to people who paid Elite IT Partners for costly and unnecessary computer repair services.
The FTC sued Elite IT Partners and its CEO, James Martinos, and they agreed to settle. According to the complaint, Elite IT Partners targeted people looking for help recovering their email passwords by pretending to be affiliated with companies like Microsoft and Yahoo! and running bogus “diagnostic” tests to convince people that their computers were infected with viruses. The FTC also alleged that Elite's deceptive tactics convinced tens of thousands of people to pay for costly and unnecessary repairs, including immediate cleaning of their computers, antivirus software, and ongoing technical support services.
The FTC first sent checks in October 2021, which resulted in more than $154,000 in refunds. Because there is still money in the fund, the FTC is sending a second round of checks to everyone who cashed their first check.
If you get a check, please cash it within 90 days.
You can find answers to common questions about refund payments on our FAQ page. If you have any other questions, please call the refund administrator at 1-866-974-1467.