Blog

Pretending to be someone people trust is what scammers do. They may claim to be a well-known company or a beloved family member, but data from the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network suggest that pretending to be the government may be scammers’ favorite ruse. Since 2014, the FTC has gotten nearly 1.3 million reports about government imposters. That’s far more than any other type of fraud reported in the same timeframe. This spring, monthly reports of...

The first rule of credit repair is that no credit repair company can remove accurate and timely negative information from someone’s credit report. For credit repair companies that would claim otherwise, there’s CROA – the Credit Repair Organizations Act. It makes it illegal for credit repair companies to lie about what they can do to clear up a clouded credit report, or charge upfront fees before they do the job they promised to do. Congress...

The stars are aligning – the privacy and security stars, that is. The FTC’s fourth PrivacyCon convenes today, June 27, 2019. Experts from around the globe will discuss their latest research into privacy and data security, and the consumer protection implications of their findings. Minutes before FTC Chairman Simons convenes PrivacyCon at 9:15 ET this morning, visit the event page to watch the webcast live. Join the discussion on Twitter, using...

The wellness strategy of the moment is mindfulness: focusing on the present and being completely aware of your situation. Even in the corporate sphere, there are good reasons for anyone in governance to take a self-assessment. Am I living in the now, what is my position in the world, am I currently violating the per se prohibition on interlocking directorates under Section 8 of the Clayton Act? That’s right, mindfulness is important in antitrust...

Hate illegal robocalls? You’re not alone. The FTC hates them, too, as do state Attorneys General and pretty much anyone with a phone. The FTC and state and federal partners teamed up today to announce Operation Call it Quits, the latest salvo in the ongoing fight against robocalls and other illegal telemarketing. We also have tips on how you can help hang up on what many people consider to be Consumer Protection Enemy #1. First, some background...

Phileas Fogg was famous for going around the world in 80 days, but when it comes to global commerce, consumers can manage the same feat with just one click. Recent FTC actions touch on the international implications of consumer protection. SecurTest is a Florida-based background screening company that claimed to participate in the EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield programs. Privacy Shield establishes a process to allow companies to transfer...

The state seal of Utah famously depicts a beehive, a symbol of industry and cooperation. Industry and cooperation also have been the hallmarks of the long-standing relationship between the FTC and the Utah Department of Commerce’s Division of Consumer Protection. That’s why we’re proud to announce that the Division is th e latest recipient of the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Partner Award. Under the leadership of Francine Giani, Executive...

Crafting effective merger remedies is one of the Commission’s most important tasks. Done well, a divestiture prevents the competitive harm likely to result from a proposed merger and ensures that competition remains as robust as it was premerger. Once Bureau staff has identified the likely harm from a proposed or consummated merger and the parties express interest in avoiding litigation by agreeing to a settlement, our attention quickly turns to...

In just a few years, the FTC’s PrivacyCon has become an Information All-Star Game, complete with panels as high-flying or power-hitting as the Slam Dunk Contest or Home Run Derby. (OK. High-flying and power-hitting if you’re a researcher, academic, or advocate interested in data security and consumer privacy.) The FTC just announced the agenda for the fourth annual PrivacyCon on June 27, 2019. Consult your calendar and save the date. FTC Chairman...

The domino principle. The ripple effect. The butterfly phenomenon. Apply the analogy of your choice to describe what happens when one software developer’s allegedly lax security practices result in the breach of confidential customer information maintained by multiple businesses that use the software. If your business is a service provider – or if your company uses third-party service providers to help manage your data – a proposed FTC settlement...