Business Blog

Rockne, Lombardi, Landry, Shula. Behind every sports dynasty, there’s a legendary coach. But according to the FTC, marketers of “business coaching” services took consumers for millions by using offside sales tactics that will likely disqualify them from the Truth-in-Advertising Hall of Fame.

If you own or operate gas stations, chances are you know about skimmers – illegal card readers attached to payment terminals, like gas pumps, that grab data off a credit or debit card’s magnetic stripe without the customer’s knowledge. Criminals sell the stolen data or use it to buy things online. If your pumps are compromised, customers won’t know their information has been stolen until they get an account statement or overdraft notice.

Customers aren’t only victims here. Your business can suffer from the associated costs, including a damaged reputation and lost sales.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. The FTC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced the agenda for their joint workshop on the consumer privacy and security implications of connected cars. If this emerging tech issue is of interest to your clients, race to Washington (within the lawful speed limit, of course) to attend the event on Wednesday, June 28, 2017.

With schedules changing as frequently as they do, we can’t be sure what’s on tap for tomorrow. But we already know where we’ll be on Wednesday, February 28, 2018. We’ll be at the FTC’s third PrivacyCon – a gathering of researchers, academics, industry members, consumer advocates, and government representatives talking about the privacy and security implications of emerging technologies.

The FTC’s law enforcement action against Amazon for unauthorized billing recently settled, leaving two key takeaways: 1) Consumers are eligible for more than $70 million in refunds; and 2) Businesses need to get customers’ express consent before placing charges on their credit or debit cards.

Here’s the story of a database of sensitive consumer information – names, addresses, phone numbers, email, and payment information – posted on a site frequented by (among others) hackers. It took just minutes before identity thieves tried to make unauthorized use of the information. But this tale of stolen credentials is full of surprises, including who posted the data.

You’ve probably heard about the ransomware attack affecting organizations’ computer systems around the world. Here’s the best thing your company can do to avoid it: Update your operating system and other software. Now.

When scammers and hackers attack small businesses, it hurts not only the businesses’ reputations and bottom line, but also the integrity of the marketplace. Today, FTC Acting Chairman Maureen Ohlhausen announced a new FTC website, FTC.gov/SmallBusiness, to help business owners avoid scams, protect their computers and networks, and keep their customers’ and employees’ data safe.

Here’s the thing about robots. Whether it’s Astro Boy, C-3PO, Optimus Prime, or Major Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell, variations on the technology are often out there. The same could be said for robots’ less popular cousins, robocalls. A recent opinion from a United States District Court discusses the FTC’s Robocall Rule and serves as a reminder for telemarketers to mark May 19, 2017, on their calendars.