Business Blog

The phrase is only nine letters long, but for many consumers, it makes the difference between a product in the shopping basket and one left on the shelf. It’s “Made in USA” and the FTC just announced a settlement of its lawsuit against Chemence, Inc., for misleading Made in USA claims. If your company makes similar representations, is it time for a compliance check?

Do you ever hear from customers or employees who want you to know that they’ve been affected by identity theft? If so, you’ll probably start seeing them use the new FTC Identity Theft Report. It tells you that someone important to your business is a crime victim, has alerted law enforcement, and is working to resolve the financial and emotional disruption that identity theft causes.

It’s a digital spin on an old-school business: an online service that offers to pay “top dollar” for consumers’ used smartphones, laptops, or tablets. The technology may be trending, but according to the FTC and the State of Georgia, Nevada-based Laptop & Desktop Repair engaged in a classic 20th century bait-and-switch – and bilked consumers out of millions in the process.

The FTC’s lawsuit against AMG Services, Scott Tucker, and others challenged deceptive and unfair payday lending and debt collection practices that targeted cash-strapped consumers. The case has already resulted in an important ruling related to the scope of the FTC Act. But an order granting the FTC’s Motion for Summary Judgment includes a history-making provision: a $1.3 billion financial remedy – the largest ever in a litigated FTC case.

Not many kids play with yo-yos these days, but an FTC complaint against nine related Los Angeles-area car dealers charges that the companies engaged in (among other things) illegal yo-yo financing practices – and for affected consumers, it was no game. Even if you don’t have clients in the auto industry, this case merits your attention.

Delivery by drone? We thought the Jetsons’ personal jetpack was the height of futuristic fantasy, but drone technology is bringing benefits like that closer to reality. But what about the consumer protection implications, especially when it comes to privacy? That’s on the agenda at the second installment of the FTC’s Fall Technology Series on drones on October 13, 2016.

Researchers report that 72% of American adults now own a smartphone and when they’re on their phones, 89% of their time is spent on apps. An analysis of how app developers generate revenue raises some interesting issues that touch on consumer privacy.

As the old saying goes, “The job’s not finished until the paperwork is done.” But since the enactment of the FTC’s Disposal Rule, the job’s not finished until the paperwork – in this case, consumer reports or information derived from them – is securely destroyed.

Ransom notes used to come in the form of pasted letters clipped from newspapers. Now datanappers gain entry through a weak spot in a company’s network, lock the business out of its own system, and hold files – including sensitive health or financial information – for ransom. Would you know how to react if your business is the next victim? And are you taking reasonable steps to reduce the risk of that happening?