Business Blog

The FCC asked – and we answered. Underway at the Federal Communications Commission is a proposed privacy rulemaking for broadband internet access service providers. The FCC sought public comment on the proposal and the staff of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection has offered its perspectives.

Looking for a loan? For consumers and small businesses, that used to mean a foray into the paneled offices of something with “First National” in the name and hushed conversations with a guy who looks like the moneybags man on the “Monopoly” board. But the emergence of marketplace lending is changing the face of credit.

For companies that peddle phony student loan debt relief, we have a message for you: Winter is coming.

If your business regularly makes wire transfer payments, it could be the next target of a fast-growing scam in which cybercriminals trick employees into transferring large sums of money to them by impersonating CEOs and other company executives in spoofed emails.

Remember the old ad, “It’s a breath mint. It’s a candy mint. It’s two, two, two mints in one”? Or maybe the Saturday Night Live takeoff, “It’s a dessert topping and a floor wax!” It’s not unusual for something to do double duty. And if you’re in the business of compiling background information for employment purposes, you’re not just a background screening company. Chances are you’re also a consumer reporting agency subject to the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The privacy framework for transatlantic exchanges of personal data between the EU and the United States has been in the headlines lately. But are you and your clients staying on top of your obligations on the Pacific side? If your company certifies its compliance with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Cross Border Privacy Rules, a proposed FTC settlement with Very Incognito Technologies serves as a reminder to honor those promises.

Marketers have been watching the FTC’s challenge to POM Wonderful’s ad claims with interest. Last year, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the company deceptively advertised that the products could treat, prevent, or reduce the risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction. The D.C. Circuit also upheld the Commission’s finding that POM falsely claimed to have clinical proof to support those representations.

Everyone has a job hunting horror story. Ours is the rejection letter we got on a Friday for a job interview scheduled for the following Monday. But a job interview that’s really just a sales pitch, often conducted by software designed to mimic a real person? A lawsuit against Gigats is the latest FTC action targeting deceptive practices in the lead generation industry.

“Is it getting hot in here?” For companies that engage in illegal debt collection practices, the answer is a resounding yes. One reason is the unprecedented cooperative effort by federal and state law enforcers to turn up the heat on violators. There’s more to come, of course, but efforts like Operation Collection Protection prove that consumer protection agencies are stronger when we work together.