FTC Still Battling Telemarketing Fraud and Abuse

The Federal Trade Commission today issued its tenth quarterly summary of the agency’s enforcement actions against telemarketing fraud and abuse, listing significant developments in 19 federal district court cases between August and October 2005.

These cases include new actions filed by the Commission; amendments to complaints; final resolutions of enforcement actions such as settlements, default and summary judgments; contempt proceedings; and redress distribution information. Some of the complaints filed in these cases allege violations of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). All of the cases involve the use of the telephone to market goods or services, including outbound and inbound calls generated from advertisements or other solicitations to purchase products or services.

The quarterly enforcement update issued today can be found on the FTC’s Web site at: www.ftc.gov/bcp/cases/telemarkfraudenforcement/update05oct.shtm.

The FTC’s telemarketing fraud and abuse enforcement Web page, www.ftc.gov/bcp/cases/telemarkfraudenforcement/index.shtml, contains a list of the 174 enforcement actions announced since October 1, 2002, with links to related press releases.

In addition to helping consumers learn about the Commission’s enforcement actions, the Web page and the quarterly enforcement update provide consumers with easy access to information about the specific frauds and abuses perpetrated using telephone calls and the types of matters prosecuted by the Commission, including matters brought under the TSR and its National Do Not Call Registry.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint, or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at http://www.ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.