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Intuit Inc., In the Matter of (TurboTax)
FTC Sends More Than $557,000 to Consumers Harmed by Credit Card Interest Rate Reduction Scam
FTC Suit Leads to $16.7 Million Judgment Against Principals and Celebrity Endorsers of Real Estate Investment Training Program
Netforce Seminars, et al.
In a case first filed in January 2020, the FTC alleged that Success By Health and its executives James “Jay” Dwight Noland, Jr., Lina Noland, Scott A. Harris, and Thomas G. Sacca were operating an “instant coffee” pyramid scheme that used false promises of wealth and income to entice thousands of consumers to join.
The amended complaint alleges that the defendants were operating an additional pyramid scheme known as VOZ Travel. According to the amended complaint, the defendants sold consumers VOZ Travel “memberships” for at least $1,000 each. In exchange, they allegedly promised consumers access to a discount travel booking platform and the ability to earn rewards for recruiting other consumers to buy memberships. The complaint alleges that the defendants told consumers that some VOZ Travel members would be “making $1.53 [million] per year.”
FTC Sends More than $3.3 Million to Consumers Harmed by Passport Auto’s Illegal Junk Fees and Discriminatory Practices
SL Finance and BCO Consulting
The Federal Trade Commission has stopped a pair of student loan debt relief schemes that it says bilked students out of approximately $12 million by using deceptive claims about repayment programs and loan forgiveness that did not exist. The agency also says the companies falsely claimed to be or be affiliated with the Department of Education and told students that the illegal payments the companies collected would count towards their loans.
After the FTC filed complaints seeking to end the deceptive practices, a federal court temporarily halted the two schemes and froze their assets.
FTC Stops Student Loan Debt Relief Schemes that it Says Bilked Students Out of Millions
Federal Trade Commission Returns More Than $176,000 to Consumers Who Bought Clothing and Accessories Deceptively Labeled as ‘Made in USA’
FTC Lawsuit Leads to Permanent Ban from Debt Relief, Telemarketing for Operators of Debt Relief Scam
ACRO Services
As a result of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, the operators of an alleged credit card debt relief scheme based in Tennessee have agreed to court orders that would permanently ban them from telemarketing and selling debt relief products or services.
Sean Austin, John Steven Huffman, John Preston Thompson, and their affiliated companies were charged by the FTC in November 2022 with taking tens of millions of dollars from people by falsely promising to eliminate or substantially reduce their credit card debt. At the time, a federal court agreed to the FTC’s request to temporarily freeze the defendants’ assets and appoint a receiver over the businesses while the case took place.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, Nashville Division, entered the final orders on April 28, 2023.
Action by FTC and Pennsylvania Leads to Permanent Ban For Debt Collectors That Targeted Businesses, Non-Profits, First Responders
American Future Systems, Inc.
In May 2020, the FTC sued the operators of a Pennsylvania-based telemarketing scheme, alleging that they charged organizations such as businesses, schools, fire and police departments, and non-profits for books and newsletter subscriptions they never ordered. The agency’s complaint also names the defendants behind a New York-based debt collection operation, alleging that they illegally threatened the organizations if they failed to pay for the unordered merchandise.
In April 2023, International Credit Recovery, Inc. (ICR), officer Richard Diorio, Jr., and manager Cynthia Powell, have agreed to a permanent ban from the debt collection industry after being charged with engaging in bogus debt collection efforts against businesses and non-profits.