Displaying 101 - 120 of 1224
FTC Announces CARS Rule to Fight Scams in Vehicle Shopping
FTC Acts Against Operators of Income Scheme “The Sales Mentor” That Charged Consumers Millions for Bogus Telemarketing Advice
Negative Option Rule; Notice of Informal Hearing and Request for Submissions
FTC Order Requires Old Southern Brass to Pay for False Claims of “Made in the USA” and Veteran Affiliations
FTC Announces Claims Process for Consumers Harmed by Credit Karma “Pre-Approved” Offers for Which They Were Denied
Credit Karma, LLC
The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against credit services company Credit Karma for deploying dark patterns to misrepresent that consumers were “pre-approved” for credit card offers. The FTC alleges that the company used claims that consumers were “pre-approved” and had “90% odds” to entice them to apply for offers that, in many instances, they ultimately did not qualify for. The agency’s order requires the company to pay $3 million that will be sent to consumers who wasted time applying for these credit cards and to stop making these types of deceptive claims.
In January 2023, the Commission finalized the order in this case.
In re Sanctuary Belize Litigation
In November 2018, the FTC announced that a federal district court in Maryland issued an order temporarily shutting down the largest overseas real estate investment scam the FTC has ever targeted. According to the FTC, the scam was established by Andris Pukke, a recidivist scammer currently living in California, and he perpetuated it even while serving a prison sentence for obstruction of justice. The alleged scheme took in more than $100 million, marketing lots in what supposedly would become a luxury development in Central America known by several names, including Sanctuary Belize, Sanctuary Bay, and The Reserve. The FTC alleged that the defendants misled consumers when selling these lots, lying about how risky investments in the development were, how the development was funded, what would be done with money paid for lots, what amenities the development would have, the timeframe those amenities would be built, consumers’ ability to resell lots, and Andris Pukke’s involvement. Several defendants settled prior to the January 2020 trial.
In late August 2020, the district court issued its verdict, finding in favor of the FTC. In early 2021, the court issued final orders against Andris Pukke, Peter Baker, Luke Chadwick, John Usher, and the corporate defendants, limiting what types of business they can engage in moving forward and entering a $120.2 million judgment against them. The defendants appealed and largely lost. During the appeal, Luke Chadwick settled, turning over certain assets and agreeing to a modified order further limiting the types of business he can engage in. After the appeal, the district court entered an order confirming that Andris Pukke, Peter Baker, and John Usher must turn over $120.2 million as well as the corporate defendants and their assets to compensate their victims. In August 2023, the FTC sent approximately $10 million to consumer defrauded by the Sanctuary Belize investment scheme.
FTC Obtains Orders Halting Mobile Cramming Scheme
FTC Warns Two Trade Associations and a Dozen Influencers About Social Media Posts Promoting Consumption of Aspartame or Sugar
FTC, Florida Lawsuit Leads To Restrictions on Chargebacks911, Prohibits Deceptive Efforts to Stop Consumers From Reversing Disputed Charges
FTC Providing Refunds to Consumers who Lost Money to Tech Support Scheme
FTC Sends Nearly $7 Million in Refunds to Consumers Harmed by Medical Discount Plans Sold as Health Insurance
FTC Action Leads to $18 Million in Refunds for Brigit Consumers Harmed by Deceptive Promises About Cash Advances, Hidden Fees, and Blocked Cancellation
FTC Case Leads to Permanent Ban Against Merchant Cash Advance Owner for Deceiving Small Businesses, Seizing Personal and Business Assets
FTC Sends Nearly $100 Million in Refunds to Vonage Consumers Who Were Trapped in Subscriptions By Dark Patterns and Junk Fees
FTC and Wisconsin Take Action Against Rhinelander Auto Center for Illegally Discriminating Against American Indian Customers and Charging Unlawful Junk Fees
On Point Global LLC
A court has granted the Federal Trade Commission’s request to preliminarily halt a scheme in which the defendants operated hundreds of websites that promised a quick and easy government service, such as renewing a driver’s license, or eligibility determinations for public benefits. Following an evidentiary hearing, the court held that the FTC was likely to prevail in proving that “the websites were patently misleading.”
Sollers College to Cancel $3.4 Million in Student Debt to Resolve Charges It Used Deceptive Ads to Lure Prospective Students into Illegal Contracts
Voyager Digital, LLC., et al., FTC v.
The Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement with bankrupt crypto company Voyager that will permanently ban it from handling consumers’ assets and is filing suit against its former CEO, Stephen Ehrlich, for falsely claiming that customers’ accounts were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and were “safe,” even as the company was approaching an eventual bankruptcy. The complaint also names Stephen Ehrlich’s wife, Francine Ehrlich, as a relief defendant.
In the federal court complaint, the FTC charges that from at least 2018 until it declared bankruptcy in July 2022, Voyager used promises that consumers’ deposits would be “safe” to entice them to hand over their funds. When the company failed, consumers lost access to significant assets they had saved, including ongoing salary deposits, college tuition funds, and down payments for homes, according to the complaint, which notes that consumers were locked out of their cash accounts for more than a month and lost more than $1 billion in crypto assets.
Displaying 101 - 120 of 1224