The company Think All Publishing has reached a settlement with the FTC in which the “free-software” scamming company will pay $2.2 million for consumer reimbursement, according to NetworkWorld. The scammers offered free software CDs and then billed unsuspecting customers for a continuity program which was unwittingly ordered by checking a “terms of use” box. Details, inside…
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38.6% Of Reported Debt Collectors Demand More Money Than Is Legal
By 3.28.08
Debtors have rights, and sometimes they get violated. The FTC released its annual Fair Debt Collection Practices Act report, part of which documents the number of complaints they get about debt collectors violating consumers rates. FTC received 70,951 DCPA violation complaints in 2007. Of them:
"Free iPod" Claims Cost Spammer $2.9 Million
By 3.21.08
The FTC slammed nuisance advertiser ValueClick with a record-breaking $2.9 million fine for littering the internet with deceptive ads for free iPods, PS3s, and plasma TVs. Instead of providing freebies, ValueClick tricked people into signing up for useless services and then failed to safeguard their personal information.
Scammy Computer Seller BlueHippo Settles With FTC For $5 Million
By 2.26.08
BlueHippo, the scammy “no credit check” computer seller accused in several states of taking money from customers without providing the computers and other electronics it supposedly sells, has settled with the FTC for $5 million. They did not admit wrongdoing.
USPS & FTC Mail Out "Avoid ID Theft" Brochure
By 2.21.08
Today we received a handy brochure (PDF) in the mail from the postal service. “Deter, Detect, Defend,” it reads, and it offers a bunch of handy reminders of what to look out for when it comes to protecting your identity, and what to do if you suspect it’s been stolen. If yours was stolen (ha ha, we kid!), you can read read or download it from the FTC’s ID theft website.
Top 20 Consumer Fraud Complaints Of 2007
By 2.13.08
The FTC today released its top consumer fraud complaints of 2007. Based on complaints filed by consumers, identity theft is the number one complaint by a very wide margin, taking 32% of all complaints. The next closest complaint category was Shop-at-Home/Catalog Sales, which only took 8% of the complaints. Here’s how the bastards break down:
Consumers Reported 69,204 Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Violations. FTC Responds With One (1) Lawsuit
By 2.4.08
Consumers have filed over 69,000 complaints against scummy debt collectors for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, prompting the FTC to rush to our collective defense by taking action against three debt collectors who showed a “culture of harassing the debtors from which they collect.” Two debt collectors settled and one went to court. Still, when you receive over 69,000 complaints—and these are from the people who know to complain to the FTC—it’s reasonable to assume that more than three collectors encourage a culture of harassment. More harrowing revelations from the FTC’s annual report to Congress, after the jump.
By 1.29.08
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A telemarketer that spammed customers with over 46 million pre-recorded calls will stop and have to pay a $180,000 fine. The FTC wanted to charge $3 million, but the company doesn’t have that much money so the fine was reduced. [FTC]
By 1.13.08
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Please tell the FTC that credit freezes help prevent identity theft. [Comment Form via All Consuming]
By 12.21.07
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FTC takes heat for giving credit bureaus a special exception that allowed them to make lists of people who just filled out a loan application and sell them as leads to subprime lenders. [USA Today via U.S. PIRG Consumer Blog]
Some Gift Cards Sorta Friendlier, Thanks To FTC
By 12.17.07
Gift cards have fewer hidden fees and expiration dates this holiday season, thanks to FTC action, reports the Washington Post. A survey by the Montgomery County’s Office of Consumer Protection found that about 80% of the 22 retail examined had no fees or expiration dates, could be replaced if lost or stolen and had scratch-off PINS for security.
By 12.14.07
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FTC head said she won’t recuse herself from the review of Google’s acquisition of the DoubleClick online advertising firm, despite petitions by some consumer groups alleging conflict of interest. [AP]
Consumer Groups Ask FTC Head To Recuse Herself
By 12.13.07
Two consumer groups have asked Deborah Platt Majoras, the chair of the FTC, to recuse herself from the antitrust review of Google’s purchase of Doubleclick. Majoras is married to a partner at Jones Day law firm, which represents Doubleclick.
By 12.12.07
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There’s still no official FCC strategy for the nation’s switchover to digital television in February 2009, reports the General Accounting Office. We guess this will be one of those let-the-private-sector-sort-it-out “initiatives.” [Reuters]
FTC Says Identity Theft Has Dropped, Sort Of, Maybe Not?
By 12.1.07
The FTC’s figure for identity theft in 2005 was 8.3 million Americans over the age of 18, a drop of about 16% from the 9.9 million it measured in 2003. (2005 is the most recent year for which they have data.) However, not only are consumer groups saying that these numbers are faulty, even the FTC admits in a footnote that “its conclusion is not ‘statistically significant’ because the sample size was too small.”
Budget Settles With FTC Over Bogus Fuel Fees
By 11.27.07
Budget Rent-A-Car settled with the FTC over its illegal charge of fuel fees even for customers who returned the car with a full tank of gas. Budget claimed in its advertising and in-store signage that customers would not be charge for fuel if the car came back with its tank full. In reality, Budget would charge customers a $5, $6, or $9.50 fuel fee if they drove fewer than 75 miles and returned with the tank full. The only way to get the fee reversed was to present a gas receipt, a procedure Budget didn’t disclose in advance. Under the terms of the settlement, Budget will have to stop doing this crap.
Racial Slur-Dropping Debt-Collection Agency Settles With FTC For $1.3 Million
By 11.8.07
A debt-collection agency settled with the FTC for $1.3 million after thousands of complaints were lodged against the company for abusive and illegal practices. LTD used threatening language and racial slurs against debtors. They also threatened they would garnish debtor’s wages, something that can’t happen without a trial. Company managers were found to be complicit in its employees illegal actions. LTD collected debts for major credit card companies and retail chains.
Many Consumers Are Unclear What "Online Tracking" Even Means
By 11.3.07
A study released this week (just in time for the FTC’s online advertising workshop) shows that a huge percentage of Americans don’t grasp just how intensively their online habits are tracked, analyzed, and used to serve ads back to them. Almost 55% of respondents “falsely assumed that a company’s privacy polices prohibited it from sharing their addresses and purchases with affiliated companies,” and almost 40% “falsely believed that a company’s privacy policy prohibits it from using information to analyze an individuals’ activities online.”
