Sure, we say all the time that robocalls are annoying, and agencies like the FTC and FCC talk all the time about how some of them are illegal. But how much trouble does a big company get in these days for actually getting caught making the illegal calls? About $280 million, it turns out. [More]
stop doing that
FTC Settlement Permanently Halts Alleged Energy Drink-Slinging Pyramid Scheme
By 12.15.16
A year ago, a court agreed to put a temporary halt to an alleged pyramid scheme that made its money by convincing college students they could make big bucks shilling energy drinks — but only paying up for recruiting more sales friends instead. Today, the FTC has announced a settlement with the Vemma Nutrition Company that puts a halt to those practices for good. [More]
Wells Fargo Ditches Sales Goals After $185M Penalty
By 9.13.16 — Updated: 9.30.16
There’s nothing like being ordered to pay $185 million in refunds and penalties to get a big bank to change some of its business practices. After its employees allegedly created millions of bogus accounts in an effort to meet sales quotas and earn bonuses, Wells Fargo is putting an end to these controversial goals. [More]
American Express To Refund $59.5 Million Over Bad Billing & Deceptive Marketing
By 12.26.13
About 15 months after getting slapped around by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to the tune of $112.5 million for a variety of bad business practices, the CFPB put another huge lump of coal in American Express’s Christmas stocking, spanking the credit card company for nearly $70 million, including $59.5 million in refunds to customers. [More]
FDA Issues Warnings About Misleading Lap-Band Ads
By 12.13.11
The FDA has issued warning letters to eight surgical centers in California and a marketing firm behind the 1-800-GET-THIN number for misleading advertising of the Lap-Band, an implanted device intended to promote weight loss in severely obese individuals. [More]
Comcast, Verizon, Others Hop On Board Anti-Piracy "Copyright Alert System"
By 7.7.11
We know, because you’ve told us, that a number of you prefer to get your movies and premium TV via less-than-legal internet sources. We’re not going to judge you for that, but you may soon begin seeing notices from the new Copyright Alert System to let you know that they are aware of your dirty downloads and would you kindly stop. [More]
