Photo of Holly A. Melton

Temporary restraining orders were recently issued against several companies that the FTC alleges deceived consumers. Additionally, the FTC sued to block the acquisition of a medical device coatings manufacturer. These stories, and more, after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Blog Updates March 3 – March 7

The FTC closed out the year with significant developments in rulemaking, consumer protection enforcement actions, and priority setting for the new year.  From issuing the much-anticipated final Junk Fees Rule, to announcing its potential largest monetary judgment against an auto dealer, to further developing its Operation AI Comply initiative, the Commission ended 2024 on a busy note.  These stories, and more, after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (December 16 – December 27, 2024)

To kick off the last full month of the current presidential administration, the Federal Trade Commission’s activity included numerous consumer protection updates. Privacy and cybersecurity and online retailers (especially home security systems) were a focus, including announced court orders and consumer payments for shipping practices, improper use of artificial intelligence, collecting and selling consumer location data, and obtaining financing for unqualified customers. On the competition side, the FTC issued its 2024 Report on Ethanol Market Concentration and proposed a consent order for a no-hire agreement. All this and more after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (December 2-6, 2024)

The end of October brought refunds for tens of thousands of consumers harmed by deceptive credit offers and auto sales practices as well as the temporary shutdown of operations allegedly scamming millions of dollars from consumers enticed to sell goods online. All this and more after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (October 28 – November 1, 2024)

The FTC’s activity this week centers around data analysis. The agency released reports analyzing Bitcoin ATM scam data, followed by a report compiling issues with income disclosure statements from multi-level marketing (“MLM”) businesses. The Commission also sent a report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on its activity related to fighting debt collection-related fraud against consumers. More information on these stories after the jump.Continue Reading FTC Updates (September 2-6, 2024)

Call it the summer of junk fees and drip pricing. In July, California’s new drip pricing law went into effect and in August the federal government announced further proposed rules into junk fees and subscription services. Regulators say these proposed price transparency laws and regulations are consumer protection tools that will save consumers money, help them avoid hidden fees and enable them to cancel recurring charges and subscriptions.

Here is what you need to know now:

Continue Reading Turning up the Heat on Junk Fees and Drip Pricing: Federal and State Regulations Require Increased Transparency into Pricing and Contract Cancellation