Category: Consumer Protection

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – The self-publishing dream peddled by Publishing.com and its ringleaders is turning out to be a nightmare for countless Americans, according to a Federal Trade Commission crackdown announced today. Christian Mikkelsen, CEO of the Florida-based company, and his Chief Product Officer, Rasmus Mikkelsen, will shell out $1.5 million to settle charges of…

WASHINGTON D.C. – Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson has fired a warning shot across the bows of four financial giants – PayPal, Stripe, Visa, and Mastercard – accusing them of potentially engaging in the dangerous practice of “debanking” American citizens. Ferguson issued strongly worded letters to the CEOs of each company this week,…

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Federal Trade Commission is taking aim at a pervasive and predatory practice sweeping the nation: negative option subscriptions. While seemingly innocuous, these programs – where silence is interpreted as consent and consumers are automatically billed for goods or services – are increasingly becoming vehicles for fraud and exploitation, according to a…

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Federal Trade Commission is taking aim at a widespread racket plaguing renters nationwide: hidden and misleading fees tacked onto monthly rent. FTC Director Christopher Mufarrige announced today a push for a new rule designed to expose and dismantle deceptive practices employed by rental giants, signaling a crackdown on a system rigged…

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Gateway Pet Memorial Services is facing scrutiny after a damning statement from FTC Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter revealed a pattern of potentially deceptive practices. While not a formal enforcement action *yet*, Slaughter’s public dissent regarding a separate case, Surescripts, served as a pointed accusation against Gateway, alleging the company exploits the grief…

WASHINGTON D.C. – The Federal Trade Commission isn’t typically known for busting street-level thugs, but their latest move targets a far more insidious threat: the exploitation of military families through online vulnerabilities. While not a case of direct theft, the FTC is launching a widespread public awareness campaign, effectively admitting a systemic failure to protect…

MIAMI – Air.ai, a Florida-based outfit peddling false promises to desperate entrepreneurs, has been slapped with a marketing ban by the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC alleges Air.ai systematically preyed on small business owners and aspiring hustlers with bogus claims of guaranteed riches and rock-solid refund policies – promises they never intended to keep. Table…

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The glossy veneer of online convenience cracked this week as the Federal Trade Commission took aim at JustAnswer LLC and its CEO, Andy Kurtz, alleging a systematic scheme to trap unsuspecting consumers into unwanted monthly subscriptions. The FTC’s complaint paints a picture of a company prioritizing profits over transparency, preying on…

LAS VEGAS – The height of dishonesty. That’s what federal regulators are alleging against Eden Stelmach, co-founder of TruHeight, and her business partner Justin Rapoport. The pair, operating through their Nevada-based Vanilla Chip LLC, are facing serious accusations of peddling false hope – and ineffective supplements – to parents desperate to help their children grow…

Walt Disney Co. just coughed up $10 million to the FTC, but don’t expect Mickey Mouse to be behind bars. This isn’t about cartoon villains; it’s about a calculated disregard for the privacy of *your* kids. The entertainment giant was caught red-handed collecting personal data from children watching videos on YouTube – data they weren’t…