May 24, 2013

• Tips for Consumers: May 24, 2013
  FTC Warns Consumers: Charity Scams Often Follow DisastersIn the wake of the devastating Tornado that hit suburban Oklahoma City on Monday, the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, reminds consumers that scams often follow disasters.
• For Release: May 24, 2013
  FTC Announces Agenda, Panelists for Upcoming Mobile Security ForumAs previously announced, technology researchers will join industry representatives to take part in the June 4 Federal Trade Commission forum “Mobile Security: Potential Threats and Solutions.”

May 23, 2013

• For Your Information: May 23, 2013
  FTC Approves Universal Health Services, Inc.'s Application to Divest Peak Behavioral Assets to Strategic Behavioral Health, LLCThe Federal Trade Commission approved an application by Alan B. Miller and the hospital management company Universal Health Services, Inc. to sell an acute inpatient psychiatric facility in the El Paso, Texas/Santa Teresa, New Mexico area to Strategic Behavioral Health, LLC.
• For Your Information: May 23, 2013
  FTC Returns More than $700,000 to Victims of Operation that Allegedly Sold Bogus Health InsuranceThe Federal Trade Commission is mailing 412 refund checks totaling more than $700,000 to consumers who were victimized by a telemarketing operation that allegedly tricked them into buying bogus health insurance.

May 21, 2013

• For Your Information: May 21, 2013
  FTC Releases Reports on 2011 Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Advertising and PromotionAmounts Spent Marketing Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco Rose in 2011
• For Release: May 21, 2013
  FTC Seeks Public Comment on Proposal to Ban Payment Methods Favored in Fraudulent Telemarketing TransactionsIn an ongoing effort to protect consumers from deceptive telemarketing, the Federal Trade Commission seeks public comment on proposed amendments to strengthen the Telemarketing Sales Rule’s protections against bogus charges and services.

May 17, 2013

• For Your Information: May 17, 2013
  FTC Announces Schedule for Reviewing RegulationsAs part of the Federal Trade Commission’s systematic review of all current FTC rules and guides, the agency is announcing a modified 10-year regulatory review schedule. 
• For Your Information: May 17, 2013
  FTC Closes Investigation into Tesoro’s Acquisition of BP RefineryThe Federal Trade Commission closed its nine-month investigation into Tesoro Corporation’s acquisition of BP p.l.c.’s southern California marketing and refining assets, in particular BP’s Carson Refinery near Los Angeles.
• For Your Information: May 17, 2013
  Operators of Two Bogus Tech Support Schemes Settle FTC ChargesOne Operator Also Settles Charges He Illegally Telemarketed Debt Relief Services

May 16, 2013

• For Release: May 16, 2013
  FTC Testifies on Fraud Against Older AmericansThe Federal Trade Commission testified before a U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce subcommittee about consumer protection issues facing older Americans, including the agency’s efforts to combat fraud and its education and outreach efforts to help seniors protect themselves.

May 15, 2013

• For Release: May 15, 2013
  Statement of FTC Bureau of Competition Director Richard A. Feinstein on the Temporary Restraining Order Issued in the Phoebe Putney/Palmyra Park Hospital Case The Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition, Richard A. Feinstein, issued the following statement regarding today's ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, which granted the FTC’s motion for a temporary restraining order in the case Federal Trade Commission et al v. Phoebe Putney Health System, Inc. et al.
• For Your Information: May 15, 2013
  FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges that Charlotte Pipe Products, Ltd. Acquisition of Star Pipe’s Cast Iron Soil Pipe Business Was Anticompetitive Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company’s 2010 purchase of Star Pipe Products, Inc.’s cast iron soil pipe (CISP) business was anticompetitive.  
• For Release: May 15, 2013
  FTC Sends Educational Letters to Businesses to Help Them Prepare for COPPA UpdateMore Than 90 Letters Issued to App Developers in Advance of July 1 Implementation Date

May 14, 2013

• For Your Information: May 14, 2013
  FTC Issues Annual Financial Acts Enforcement Letter to CFPBThe Federal Trade Commission has issued its annual letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on FTC enforcement and related activities regarding the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Consumer Leasing Act (CLA), Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA), and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).
• For Release: May 14, 2013
  FTC Settlement Requires California Company to Halt Illegal RobocallsCompany Allegedly Used "Voice Broadcasting" to Help Clients Transmit Unwanted Calls

May 9, 2013

• For Your Information: May 9, 2013
  FTC Issues Modified Final Order Settling Charges that Western Digital’s Acquisition of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Was Anticompetitive in Market for Desktop Hard Disk DrivesFollowing a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved and issued a modified final Decision and Order settling charges that Western Digital Corporation’s proposed acquisition of rival Hitachi Global Technologies Ltd. would have been anticompetitive in the market for hard disk drives used in desktop personal computers.
• For Release: May 9, 2013
  FTC Provides $1.7 Million in Refunds to Nearly 23,000 Consumers Who Lost Money in 'Free Government Grant' SchemeAn administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission today began mailing refund checks totalling approximately $1.7 million to 22,764 consumers who were defrauded by a  group that used websites to falsely claim they could help consumers get free government grant money.
• For Release: May 9, 2013
  Administrative Law Judge Dismisses Illegal Price-Setting Charges Against McWane, But Finds That It Illegally Excluded CompetitorsIn an Initial Decision announced today, Chief Administrative Law Judge D. Michael Chappell dismissed charges in a Federal Trade Commission complaint that McWane Inc.

May 7, 2013

• For Release: May 7, 2013
  FTC Testifies on Credit Reporting Accuracy Study, FCRA Enforcement, Credit EducationThe Federal Trade Commission testified before a U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee on a recent FTC study examining the accuracy of consumer credit reports, as well as the agency’s efforts to improve credit report accuracy through enforcement and education.
• For Your Information: May 7, 2013
  FTC Says Mobile Cramming Webcast Viewers Can Submit Questions OnlineStaff Will Also Live-Tweet Roundtable
• For Release: May 7, 2013
  FTC Warns Data Broker Operations of Possible Privacy ViolationsLetters Issued As Part of Global Privacy Protection Effort

May 6, 2013

• For Your Information: May 6, 2013
  FTC Votes Unanimously to Retain July 1 Date for Implementation of the Updated Children’s Online Privacy Protection RuleThe Federal Trade Commission voted unanimously to retain the July 1, 2013 date for implementation of the updated Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule.
• For Release: May 6, 2013
  FTC Invites Public to Submit Questions Online During Senior ID Theft WorkshopAgency Will Live-Tweet Workshop, Take Questions Via Social Media

May 3, 2013

• For Your Information: May 3, 2013
  FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges Against Cbr Systems, Inc.Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that Cbr Systems, Inc. failed to protect the security of customers’ personal information and that its inadequate security practices led to a breach that exposed the Social Security numbers and debit and credit card information of nearly 300,000 consumers.
• For Release: May 3, 2013
  FTC Settlement Bars Seller of Prepaid Calling Cards from Deceptive MarketingCards Tested by the FTC Averaged Just 40 Percent of Minutes Advertised
• For Your Information: May 3, 2013
  FTC Approves Final Order Settling Allegations of Anticompetitive Conduct by Eight Puerto Rico NephrologistsFollowing a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that eight independent nephrologists in Puerto Rico illegally collectively bargained with insurers and refused to treat health plan patients when their price demands were rebuffed.

May 2, 2013

• For Your Information: May 2, 2013
  FTC Approves Houghton International Order Modification Releasing AEA Investors as a Party to the OrderFollowing a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved an application by AEA Investors 2006 Fund L.P. to modify a 2010 final order related to the 2008 acquisition of D.A. Stuart GmbH by Houghton International Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of HHI Holding Corporation. 
• For Release: May 2, 2013
  Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to Co-Host Roundtable on Data Integrity in Debt CollectionThe Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will co-host a roundtable on June 6, 2013, to examine the flow of consumer data throughout the debt collection process.

May 1, 2013

• For Your Information: May 1, 2013
  FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges Against Marketers of Criminal Background Screening ReportsFollowing a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final order settling charges that Filiquarian Publishing LLC, Choice Level LLC, and their CEO, Joshua Linsk operated as a consumer reporting agency without taking consumer protection measures required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
• For Release: May 1, 2013
  FTC Announces Agenda, Panelists for Upcoming Mobile Cramming RoundtableConsumer advocates, government officials and industry representatives will take part in a roundtable discussion on mobile cramming hosted by the Federal Trade Commission on May 8.