| Comment Number: | 522418-01591 |
| Received: | 6/9/2006 1:16:32 PM |
| Organization: | Community Therapeutics |
| Commenter: | Richard Garcia |
| State: | CO |
| Subject: | Business Opportunity Rule |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 437 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
While it is commendable that the FTC wishes to continue to protect the Consumer, it is ultimately the Consumer's responsibility to be as informed as possible as to the risks and potential benefits associated with doing business with a company. *Caveat Emptor* should apply in all business transactions (whether for goods, services, business opportunities, employment, or whatever), and the well educated Consumer makes themselves aware of the risks. Conversely, the ethically-run business will readily provide the Consumer with factual information--good, bad, and indeterminate--to allow the Consumer to determine for themselves what the risks are, and to make an informed choice. There are plenty of third-party reviews of businesses available should the Consumer choose to educate themselves as to the pros and cons of dealing with a particular business. These include informal information gathered from current and past customers, suppliers, and fellow merchants. Information can also be obtained through the local Better Business Bureau and Chamber of Commerce. There are also enough laws and legal redress available for Consumers to use, should any business engage in questionable, unethical, deceptive, or otherwise illegal activities. For the FTC to creat yet another set of rules and regulations would--in my opinion--unfairly penalize and disrupt the ethically-run business, while having little or no effect on the unscrupulous business that will flaunt the laws anyway. I feel that the Consumer would be better served by having current laws strictly enforced with more severe penalties for those businesses refuse to comply and that take unfair advantage of the Consumer. I also believe that the Consumer needs to take personal responsibility for becoming as educated as possible *before* involving themselves in any business opportunity. Thank you for providing the opportunity to forward my views on the proposed ruling. I am AGAINST this proposal.