MilConsumer Blog Feed

Is there a community, family, or workplace that hasn’t been impacted by addiction? For people struggling with substance use disorders, including those devastated by the opioid epidemic, claims made by the AWAREmed clinic must have seemed like – to quote the company’s ads – the “Light at the End of the Tunnel.” But according to a proposed FTC settlement, AWAREmed made a host of deceptive treatment claims, in violation of the FTC Act and the Opioid...

If small business is the engine that powers the American economy, business-to-business transactions are the gears that keep it running. But just as an error on a credit report can throw an unexpected wrench into the works for an individual consumer, an error on a small business credit report can bring even a well-designed business plan to a grinding halt. The FTC just launched an inquiry into the small business credit reporting system and has...

A deep dive into the technical side of FTC’s recent cases on digital health platforms, GoodRx & BetterHelp The Federal Trade Commission recently took enforcement action against GoodRx [1] and BetterHelp [2], two digital healthcare platforms, for allegedly sharing user health data with third parties for advertising. Both cases highlighted the use of third-party tracking pixels, which enable platforms to amass, analyze, and infer information about...

Here’s an essential truth about essential oils: There is no sound science that demonstrates they can treat, prevent, or cure COVID-19. The FTC announced three settlements with distributors for Utah-based multi-level marketing company doTERRA International, LLC, who made COVID-related claims for some of the company’s essential oils and dietary supplements. Filed by the Department of Justice on the FTC’s behalf, the complaints also note that the...

In the hierarchy of confidential data, health information ranks right up there. And in the hierarchy of health information, details about a person’s mental health may be among the most confidential. But according to the FTC, that’s not how online counseling service BetterHelp viewed it. The FTC says the company repeatedly pushed people to take an Intake Questionnaire and hand over sensitive health information through unavoidable prompts. And it...

The word “recyclable” shows up in a lot of environmental claims for consumer products, but what do people understand the term to mean? Does that perception reflect the current state of recycling practices? And have there been changes in perception or practices that might suggest updates to the FTC’s Green Guides? Those are some of the topics on the table at Talking Trash at the FTC: Recyclable Claims and the Green Guides, a half-day workshop...

Millions of people in the U.S. rent their home. Their landlord could be a small mom-and-pop property owner, a large property management company, a public housing agency, or some other kind of organization. Many of these landlords buy applicants’ credit reports or use tenant screening companies to assist in evaluating prospective tenants. Tenant screening companies are consumer reporting agencies that compile information about the prospective...

A creature is formed of clay. A puppet becomes a boy. A monster rises in a lab. A computer takes over a spaceship. And all manner of robots serve or control us. For generations we’ve told ourselves stories, using themes of magic and science, about inanimate things that we bring to life or imbue with power beyond human capacity. Is it any wonder that we can be primed to accept what marketers say about new tools and devices that supposedly reflect...

There are prime numbers, irrational numbers, and Fibonacci’s numbers – but from a consumer protection perspective, no number is quite as sobering as the dollar amount that people reported losing to fraud in 2022. According to new data from the FTC, that number is almost $8.8 billion and it’s up 30% over the year before. The Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book reflects reports received through the Consumer Sentinel Network, a database of...

In response to reports that some eye doctors may be violating the Contact Lens Rule, the FTC recently sent cease-and-desist letters to 24 prescribers’ offices reminding them of their legal obligations. The FTC’s Contact Lens Rule ensures that patients receive a copy of their contact lens prescription when they complete a contact lens fitting with their eyecare professional. The Rule requires prescribers to give patients a copy of their...