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What do Hollywood classics Sunset Boulevard , Citizen Kane , Double Indemnity , and Fight Club have in common? They all begin with the end of the story. Because one of the business names used by the defendant in a recent FTC action is HollywoodColorContacts.com, we’ll honor that silver screen tradition by opening with the closer: All contact lenses – including non-corrective decorative lenses used to change the wearer’s appearance – are medical...

Archeologists report that the first mention of diabetes was in a papyrus excavated from an Egyptian tomb. Roll the scroll out a bit and it wouldn’t surprise us to find an ad (in hieroglyphics, of course) for a pill or potion promising a miracle treatment. Questionable diabetes products have been around for centuries and the latest one to attract law enforcement attention is a dietary supplement called Nobetes. A just-filed FTC action challenges...

Willing to wager there’s no plausible connection between 90s dance group C + C Music Factory and the FTC’s just-announced request for public comment about the Red Flags Rule and the Card Issuers Rule, known collectively as the Identity Theft Rules? You might just lose that bet – and no, it has nothing to do with C + C’s ubiquitous hit, “Everybody Dance Now.” But it has a lot to do with their other big hit, “Things that Make You Go Hmmm.” The Fair...

In 2018, the Consumer Sentinel Network has seen a striking increase in the median dollar amount that people 70 and over are saying they lost to fraud. Digging into the data, we found some common stories with an unusual twist: people 70 and older report mailing huge amounts of cash to people who pretended to be their grandchildren. People 70 and over rarely report to the FTC that they paid a scammer with cash. But for one particular type of fraud...

Phishing scammers have gotten more sophisticated. They still send out mass emails asking consumers for credit card numbers or bank account information. But they’re also targeting small businesses by imitating the look of messages your employees routinely receive. The FTC has new resources to help small businesses address cybersecurity, including the risks posed by phishing. How phishing works When phishing scammers hit small businesses, they...

According to a lawsuit filed by the FTC, an international network of corporations and individuals put consumers through the wringer with false claims about “free” trial offers, followed by unauthorized charges to their accounts. What’s more, the complaint alleges that the defendants used shell companies and straw owners to engage in credit card laundering – the practice of circumventing credit card associations’ fraud-monitoring programs in an...

Whether it’s a spare can of cranberry sauce or an extra turkey platter, thoughtful Thanksgiving hosts make contingency plans for the holiday. This year, if the dinner discussion veers into controversial territory – like the pumpkin pie vs. pecan pie debate – here’s a suggested topic of conversation you can have at the ready. Some people call them “grandparent scams,” but it’s any form of fraud where a scammer impersonates a family member and...

As the only federal agency with a dual mission to protect consumers and promote competition, the FTC is uniquely situated to comment on the future of privacy policymaking in the United States. So we welcomed the opportunity to respond to the Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Request for Comment on “Developing the Administration’s Approach to Consumer Privacy.” The FTC Staff’s Comment...

Mention the word “ransomware” at a meeting of small business owners and you’ll feel the temperature in the room drop by 20 degrees. A ransomware attack is a chilling prospect that could freeze you out of the files you need to run your business. When FTC staff met with business owners across the country, you cited ransomware as a particular concern. New resources from the FTC can help protect your company from this threat. Ransomware: How it...

It started as one of those “run it up the flagpole” ideas to enlist big-name gymnasts to promote a brand of mosquito repellent just as news stories about the 2016 Brazil Olympics were sounding warnings about the Zika virus. Public relations firm Creaxion Corporation and specialty sports magazine publisher Inside Publications used a variety of digital strategies on behalf of the brand: athlete endorsements, social media posts, “advertorials,” and...