Tag: Bureau of Consumer Protection

The FTC sued a ticket broker operation for allegedly using unlawful tactics to exceed ticket purchasing limits for many popular events, including Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and resell the tickets at significantly higher prices, generating millions in revenue. The operators include Key Investment Group and its affiliated companies, which have done business under such names as Epic Seats, TotalTickets.com LLC, and Totally Tix LLC, as well as Key Investment Group’s CEO, Yair D. Rozmaryn, Chief Financial Officer, Elan N. Rozmaryn, and Chief Strategic Officer, Taylor Kurth.

In June 2021, the FTC charged online marketer Trend Deploy with falsely promising consumers that it could quickly deliver facemasks and other personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, then failing to deliver on customers’ orders or offer cancellations or refunds. The Commission is seeking refunds for consumers, as well as civil penalties. In June 2023, the FTC announced a summary judgment in its favor against the defendants.

In August 2025, the FTC Frank Romero, the operator of Trend Deploy,was required to turn over the remaining funds in his bank and retirement accounts as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. Romero failed to comply with a 2023 judgment stemming from an FTC lawsuit charging that he did not deliver personal protective equipment (PPE) as promised to consumers.

In July 2026, the FTC issued payments to consumers affected by Trend Deploy’s deceptive marketing.  

The FTC alleges that Grand Canyon Education (GCE), Inc., Grand Canyon University (GCU) and Brian Mueller—the CEO of GCE and president of GCU—deceived prospective doctoral students about the cost and course requirements of its doctoral programs and about being a nonprofit, while also engaging in deceptive and abusive telemarketing practices. The FTC announced on August 15, 2025 it had voted to dismiss the case.

The Federal Trade Commission has sued online dating service Match Group, Inc. (Match), the owner of Match.com, Tinder, OKCupid, PlentyOfFish, and other dating sites, alleging that the company used fake love interest advertisements to trick hundreds of thousands of consumers into purchasing paid subscriptions on Match.com. The agency also alleges that Match has unfairly exposed consumers to the risk of fraud and engaged in other allegedly deceptive and unfair practices. For instance, the FTC alleges Match offered false promises of “guarantees,” failed to provide services to consumers who unsuccessfully disputed charges, and made it difficult for users to cancel their subscriptions.

In August 2025, the FTC announce Assurance IQ, LLC and MediaAlpha, Inc. will pay a total of $145 million to settle that they misled millions of consumers seeking to buy comprehensive health insurance. The FTC alleged that both Assurance and MediaAlpha deceived consumers and led them to purchase plans that did not provide the promised health care coverage, and bombarded consumers with telemarketing and robocalls. 

In August 2025, the FTC announce Assurance IQ, LLC and MediaAlpha, Inc. will pay a total of $145 million to settle that they misled millions of consumers seeking to buy comprehensive health insurance. The FTC alleged that both Assurance and MediaAlpha deceived consumers and led them to purchase plans that did not provide the promised health care coverage, and bombarded consumers with telemarketing and robocalls. 

Under the terms of proposed federal court orders, several defendants in the case—including the companies behind Ganadores, the companies’ owners and managers Richard and Sara Alvarez, and an employee who played a key role in the marketing of the scheme, Bryce Chamberlain—will be permanently banned from selling ecommerce or real estate coaching services and will be required to turn over substantial assets to the FTC, which will be used to provide refunds to consumers harmed by the scam

The Federal Trade Commission has stopped a pair of student loan debt relief schemes that it says bilked students out of approximately $12 million by using deceptive claims about repayment programs and loan forgiveness that did not exist. The agency also says the companies falsely claimed to be or be affiliated with the Department of Education and told students that the illegal payments the companies collected would count towards their loans.

After the FTC filed complaints seeking to end the deceptive practices, a federal court temporarily halted the two schemes and froze their assets.

In early October 2023, SL Finance and BCO Consulting were permanently banned from the debt relief industry and ordered to turn over their assets as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

In July 2025, the FTC is sending a total of $743,230 in payments to consumers harmed by BCO Consulting. 

In June 2024, the FTC filed suit against FBA Machine and Bratislav Rozenfeld (also known as Steven Rozenfeld and Steven Rozen) alleging that, in a business opportunity scheme, they falsely guaranteed that consumers could make money operating online storefronts using AI-powered software. The defendants allegedly failed to deliver on the promised earnings claims and defrauded consumers out of over $15 million.

As a result of the FTC’s complaint, a federal court issued an order temporarily halting the scheme and putting it under the control of a receiver.

The FTC later added Amanda Peremen, Rozenfeld’s wife, as a relief defendant in the case. The amended complaint alleged that, though not directly involved in the scheme, she received proceeds from it.

In July 2025, the FTC announced that Rozenfeld will be permanently banned from selling business opportunities in settlement of FTC’s allegations and will be required to turn over the contents of multiple financial accounts and any funds realized upon the sale of real estate property. The proceeds will be used for consumer redress.