Blog Posts Tagged with Online Advertising and Marketing

The FTC has been fighting COVID-related deception on multiple fronts. We’ve challenged bogus claims for “treatments.” We’ve taken action against companies that targeted cash-strapped small businesses...

As the old adage goes, the three rules of real estate are “location, location, location.” But according to the FTC, online real estate company Opendoor Labs pitched its services to home sellers with...

If one year equals seven in dog years, nine years is probably close to a century in technology time. That’s why the FTC is taking a fresh look at its guidance to businesses on digital advertising –...

Mark your calendar for October 19, 2022. That’s when the FTC will convene Protecting Kids from Stealth Advertising in Digital Media . Among the developments the virtual event will consider are the use...

Even the savviest consumers can be at their most vulnerable when making final arrangements for a loved one. They have to make quick decisions – often choices with major financial implications – while...

As businesses know, “free” is a word that attracts consumers’ attention year-round. As Tax Time approaches, it’s a particular draw for people who want to file their taxes for free. Intuit – the...

Homeowners are looking for skilled home repair professionals. Service providers – plumbers, remodelers, landscapers, etc. – are looking for customers. That match used to happen through word of mouth...

Social media is a gold mine for scammers , and in the latest FTC Data Spotlight , we’re digging deeper into this deceptive trend happening across social media platforms. Why do we repeatedly ask...

Online customer reviews of products and services have become increasingly important in the marketplace. Many consumers rely on them to decide what to buy or where to buy it, and many companies rely on...

It’s the oldest trick in the book: Now you see it, now you don’t . This illusion is fine on a Las Vegas stage, but on an online retailer’s website, making negative reviews disappear is hardly magical...

The Omicron variant has consumers saying “Omigosh,” but even before the current surge, advertisers have been using questionable COVID-related claims to promote their products. FTC staff sent 25 more...

With more than a century of consumer protection experience under our belt, we at the FTC know that hard times for American families can be boom times for scammers. Today’s COVID-19 pandemic is the...

The FTC just sent almost $60 million in checks and PayPal payments to eligible drivers who had their tips illegally taken by Amazon. Our advice to Amazon Flex drivers: Watch your mailbox for a check...

Money-making claims have been around for as long as there’s been money. They show up in promotions for gig work, multilevel marketing, “be your own boss” seminars, and work-from-home offers. But when...

The FTC has been warning consumers for years about impersonation scams – calls that falsely claim to come from the IRS, the Social Security Administration, or other offices or businesses. The messages...

Employing every available means to protect consumers from deceptive and misleading practices, the FTC recently announced the revitalized use of its statutory Penalty Offense Authority. More than 700...

No one can top Waylon Jennings’ invitation to Luckenbach, Texas, where people can get “Back to the Basics of Love.” But we can offer the next best thing for business executives, advertising...

We’ll leave it to the economists to crunch the employment numbers. We’re just happy to see more Help Wanted signs in the windows of Main Street retailers. That’s good news for Americans affected by...

As the fast-talking talent scout said in a hundred Hollywood classics, “I’m gonna put you in the movies!” MoviePass promised to put consumers in the movies – or at least in movie theaters – with its...

Like the fighter pilots in the 80s action flick “Top Gun,” consumers selecting among internet service providers “feel the need – the need for speed.” In a just-filed lawsuit, the FTC and seven law...