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Every year the FTC brings hundreds of cases against individuals and companies for violating consumer protection and competition laws that the agency enforces. These cases can involve fraud, scams, identity theft, false advertising, privacy violations, anti-competitive behavior and more. The Legal Library has detailed information about cases we have brought in federal court or through our internal administrative process, called an adjudicative proceeding.
The FTC sued RagingWire Data Centers, Inc. over allegations that the company misled consumers about its participation in the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield framework and failed to adhere to the program’s requirements before allowing its certification to lapse. A proposed consent agreement that would settle those allegations was announced on June 30, 2020.
Arko Holdings Ltd. and Empire Petroleum Partners, LLC have agreed to divest retail fuel assets in local gasoline and diesel fuel markets across four states to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that Arko’s proposed acquisition of Empire would violate federal antitrust law. The Commission announced final approval of the consent order in October 2020.
In July 2020, the FTC required global suppliers of animal products, Elanco Animal Health, Inc. and Bayer Animal Health GmbH, to divest three animal health products to settle charges that Elanco’s proposed $7.6 billion acquisition of Bayer would likely be anticompetitive in those markets. On Sept. 11, 2020, the Commission announced the final consent agreement in this matter.
Pharmaceutical companies AbbVie Inc. and Allergan plc have agreed to divest assests to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that AbbVie's proposed $63 billion acquisition of Allergan would violate federal antitrust law. On Sept. 4, 2020, the Commission announced the final consent agreement in this matter.
Casino operator Eldorado Resorts, Inc.has agreedto divest assets to settle charges that its $17.3 billion acquisition ofCaesars Entertainment Corporation likely would be anticompetitive in the South Lake Tahoe area of Nevada, the Bossier City-Shreveport area of Louisiana, and the Kansas City area of Kansas and Missouri. According to the complaint, the proposed acquisition would harm competition for casino services in these three local markets, increasing the likelihood that Eldorado would unilaterally exercise market power, which in turn would lead to higher prices and reduced quality. In August 2020, the Federal Trade Commission approved a final order resolving those charges.
Tri Star Energy, LLC, Hollingsworth Oil Company, Inc., C & H Properties, and Ronald L. Hollingsworth, which operate fuel outlets and convenience stores, agreed to settle FTC charges that Tri Star’s acquisition of retail outlets and related interests of Hollingsworth would violate antitrust law. The complaint alleges that the proposed acquisition would harm competition for both retail gasoline sales and retail diesel fuel sales in the two local markets of Whites Creek, Tennessee and Greenbrier, Tennessee. Under the proposed consent agreement, Tri Star would be required to divest to Cox Oil Company, Inc. retail fuel assets in Whites Creek and Greenbrier within 10 days after Tri Star completes the acquisition. On August 14, 2020, the Commission announced it had approved the final consent order in this matter.
Home products and kitchen wares company Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has agreed to stop making false, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims that all of its Goldtouch Bakeware products, its Rejuvenation-branded products, and Pottery Barn Teen and Pottery Barn Kids-branded upholstered furniture products are all or virtually all made in the United States. On July 16, 2020, the Commission announced the final consent order in this matter.
Retina-X Studios, LLC, reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations that the company and its owner failed to secure the data collected by its “stalking” apps and ensure the apps were used for legitimate purposes.
Texas-based energy company Par Petroleum Corporation agreed to terminate its storage and throughput rights at a key gasoline terminal in Hawaii, to settle FTC charges that Par’s proposed $107 million acquisition of Koko’oha Investments, Inc.’s wholly-owned subsidiary Mid Pac Petroleum, LLC would likely be anticompetitive. According to the FTC’s complaint, the proposed merger would reduce competition and lead to higher prices for bulk supply of Hawaii-grade gasoline blendstock, ultimately increasing the price of gasoline for Hawaii consumers. As a result of the proposed acquisition, Par gained Mid Pac’s rights to Aloha’s Barbers Point terminal, which it does not need for importation because it produces its own blendstock, but which it could exercise in a manner that impairs Aloha’s use of its terminal. If Par were to hamper Aloha’s import capability, it would weaken Aloha’s ability to negotiate lower bulk supply prices from Par and Chevron, and thus reduce Aloha’s ability to compete effectively in the bulk supply market. Potential new competitors would be unable to deter or counteract the anticompetitive effects resulting from the acquisition, according to the complaint. The consent agreement requires Par to terminate the Barbers Point terminal storage and throughput rights it acquires from Mid Pac within five days after the merger is completed. Par will retain rights to load a limited number of tanker trucks at the Barbers Point terminal, and must obtain prior FTC approval to modify these rights or enter into any new agreement at the Barbers Point terminal. In January 2020, the FTC sought public comment on Par’sapplication to modify the agreement to store petroleum products at Barbers Point terminal.
Former Cambridge Analytica, LLC CEO Alexander Nix and Aleksandr Kogan, an app developer who worked with the company, settled Federal Trade Commission allegations that they used deceptive tactics to collect personal information from tens of millions of Facebook users for voter profiling and targeting.
Unrollme Inc. reached a settlement with the FTC over allegations that the company deceived some consumers about how it accesses and uses their personal emails.
According to the agency’s April 2019 complaint, UrthBox violated the FTC Act by misrepresenting that positive consumer reviews on the BBB’s and other websites reflected the independent experiences or opinions of impartial consumers, while the reviewers actually had a material connection to the company. The FTC alleged that UrthBox did not adequately disclose that some consumers received compensation, including free snack boxes, to post those positive reviews. The final order settling the FTC’s charges bars the respondents from engaging in similar conduct and requires them to pay $100,000 to the FTC. In December 2019, the FTC returned more than $84,000 to compensate consumers charged after signing up for the trial offer.
Chemical companies Quaker Chemical Corp and Houghton International Inc. have agreed to divest assets to a subsidiary of French multinational corporation Total S.A., to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that Quaker’s proposed $1.4 billion acquisition of Houghton would violate federal antitrust law. According to the complaint, the proposed acquisition would harm competition in the North American market for aluminum hot rolling oil and associated technical support services; and in the North American market for steel cold rolling oils, and associated technical support services. Steel cold rolling oils include sheet cold rolling oil, pickle oil, and tin plate rolling oil. Under the proposed settlement agreement, Quaker must divest Houghton’s North American aluminum hot rolling oil and steel cold rolling oil product lines and related assets to Total. On Sept. 12, 2019, the FTC announced that it has approved a final order in this matter.
LightYear Dealer Technologies, LLC settled Federal Trade Commission allegations that the auto dealer software provider failed to take reasonable steps to secure consumers' data, leading to a breach that exposed the personal information of millions of consumers.
The Federal Trade Commission has imposed conditions on UnitedHealth Group’s proposed acquisition of DaVita Medical Group. In its complaint, the FTC alleged that the proposed $4.3 billion acquisition would harm competition in healthcare markets in two Nevada counties, Clark and Nye. Under the proposed settlement, the FTC required UnitedHealth Group to divest DaVita’s HealthCare Partners of Nevada to Intermountain Healthcare. The Commission announced on Aug. 22, 2019 that the settlement was made final.
The FTC alleged that while SecurTest initiated a Privacy Shield application in September 2017 with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the company did not complete the steps necessary to be certified as complying with the frameworks. Because it failed to complete certification, SecurTest was not a certified participant in the frameworks, despite representations to the contrary on its website. The settlement with the FTC prohibits SecurTest from misrepresenting its participation in any privacy or security program sponsored by a government, self-regulatory, or standard-setting organization, including the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield frameworks. It also must comply with reporting and compliance requirements.
The Federal Trade Commission finalized five separate proposed administrative complaints and orders enforcing the Consumer Review Fairness Act (CRFA), which prohibits businesses from using form contract provisions that bar consumers from writing or posting negative reviews online, or threatening them with legal action if they do. These are the first five Commission actions exclusively focused on enforcing the CRFA, with the complaints filed against: 1) A Waldron HVAC, LLC and its owner, Thomas J. Waldron; 2) National Floors Direct, Inc. (NFD); 3) LVTR LLC (LTVR) and its owner, Tomi A. Truax; 4) Shore to Please Vacations LLC; and 5) Staffordshire Property Management, LLC. Each respondent agreed to separate final Commission orders barring them from using such non-disparagement clauses in form contracts for goods and services, and requiring them to notify consumers who signed such contracts that the prohibited text is not enforceable. The FTC sent two letters in response to public comments in the Staffordshire matter.