Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - Text of Press Releases
Speeches, news, and information from the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. The FTC's Bureau of Competition seeks to prevent business practices that restrain competition.

• Commission Approves Federal Register Notice Announcing Increase in the Ceiling on Allowable Charges Under Section 612(f) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act
  The Commission has approved the publication of a Federal Register notice regarding the ceiling on allowable charges for certain disclosures under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). As detailed in the notice, the ceiling on allowable charges for certain disclosures under Section 612(f)(1)(A) of the FCRA will increase from $10.00 to $10.50 in 2008.
• FTC Charges Milwaukee MLS with Illegally Restraining Competition
  Multiple Listing Service, Inc. Allegedly Blocked Internet Display of Non-Traditional, Low-Cost Brokerage Properties
• FTC And Seven States Sue Payment Processor that Allegedly Took Millions from ConsumersÂ’ Bank Accounts on Behalf of Fraudulent Telemarketers and Internet-based Merchants
  The Federal Trade Commission and seven state attorneys general have charged a payment processor with violating federal and state laws by debiting, or attempting to debit from consumers' bank accounts on behalf of numerous fraudulent telemarketers and Internet-based merchants.
• FTC Announces Publication of Second Federal Register Notice and Comment Period on Survey of Information Sharing Practices with Affiliates
  Section 214(e) of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act requires the FTC, the federal banking agencies, and the National Credit Union Administration to "jointly conduct regular studies of the consumer information sharing practices by financial institutions and other persons that are creditors or users of consumer reports with their affiliates."
• FTC Focuses Law Enforcement Lens on Unlawful Contact Lens Sales
  Two marketers of non-corrective, cosmetic contact lenses have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated federal law by selling lenses without prescriptions.
• Commission Approves Final Consent Orders in Matters of Kyphon Inc. and Owens Corning
  Commission approval of final consent orders: Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved the issuance of a final consent order in the matter concerning Kyphon Inc.Â’s proposed acquisition of certain vertebral compression fracture repair system assets of Disc-O-Tech Medical Technologies Ltd. and Discotech Orthopedic Technologies, Inc. Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved the issuance of a final consent order in the matter concerning Compagine de Saint-Gobain and Owens Corning.
• Adult-Oriented Online Social Networking Operation Settles FTC Charges; Unwitting Consumers Pelted With Sexually Graphic Pop-Ups
  An operation that foisted sexually explicit online pop-up ads on unwitting consumers has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the practice violated federal law.
• FTC Wraps Up Case Against Alleged Bogus Business Opportunity Purveyors
  Defendants Surrender All Frozen Assets to Settle Charges Over Envelope Stuffing Income
• Agencies to Issue Proposed Rules and Guidelines that Address Accuracy and Integrity of Consumer Report Information and Rules to Allow Direct Disputes
  The Federal Trade Commission and the federal financial regulatory agencies (the Agencies) have approved proposed regulations and guidelines to help ensure the accuracy and integrity of information provided to consumer reporting agencies and to allow consumers to directly dispute inaccuracies with financial institutions and other entities that furnish information to consumer reporting agencies.
• Major Online Advertiser Settles FTC Charges. "Free" Gifts Weren't Free; Settlement Calls for $650,000 Civil Penalty
  A large online advertiser that drove traffic to its Web sites using spam e-mails with misleading subject lines has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it failed to disclose that consumers have to spend money to receive the so-called "free" gifts it offers.
• FTC Challenges A and PÂ’s Proposed Acquisition of Pathmark Supermarkets
  Companies Required to Sell Six Supermarkets in Staten Island and Shirley, New York
• FTC Releases Survey of Identity Theft in the U.S. Study Shows 8.3 Million Victims in 2005
  The Federal Trade Commission today released a survey showing that 8.3 million American adults, or 3.7 percent of all American adults, were victims of identity theft in 2005.
• FTC Reviews Environmental Marketing Guides, Announces Public Meetings
  First Workshop is January 8, 2008 on Carbon Offsets and Renewable Energy Certificates
• FTC Approves Final Consent Order in Sixth Alternative HRT Matter
  Commission approval of final consent order: Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved the issuance of a final consent order in the sixth matter related to the advertising and sale of alternative hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products, Merilou Barnekow, individually and doing business as Women's Menopause Health Center.
• Federal Court Finds Kevin Trudeau in Civil Contempt
  On November 16, 2007, a U.S. District Court judge found Kevin Trudeau in contempt of court for violating a 2004 permanent injunction.
• Budget Rent-A-Car Settles FTC Charges; "Fuel" Fees Levied on Customers Who Returned Rental Cars With a Full Tank
  Budget Rent-A-Car has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it failed to adequately disclose a "fuel" fee automatically charged to customers who drove fewer than 75 miles.
• Court Halts Bogus Check Scam Targeting "Lottery Winners," Money Transfers Used to Defraud Consumers
  A federal district court has halted a bogus lottery and prize-promotion scam that provides victims with counterfeit cashier's checks and false promises of large cash prizes, pending trial.
• FTC, Tennessee Attorney General to Sponsor Advertising Workshop
  Green Lights and Red Flags: Rules of the Road for Advertisers and Businesses
• Commission Approves Final Consent Orders in Five Alternative HRT Matters
  Commission approval of final consent orders: Following a public comment period, the Commission has approved the issuance of final consent orders in five matters related to the advertising and sale of alternative hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products.
• FTC Challenges Schering-Plough's Acquisition of Organon BioSciences N.V.
  Companies Required to Sell Rights and Assets Related to Three Poultry Vaccines to Wyeth
• FTC Chairman Provides Keynote Address at Seventh Annual Antitrust Fall Forum
  Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras today presented the keynote address at the ABA Antitrust Section's 2007 Fall Forum in Washington, DC.
• FTC to Host One-Day Workshop on Unilateral Effects in Merger Review
  Chairman Announces Early February Event at 2007 ABA Fall Forum
• Skipping the Mall for Holiday Shopping? Stay On Guard When You Are Online
  FTC and National Cyber Security Alliance Offer Safe Shopping Practices
• FTC Issues Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) for Fiscal Year 2007
  Issuance of Commission report: The Commission has authorized the staff to release publicly the FTC's Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007.
• FTC Testifies on Cigarette Testing for Tar and Nicotine Yields
  Renews Recommendation that Congress Give Testing Authority to a Science-Based Public Health Agency
• FTC Receives Petition for Approval of Proposed Divestiture from Kyphon, Inc.
  Petition for approval of proposed divestiture: The Commission has received a petition from Kyphon, Inc. requesting approval of a proposed divestiture rela