Balough
September 16, 2015
(September 15, 2015) To avoid being deceptive, green seal certifications need to prominently state what makes the product green, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned. The FTC sent letters to five providers of environmental certification seals and 32 businesses warning them that their seals could be deceptive and may not comply with the FTC’s environmental […]
Balough
June 12, 2015
For those participating in the crowdfunding for The Doom That Came to Atlantic City, their investment was doomed by the promoter who used the funds for himself. In its first crowdfunding case, the Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with Erik Chevalier, d/b/a The Forking Path, Co. Under the settlement, Chevalier is prohibited from making […]
Balough
January 27, 2015
Lindsey Duncan, a purported expert on health foods and nutrition, who touted on the Dr. Oz Show a green coffee bean weight loss supplement, which he sold without credible studies supporting the claims, has agreed to pay a $9 million fine. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a consent decree with Duncan, Genesis Today, Inc., […]
Balough
September 24, 2014
For some miners of Bitcoins who got the shaft from Butterfly Labs, the Federal Trade Commission offered some solace by obtaining a court order to shut down the company and freezing its assets. The FTC sued BF Labs, Inc., which did business as Butterfly Labs. The company sold Bitcoin mining machines, which actually are high-speed, specialized […]
Balough
September 5, 2014
Google, Inc. must pay back to customers at least $19 million in unauthorized charges incurred by children using mobile apps downloaded from the Google Play app store for Android mobile devices. The payment settles a complaint brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which alleges Google engaged since 2001 in “unfair” commercial practices by billing […]
Balough
July 22, 2014
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken action against a company that licenses a certificate that a product is “Made in USA” yet takes no steps to ensure that the products are in fact made in the USA. Made in the USA Brand, LLC, based in Ohio agreed to an FTC consent decree requiring the company […]
Balough
December 23, 2013
A scam that induces businesses to pay for listing in a useless online marketing directory has been temporarily enjoined and the company’s United States assets frozen in a court action brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Since at least 2000, Construct Data Publishers, which is also known as Fair Guide, induced businesses and nonprofit organizations […]
Balough
December 14, 2013
Agreeing with the trial court’s finding that the Q-Ray Ionized Bracelet’s “promotion has been thoroughly dishonest,” the Seventh Circuit has upheld a $16 million judgment and injunction against the promoter. The court agreed that the Federal Trade Commission provided sufficient evidence to require the company to disgorge the $16 million in profits that the Defendants […]
Balough
December 13, 2013
An invention promotion operator must pay $26 million in consumer redress and stop its deceptive marketing practices. The firm failed to disclose, among other things, that it made very little money from invention royalties and the majority of its money from fees charged to the inventors. The court found that either expressly or by implication […]
Balough
December 12, 2013
Contrary to its claims, using software purchased for $24.95 won’t give you free, legal access to music, movies and games. Instead using the file-sharing programs to download copyrighted materials is illegal, the Federal Trade Commission alleged in a complaint against MP3DownloadCity.com. Based on the FTC complaint, a U.S. District Court judge in California has issued […]
