The Federal Trade Commission is taking action against a website operator that allegedly tricked consumers – in advance of the roll-out of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – with spam emails that falsely claimed that…
Down to Earth Designs, Inc. Settles FTC Charges That Its Environmental Claims for Diapers and Related Products Were Deceptive Order Requires Company to Substantiate a Range of “Green” Claims for its gDiapers Products Portland, Oregon-based…
It has been 50 years since the first U.S. surgeon general’s report warned that smoking was hazardous to our health. Since then we are learning that not only lung cancer is caused by smoking but…
Apple Inc. has agreed to provide full refunds to consumers, paying a minimum of $32.5 million, to settle a Federal Trade Commission complaint that the company billed consumers for millions of dollars of charges incurred…
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Florida Attorney General, a U.S. district court has temporarily halted and frozen the assets of an Orlando-based operation that used pre-recorded…
Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released additional resources for consumers as part of its campaign to educate the public about the new protections provided by the Bureau’s mortgage rules. These new materials include…
The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers that if they get a call promising a refund for tech support services, it is just a new twist on an old scam. Tech support scams try to gain…
Harmed African-American and Hispanic Borrowers Will Receive $35 Million in Restitution The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have filed a joint complaint against National City Bank for charging higher…
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered Ally Financial Inc. and Ally Bank (Ally) to pay $80 million in damages to harmed African-American, Hispanic, and Asian and Pacific Islander…
Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) took its first action against an online loan servicer, CashCall Inc., its owner, its subsidiary, and its affiliate, for collecting money consumers did not owe. The CFPB alleges…
The defendants in two separate alleged scams have settled charges with the Federal Trade Commission and will be banned from providing mortgage- and debt-relief services. The cases are part of the FTC’s continuing crackdown on…
Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is ordering GE Capital Retail Bank and its subsidiary, CareCredit, to refund up to $34.1 million to potentially more than 1 million consumers who were victims of deceptive credit…
‘Brightest Flashlight’ App Shared Users’ Location, Device ID Without Consumers’ Knowledge The creator of one of the most popular apps for Android mobile devices has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that the free…
Rule Brings New Oversight to Rapidly Growing Market Affecting Tens of Millions of Consumers The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued a rule that allows the Bureau to supervise certain nonbank student loan servicers…
By: Susan Campbell In 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, which abolished racial discrimination in the armed services. There was significant pushback – within and outside the military – but by the…
By: Tamara Lytle The nomination of Connecticut Veterans’ Affairs Commissioner Linda S. Schwartz for a top federal job sailed through the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Tuesday on a unanimous voice vote. It goes to the…
The Federal Trade Commission is continuing its crackdown on payment processing operations that enable scam artists to charge consumer accounts despite signs of ongoing fraud and unauthorized transactions. Today, the Commission announced a proposed settlement…
By: Tamara Lytle Connecticut Veterans’ Affairs Commissioner Linda S. Schwartz made it clear Wednesday that her approach to a top federal Veterans Affairs job is personal. Schwartz, after 10 years leading Connecticut’s department, is nominated…
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is now accepting complaints from borrowers encountering problems with payday loans. Payday loans, also known as “cash advances” or “check loans,” are often short-term, small-dollar loans, generally for $500…
By: Peggy McCarthy After honorable discharges from the Army in 1979, and the National Guard in 1983, Arnold Giammarco sunk into a pattern of substance abuse, shoplifting and jail before turning his life around, marrying…