Unfairness & Deception |
Enforcement |
Cases
For additional security cases under the Safeguards Rule, see..
The Commission has brought the following cases involving the privacy of consumer information under Section 5 of the FTC Act:
March 27, 2008
Agency Announces Settlement of Separate Actions Against Retailer TJX, and Data Brokers Reed Elsevier and Seisint for Failing to Provide Adequate Security for Consumers’ DataTJX Companies, Inc.
- Agreement Containing Consent Order [PDF]
- Complaint [PDF]
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release
Reed Elsevier Inc. and Seisint, Inc.
- Agreement Containing Consent Order [PDF]
- Complaint [PDF]
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release
March 27, 2008
ValueClick to Pay $2.9 Million to Settle FTC Charges
- Stipulated Final Judgment for Civil Penalties and Permanent Injunctive Relief [PDF]
- Complaint for Civil Penalties, Permanent Injunction, and Other Equitable Relief [PDF]
- News Release
March 4, 2008
[Goal Financial] Student Lender Settles FTC Charges That It Failed to Safeguard Sensitive Consumer Information and Misrepresented Its Security Practices
- Agreement Containing Consent Orders [PDF]
- Complaint [PDF]
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release
1/17/08
Online Apparel Life is Good Retailer Settles FTC Charges That It Failed to Safeguard Consumers’ Sensitive Information, in Violation of Federal Law
- Agreement Containing Consent Orders [PDF]
- Complaint [PDF]
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release
11/16/06
Guidance Software, Inc. Settles FTC Charges Company Failed to Use Reasonable Security Measures to Protect Consumers’ Data3/14/06
- Agreement Containing Consent Orders [PDF]
- Complaint [PDF]
- Exhibits A and B [PDF]
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release
DSW Inc. Settles FTC Charges Agency Says Company Failed to Protect Sensitive Customer Data
- Complaint [PDF]
- Agreement [PDF]
- Analysis to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release (3/14/06)
- News Release (12/01/05)
2/23/06
CardSystems Solutions Settles FTC Charges Tens of Millions of Consumer Credit and Debit Card Numbers Compromised
- Complaint [PDF]
- Agreement [PDF]
- Analysis to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release (2/23/05)
1/26/06
ChoicePoint Settles Data Security Breach Charges; to Pay $10 Million in Civil Penalties, $5 Million for Consumer Redress At Least 800 Cases of Identity Theft Arose From Company’s Data Breach
- Complaint [PDF]
- Stipulated Final Judgment and Order [PDF]
- News Release (1/26/05)
6/16/05
BJ'S Wholesale Club Settles FTC Charges Agency Says Lax Security Compromised Thousands of Credit and Debit Cards3/10/05
- Complaint [PDF]
- Agreement [PDF]
- Analysis to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release (6/16/05)
Internet Service Provider Settles FTC Privacy Charges
Company Disclosed Personal Information of Nearly One Million Consumers3/8/05
- Complaint [PDF]
- Agreement [PDF]
- Analysis to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release (3/10/05)
Petco Settles FTC Charges
Security Flaws Allowed Hackers to Access Consumers’ Credit Card Information9/17/04
- Decision and Order [PDF]
- Approval of Issuance of Final Consent Order
- Complaint [PDF]
- Exhibit A [PDF]
- Agreement [PDF]
- Analysis to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release (11/17/04)
Gateway Learning Settles FTC Privacy Charges
Company Rented Customer Information it Pledged to Keep Private6/2/04
- Decision and Order [PDF]
- Approval of Issuance of Final Consent Order
- Complaint [PDF]
- Exhibits A-C [PDF]
- Agreement [PDF]
- Analysis to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release (7/7/04)
- Letter to Commenter [PDF]
Tower Records
Security Flaw Allegedly Exposed Customer’s Personal Information to Other Web Users8/05/03
- Decision and Order [PDF]
- Approval of Issuance of Final Consent Order
- Complaint [PDF]
- Exhibit to Complaint [PDF]
- Agreement [PDF]
- Analysis to Aid Public Comment [PDF]
- News Release (4/21/04)
Guess.com, Inc.
Guess Settles FTC Security Charges; Third FTC Case Targets False Claims about Information Security5/09/03
- Approval of Issuance of Final Consent Order
- Complaint [PDF]
- Exhibits to Complaint [PDF]
- Decision and Order [PDF]
- Agreement Containing Consent Order [PDF]
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment
- News Release (6/18/03)
Educational Research Center of America, Inc.; Student Marketing Group, Inc.; Marian Sanjana; and Jan Stumacher
Student Survey Companies Settle FTC Charges Data Collected For "Educational Purposes" Also Sold To Marketers Who Targeted Kids1/29/03
- Approval of Issuance of Final Consent Order
- Complaint [PDF]
- Exhibits to Complaint [PDF]
- Decision and Order [PDF]
- Agreement Containing Consent Order
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment
- News Release (1/29/03)
- Public Comments
The National Research Center for College & University Admissions; Don Munce; and American Student List
High School Student Survey Companies Settle FTC Charges that Personal Data Collected For Educational Purposes Was Sold to Commercial Marketers12/24/02
- Approval of Issuance of Final Consent Order
- NRCCUA Complaint
- Exhibits to Complaint[PDF]
- NRCCUA Decision and Order
- NRCCUA Agreement Containing Consent Order [PDF]
- ASL Complaint
- Exhibits to Complaint [PDF]
- ASL Decision and Order
- ASL Agreement Containing Consent Order [PDF]
- News Release (10/2/02)
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Orders to Aid Public Comment
- Public Comments
Microsoft Corp.
Microsoft Settles FTC Charges Alleging False Security and Privacy Promises5/10/02
- Approval of Issuance of Final Consent Order
- Complaint [PDF]
- Exhibits to Complaint [PDF]
- Decision and Order [PDF]
- Agreement Containing Consent Order[PDF]
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment
- News Release (8/8/02)
- Public Comments
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly Settles FTC Charges Concerning Security Breach; Company Disclosed E-mail Addresses of 669 Subscribers to its Prozac Reminder Service7/12/00
- Approval of Issuance of Final Consent Order
- Complaint
- Exhibits to Complaint [PDF]
- Decision and Order
- Agreement Containing Consent Order [PDF]
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment
- News Release (1/18/02)
- Concurring Statement of Commissioner Swindle
- Public Comments
FTC v. Sandra L. Rennert, Philip Rennert, Lyle Mortensen, International Outsourcing Group, Inc., Focus Medical Group, Inc., Trimline, Inc., Affordable Accents, Inc., World Wide RX, Inc., World Wide Medicine, Inc., PSRenn, Inc., and Doctors A.S.A.P., Inc. (District of Nevada)
Online Pharmacies Settle FTC Charges Viagra, Propecia Prescriptions Promoted With False Medical Claims Consumers’ Medical and Financial Data Collected With False Privacy Assurances7/10/00
- Complaint
- Stipulated Final Order as to Lyle Mortensen
- Stipulated Final Order as to Sandra L. and Philip Rennert and Corporate Defendants
- Statement of Chairman Pitofsky and Commissioner Thompson
- Statement of Commissioner Swindle
- News Release (7/12/00)
FTC v. Toysmart.com, LLC, and Toysmart.com, Inc. (District of Massachusetts)
FTC Sues Failed Web Site, Toysmart.com, for Deceptively Offering for Sale Personal Information of Web Site Owners.1/06/00
- First Amended Complaint
- Exhibit to Complaint [PDF]
- News Release (7/21/00)
FTC v. ReverseAuction.com, Inc. (District of Columbia)
Online Auction Site Settles FTC Privacy Charges; Personal Identifying Information Hijacked From Competitor’s Site; Many Consumers Sent Deceptive Spam8/12/99
- Complaint
- Stipulated Final Order
- Statement of Commissioner Thompson
- Statement of Commissioners Swindle and Leary
- News Release (1/06/00)
Liberty Financial Companies, Inc.
Young Investor Website Settles FTC Charges; Agency Alleged Website Made False Promises About Collection of Personal Information from Children and Teens2/12/99
- Complaint [PDF]
- Exhibit to Complaint [PDF]
- Decision and Order [PDF]
- Agreement Containing Consent Order
- Analysis of Proposed Consent Order to Aid Public Comment
- News Release (5/6/99)
GeoCities
Internet Site Agrees to Settle FTC Charges of Deceptively Collecting Personal Information in Agency’s First Internet Privacy Case; Commission Establishes Strong Mechanisms for Protecting Consumers’ Privacy Online
Closing Letters
The staff has issued the following public letters closing investigations related to consumer information privacy:4/4/08
NovaStar Financial, Inc. and NovaStar Mortgage Inc.3/6/08
Monster Worldwide, Inc.6/5/07
Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.1/13/03
Longs Drug Store Corp.
1/13/03
Rite Aid Corp.
1/13/03
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
12/13/02
Compaq Computer Corp. (Hewlett-Packard Co.)
5/31/02
Earthlink, Inc.
5/25/01
Amazon.com and Alexa Internet [PDF]
5/24/01
FTC Staff Letter to EPIC and Junkbusters on Amazon.com1/22/01
- Letter to staff from Amazon.com (Exhibit A) [PDF]
- Petition from EPIC and Junkbusters (12/4/00)
- Amazon.com privacy policy (pre-9/00) (Exhibit B) [PDF]
DoubleClick, Inc. [PDF]
11/07/00
Yahoo! Inc. [PDF]