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News Releases for January 2009
January 30, 2009
- For Release: January 30, 2009
Bureau of Consumer Protection Deputy Director Richards To Leave FTCFederal Trade Commission Chairman William E. Kovacic announced today that Mary Beth Richards, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, will leave the agency to return to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and that Mary K. Engle, currently Associate Director in the Bureau’s Division of Advertising Practices, will serve as Acting Deputy Director. - For Your Information: January 30, 2009
FTC Approves Federal Register Notice Announcing Review of Three Agency Regulations; Commission Approves Advocacy Comment on Retail Electricity Competition in ArizonaThe Commission has approved a Federal Register notice announcing that during 2009, it will conduct a regulatory review of three agency regulations; The Commission has approved the transmission of an advocacy comment on retail electricity competition to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC).
January 29, 2009
- For Release: January 29, 2009
FTC Intervenes in Getinge AB’s Acquisition of Datascope CorporationConsent Order Requires Datascope to Divest Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting Assets
January 28, 2009
- For Release: January 28, 2009
FTC Charges Marketers of Kinoki Foot Pads With Deceptive Advertising; Seeks Funds for Consumer RedressThe Federal Trade Commission has charged the marketers of Kinoki Foot Pads with deceptive advertising, including claims that use of the foot pads would remove toxins from the body; treat high blood pressure, depression, and a host of other medical conditions; and lead to weight loss.
January 27, 2009
- For Release: January 27, 2009
FTC Cracks Down on Do Not Call Violators: Companies Agree to Pay Almost $1.2 Million in Civil PenaltiesTwo Groups of Travel Companies Called Numbers on the National Registry - For Your Information: January 27, 2009
FTC Extends Comment and Submission Periods Related to Digital Rights Management Town Hall to February 9, 2009; FTC Issues Annual Financial Acts Enforcement Report to Federal Reserve; FTC Withdraws Federal Register Notice on Proposed Rule Regarding Depository Institution Disclosure Requirements for Further Review; Commission Approves Final Consent Order in Matter of Inverness Medical Innovations/ACON FTC Extends Comment and Submission Periods Related to Digital Rights Management Town Hall to February 9, 2009; FTC Issues Annual Financial Acts Enforcement Report to Federal Reserve
January 26, 2009
- For Release: January 26, 2009
FTC Obtains $250,000 Settlement Against Participant in Vending Machine SchemeThe Federal Trade Commission obtained a $250,000 settlement against a participant in a vending machine scheme, concluding its case against the defendants in this operation, all of whom were charged in 2002 as part of the Project Busted Opportunity law enforcement sweep.
January 23, 2009
- For Release: January 23, 2009
FTC Intervenes in Dow Chemical's $18.8 Billion Acquisition of Rohm & HaasCommission Order Requires Divestiture of Acrylics and Other Industrial Chemical Assets to Preserve Competition - For Your Information: January 23, 2009
FTC Launches Redress Program for Mortgage Loan VictimsAlmost $28 Million Returned to 86,000 Consumers Harmed by Mortgage Servicing Practices
January 22, 2009
- For Your Information: January 22, 2009
FTC to Host Advertising Literacy Forum; Workshop Examines Kids in a Commercial WorldThe Federal Trade Commission staff will host a workshop on March 12, 2009 to gather input for its advertising literacy initiative, which will educate and empower tweens to be better informed consumers of information.
January 21, 2009
- For Release: January 21, 2009
FTC Announces Agendas for First Two Resale Price Maintenance WorkshopsPanels on Economic Benefits and Harms Featured at February 17 and 19 Events - For Release: January 21, 2009
FTC Says Mortgage Broker Broke Data Security Laws: Dumpster Wrong Place for Consumers’ Personal InformationThe Federal Trade Commission has charged a mortgage broker with discarding consumers’ tax returns, credit reports, and other sensitive personal and financial information in an unsecured dumpster, in violation of federal law.
January 16, 2009
- For Your Information: January 16, 2009
FTC Chairman William E. Kovacic Issues Report on FTC at 100: Into Our Second CenturyFederal Trade Commission Chairman William E. Kovacic issued a report, following seven months of agency self-assessment, that considers basic questions and future directions as the Commission approaches its 100-year anniversary in 2014. - For Your Information: January 16, 2009
Staff Working Papers on Section 2 Posted on Federal Trade Commission Web Site; FTC Publishes Notice on Proposed Rule Regarding Depository Institution Disclosure Requirements; FTC Extends Public Comment Period Related to Endorsement Guides ReviewStaff associated with the recent Federal Trade Commission/Department of Justice Hearings on Section 2 of the Sherman Act: Single-Firm Conduct as Related to Competition, have prepared a series of working papers, covering several of the topics addressed by the hearings
January 15, 2009
- For Release: January 15, 2009
Court Rules in Favor of FTC in National Urological Group Case; Orders Marketers of Thermalean, Lipodrene, and Spontane-ES to Pay More Than $15 MillionA federal district court has ordered the marketers of three dietary supplements to pay more than $15 million for deceiving consumers about the products’ safety and effectiveness. - For Release: January 15, 2009
David Shonka Named Acting General Counsel of the FTCFederal Trade Commission Chairman William E. Kovacic announced today that David C. Shonka will serve as Acting General Counsel for the agency. - For Release: January 15, 2009
Judge Orders Kevin Trudeau to Pay More Than $37 Million for False Claims About Weight-Loss BookA federal judge has ordered infomercial marketer Kevin Trudeau to pay more than $37 million for violating a 2004 stipulated order by misrepresenting the content of his book, “The Weight Loss Cure ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About.” - For Release: January 15, 2009
Statement of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition Regarding the Announcement that Oldcastle Architectural, Inc. Will Not Proceed with its Proposed Acquisition of the Pavestone CompaniesFollowing the Federal Trade Commission’s filing of a lawsuit to block the transaction, CRH plc, the parent company of Oldcastle Architectural, Inc., announced on January 14, 2009, that it will not proceed with its proposed $540 million acquisition of Pavestone Company, LP.
January 14, 2009
- For Release: January 14, 2009
FTC Sues to Block Oldcastle Architectural’s Proposed Acquisition of the Pavestone Companies Deal Would Combine Only Two National-Scale Suppliers of Drycast Concrete Hardscape Products Used by Consumers in Outdoor Projects - For Release: January 14, 2009
Marketers of ‘Ab Force’ Weight Loss Device Agree to Pay $7 Million for Consumer RedressMarketers who made false and deceptive claims that a device would cause consumers to lose weight by applying electronic stimulation to their abdominal muscles have agreed to pay $7 million to settle an action brought by the Federal Trade Commission to obtain consumer redress.
January 13, 2009
- For Your Information: January 13, 2009
FTC Announces Agenda for Conference on Securing Personal Data in the Global EconomyAPEC, OECD are Co-Sponsors; Event to be held March 16-17, 2009 - For Release: January 13, 2009
Suntasia Marketing Defendants Pay More Than $16 Million to Settle FTC ChargesMassive Telemarketing Scheme Affected Nearly One Million Consumers Nationwide; Wachovia Bank to Provide An Additional $33 Million to Suntasia Victims - For Release: January 13, 2009
FTC Urges Consumers to Cash Restitution Checks Mailed by Wachovia BankChecks Sent to More Than 740,000 Telemarketing Fraud Victims - For Release: January 13, 2009
Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Parnes To Leave FTCEileen Harrington Named Acting Director - For Release: January 13, 2009
FTC Charges Indiana Firm with Failing to Live Up to Rebate PromisesTerms of Proposed Settlement are Among Strongest Ever in an FTC Rebate Case
January 12, 2009
- For Release: January 12, 2009
FTC Announces Second in Series of Hearings on Evolving Intellectual Property MarketplacePublic Hearing to be Held in Washington, DC on February 11 and 12, 2009
January 9, 2009
- For Release: January 9, 2009
FTC Charges Pittsburgh-Area MLS With Illegally Restraining CompetitionCommission Order Prohibits Real Estate MLS From Taking Actions to Disadvantage Properties Listed by Discount Brokers
January 8, 2009
- For Release: January 8, 2009
Three Home Loan Advertisers Settle FTC Charges; Failed to Disclose Key Loan Terms in AdsThree mortgage loan advertisers that allegedly deceptively touted low monthly payments and low rates without fully disclosing loan terms have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their ads violated federal law. - For Release: January 8, 2009
Mortgage Foreclosure "Rescue" Operators Settle with FTCA mortgage foreclosure rescue service that claimed that, for a $1,200 fee, they would stop foreclosure and save consumers’ homes, has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated federal law.
January 6, 2009
- For Release: January 6, 2009
General Counsel William Blumenthal To Leave FTCFederal Trade Commission Chairman William E. Kovacic announced today that William Blumenthal, the agency’s General Counsel for almost four years, will leave the agency to return to private law practice. - For Your Information: January 6, 2009
Commission Announces Revised Jurisdictional Thresholds for Section 7A and Section 8 of the Clayton ActThe Commission, by a vote of 4-0, has approved a Federal Register notice announcing the revised thresholds for the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 required by the 2000 amendments to Section 7A of the Clayton Act. Section 7A(a)(2) requires the FTC to revise the jurisdictional thresholds annually, based on the change in gross national product, in accordance with Section 8(a)(5).