News Releases for May 1998
May 29, 1998
- For Your Information: May 29, 1998
Announced Actions for May 29, 1998
Applications for approval of transactions: The FTC has received applications for approval of a transaction from the following entity. The FTC is seeking public comments on the applications for 30 days, until June 30, 1998. - For Your Information: May 29, 1998
Telemarketer Agrees to Settle FTC Charges of Misrepresenting Affiliation with Law Enforcement
Applications for approval of transactions: The FTC has received applications for approval of a transaction from the following entity. The FTC is seeking public comments on the applications for 30 days, until June 30, 1998.
May 28, 1998
- FOR RELEASE: May 28, 1998
FTC Halts Vacation Scam; "Dream Vacations" Were a Nightmare, Agency Charges
Companies that used celebrities, including Robin Leach, to tout luxury vacations in tropical settings, have been charged by the Federal Trade Commission with operating a scam in violation of federal law.
May 27, 1998
- For Your Information : May 27, 1998
Announced Actions for May 27, 1998
Commission action regarding petitions to reopen and modify FTC orders: Following a public comment period, the FTC has ruled on a petition from the following:
- FOR RELEASE : May 27, 1998
FTC Charges New York Drycleaner with Violating Federal Law Complaint Alleges Company Provides Deceptive Care Labels to Wedding Gown Manufacturers
The Federal Trade Commission has charged a New York-based drycleaning operation with providing wedding gown manufacturers with care labels that violate the Care Labeling Rule, and with falsely advertising that it was the only drycleaner able to clean gowns with those labels.
May 21, 1998
- FOR RELEASE: May 21, 1998
Oregon Group of Institutional Pharmacies To Settle
FTC Charges that It Fixed Prices
Five institutional pharmacies have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they unlawfully fixed prices, leading to higher reimbursement levels for serving Medicaid patients in Oregon long-term care institutions.
- For Your Information: May 21, 1998
Case-by-case Enforcement Actions Against Travel Agent "Card Mills" Will Benefit Consumers, FTC Says in Denying ASTA's Petition for Rulemaking
The Federal Trade Commission has denied a petition from the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) proposing the Commission initiate a rulemaking proceeding to prohibit the issuance of travel agent credentials to anyone who does not have a recent, documented record of selling travel service.
May 20, 1998
- EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE : May 20, 1998
FTC Education Effort Focuses on Home Equity Loan Fraud
New Publications Explain Issues of Interest to Texas Consumers - FOR RELEASE: May 20, 1998
Legislation Could Help Protect Consumers From Credit Identity Fraud: FTC
The Federal Trade Commission today told a Senate subcommittee that legislation to combat credit identity theft could help consumers by defining identity theft as a crime and providing for consumer restitution, including the costs associated with clearing their credit history. - FOR RELEASE: May 20, 1998
Medical Billing Business Opportunity Operator Settles FTC Charges
A company that claimed consumers could earn big money by investing in its home-based medical "billing center" business opportunity has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its earnings claims were false and that it failed to give investors disclosure documents required by federal law.
- For Your Information: May 20, 1998
FTC Isssues Staff Advisory to Phoenix Medical Network, Inc.
Staff of the Federal Trade Commission have advised Phoenix Medical Network, Inc., a proposed physician network in Erie, Pennsylvania, that they have no present intention to recommend a challenge to the formation and operation of the network.
May 19, 1998
- FOR RELEASE: May 19, 1998
FTC Halts Bogus Credit Card Business
A business that claimed it could obtain unsecured credit cards -- even for consumers with past credit problems -- for up-front "processing fees" of up to $129 has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that in almost all cases they failed to provide the cards and, in others, they failed to disclose additional processing and annual fees, in violation of federal law.
May 18, 1998
- For Your Information: May 18, 1998
Market Power in Electric Utility Industry is Topic of FTC Staff Comment Filed with Louisiana Public Service Commission
The staff of the Federal Trade Commission today filed a comment with the Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC) in response to its request for comments about the "Market Structure, Market Power, Reliability, and ISOs" portion of its investigation into whether the electric industry restructuring and competition in the provision of retail electric service is in the public interest.
May 14, 1998
- FOR RELEASE: May 14, 1998
$750,000 Performance Bond Requirement Imposed on Remaining Two Defendants Named in FTC Popcorn Vending Machine Case
The remaining two defendants sued by the Federal Trade Commission in 1995 as part of "Project Telesweep" -- a nationwide crackdown on business opportunity fraud -- have agreed to settle the federal charges. - FOR RELEASE: May 14, 1998
FTC Unveils "Roadmap To Consumer Privacy"
The Federal Trade Commission today unveiled a "roadmap" on the Web that will show consumers how to protect their personal information from public access.
- FOR RELEASE: May 14, 1998
Illinois Telemarketers Who Operated Credit Card Scam Agree to Settle Federal and State Charges
Darryl André, and three other individual defendants, operating under a host of assumed names, including Premier Card Services, have agreed to settle federal and state charges that they deceptively marketed credit cards for an upfront fee.
May 13, 1998
- FOR RELEASE: May 13, 1998
Internet Business Opportunity Marketer Settles FTC Charges Unsubstantiated Earnings Claims Violated Federal Law
A company that promised fabulous earnings for investors in an Internet website development business has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the FTC’s Franchise Rule.
May 12, 1998
- FOR RELEASE: May 12, 1998
Dietary Supplement Advertiser Settle FTC Charges of Deceptive Health Claims
Ad Agency Also Settles Over its Role in Creating Infomercials - FOR RELEASE: May 12, 1998
Defendants in $cholar$cam Case Agree to Settle Charges
The principal defendant in one of the cases brought by the Federal Trade Commission's "Project $cholar$cam," a nationwide crackdown on fraudulent scholarship search services, has agreed to settle charges that he misrepresented the likelihood of obtaining scholarships and grants through the use of his service. - FOR RELEASE: May 12, 1998
Timony Named Chief FTC Administrative Law Judge
James P. Timony has been named Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Federal Trade Commission. - FOR RELEASE: May 12, 1998
Richard Parker Named Senior Deputy Director for Antitrust at FTC
Richard G. Parker has been named Senior Deputy Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust arm, the Bureau of Competition. - FOR RELEASE: May 12, 1998
Tritell Named Assistant Director for International Antitrust
Randolph W. Tritell has been named as the Federal Trade Commission’s Assistant Director for International Antitrust, effective immediately.
- FOR RELEASE: May 11, 1998
Kentucky Publisher and Mid-West Trade Association Settle FTC Charges that They Injured Consumers by Reducing Price Competition Among Farm Equipment Dealers
Agreements to ban price advertising for new farm equipment violated federal law, the Federal Trade Commission said today in announcing a settlement with Fastline Publications, Inc., a Kentucky publisher, and Mid-America Equipment Retailers Association, an Indiana trade association representing farm equipment dealers. - For Your Information: May 11, 1998
FTC Seeks Public Comment About Survey of Rent-To-Own Consumers
The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comment about a proposed telephone survey of consumers and their experience with the rent-to-own industry. - REGULATORY REFORM : May 8, 1998
Proposed Amendments to the Care Labeling Rule
The Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments on proposed amendments to the Care Labeling Rule, which requires labels to be placed on clothing and certain piece goods indicating instructions for at least one safe method for cleaning the product. - FOR RELEASE: May 6, 1998
FTC Seeks Input About Year 2000 Problem and its Impact on Consumers
R2D2 is widely known among movie buffs as one of the robots in Star Wars. - FOR RELEASE: May 6, 1998
FTC Announces Proposal to Clarify How the Law Will Apply to Advertising and Commercial Transactions on the Internet
Agency Seeks to Ensure Consumer Confidence in the Internet by Applying Protection Rules - For Your Information: May 6, 1998
Announced Action for May 6, 1998
Consent agreements given final approval: Following a public comment period, the Commission has made final a consent agreement with the following entity. - FOR RELEASE: May 5, 1998
Operation "Show Time" Targets Seminars Selling Fraudulent Business Opportunities and Investments
FTC, State Law Enforcement Officials Announce Crack-down on Seminar Hucksters - For Your Information: May 5, 1998
Announced Action for May 5, 1998
Applications for approval of transactions: The FTC has received an application for approval of a transaction from the following. - FOR RELEASE: May 4, 1998
Defendants in Credit Repair Scheme Agree to Settle FTC Charges
Two Bellevue, Washington companies, CRA Champion Credit, Inc. and CRA Financial Services, Inc., and the companies' two principals have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they misrepresented the credit repair services they offered by promising to remove accurate negative information from consumers' credit reports, when, in fact, such information cannot be removed. - For Your Information: May 1, 1998
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced charges Against Internic Technology Pty Ltd.
On August 27, 1997, the staff of the Federal Trade Commission issued a letter stating that Internic Software, Inc., an Australian organization mimicking the official Internet domain name registration services of Network Solutions and its InterNIC activity, may be in violation of a federal law prohibiting deceptive acts or practices. - For Your Information: May 1, 1998
FTC Staff Comments on Electric Utility Market Monitoring
In response to a request from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the staff of the Federal Trade Commission today submitted a comment about FERC’s policy conference on independent system operators (ISOs).