FTC

11/16/2009 -- WASHINGTON -- United States Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., today urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to help protect homeowners from scams by companies and individuals claiming to have solutions for tainted Chinese drywall. In a letter to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Sen. Landrieu and five other Senators raised concerns about deceptive practices that prey on consumers with defective drywall and asked the Commission to fully investigate and prosecute companies engaging in these activities.

The letter was signed by Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), David Vitter (R-La.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.).    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

• Julie Brill, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission
• Edith Ramirez, Commissioner, Federal Trade Commission
• Scott H. DeLisi, Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Department of State
• Beatrice W. Welters, Ambassador to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Department of State
• Earl F. Gohl, Jr., Federal Co-Chair, Appalachian Regional Commission

President Obama said, “These individuals bring a depth of experience to their respective roles, and I am confident they will serve my administration and the American people well. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”    » read more »

Last Week Schumer Requested The FTC Step Up Enforcement Actions Against Websites Peddling Fake H1N1 Cures and Prevention Methods

November 16, 2009 -- Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is embarking on a major crackdown on companies selling phony H1N1 remedies. As the problem of fake remedies grows worse, and concerns about the H1N1 flu increase, the FTC announced that they would take further enforcement action against ten companies that are peddling fake H1N1 remedies on-line.    » read more »

Says FTC Investigation Of CVS/Caremark Merger Is Necessary To Ensure Fair Competition

November 6, 2009 -- (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) today welcomed the news that the Federal Trade Commission is investigating the 2007 merger of CVS and Caremark, saying it is necessary to ensure fair competition in the prescription drug market.

In July, Senator Dorgan, along with Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), sent a letter to the FTC stating that the combination of Caremark and CVS “created a heightened opportunity for anticompetitive conduct in the prescription drug market.” They requested that the FTC investigate the merger because it was hurting Main Street pharmacies.    » read more »

Debt-strapped consumers would get relief from unscrupulous industry practices

November 3, 2009 -- Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and 18 other consumer organizations filed joint comments with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) supporting amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule that would protect debt-strapped consumers from unscrupulous practices by companies that offer to arrange payment plans with their creditors, get their interest rates or fees reduced, or settle their debts for pennies on the dollar.

In their comments, the consumer groups agreed with the FTC that some debt relief companies mislead consumers about the results they can expect and the impact that such services can have on their credit.    » read more »

Washington, Oct 7 - Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today sent a letter requesting the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct an investigation of the potentially unfair and anti-competitive forced sale of light bulbs by FirstEnergy to their customers in Northern Ohio. Kucinich also requested the FTC examine the issue of FirstEnergy’s plan to charge a fee for the energy that was not used by the consumer because they installed the light bulbs.

The full text of the letter follows:

October 7, 2009

Mr. Jon Leibowitz
Chairman
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580

Re: The need for an FTC investigation of FirstEnergy’s unfair and anti- competitive forced sale of 3.75 million light bulbs at excessive prices    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – This morning, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner hosted Attorney General Eric Holder, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) Director Jim Freis and attorneys general from 12 states to discuss emerging trends and proactive strategies to combat fraud against consumers in the housing markets as well as best practices to bolster coordination across state and federal agencies.

This meeting follows up on an announcement by the Obama Administration in April of a multi-agency crackdown on foreclosure rescue scams and loan modification fraud designed to protect homeowners from predatory financial practices.    » read more »

Civil Enforcement Cases, State Enforcement Actions, Alert to Financial Institutions Among New Efforts to Protect American Homeowners Seeking Relief

WASHINGTON, DC, April 6, 2009 -- As homeowners and communities throughout the country continue to face devastating consequences from the deep contraction in the economy and the housing market, the Obama Administration today announced a new coordinated effort across federal and state government and the private sector to target mortgage loan modification fraud and foreclosure rescue scams that threaten to hurt American homeowners and prevent them from getting the help they need during these challenging times.    » read more »

February 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Today, President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals for key administration posts: Jon Leibowitz, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission; Charlie Rose, General Counsel at the Department of Education; and Roy Keinitz, Under Secretary for Policy at the Department of Transportation.

President Obama said, "It gives me great confidence to announce the addition of such distinguished individuals to my administration, and I am grateful that they will be dedicating their considerable talents to serving the American people. I look forward to working with each of them as we steer America toward a new era of prosperity and security."

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the follow individuals today:    » read more »

June 17, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement today, after hearing the testimony of Walter Lukken, Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC), before a joint hearing of Durbin’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and the Senate Agriculture Committee.

“Increasing evidence shows that the run-up in crude oil prices and gasoline is being driven by larger trader banks, pension and hedge funds. Speculation may have as much, if not more, to do with high gas prices than any Saudi Sheik."    » read more »

Sends Letter to FTC Chairman about potential price gouging

June 17, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC - At a time when Pennsylvanians are faced with skyrocketing gas prices, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today sent a letter to William Kovacic, Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding the potential of price gouging and price manipulation.

“I hope that you and I can work together to give the FTC the tools it needs to investigate and help prosecute companies that are adopting questionable business strategies,” Senator Casey wrote. “The Unites States Congress and the FTC have an obligation to provide consumers with the assurance that whatever price they are paying at the pump, they can be certain they aren't being taken for a ride.”    » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today requested the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) review the proposed sale of Anheuser-Busch to InBev to determine if it would prevent free competition by creating a near monopoly in the beer beverage market.

A Budweiser bottling plant: Photo by Todd J (CC)    » read more »

May 22, 2008 -- OLYMPIA – Washington Governor Chris Gregoire today issued the following statement urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate oil and petroleum markets:

“Today I sent a letter to the FTC urging them to quickly and aggressively investigate possible market manipulation in the petroleum markets. I reminded FTC Chairman William Kovacic and his fellow commission colleagues that Congress just last year gave the FTC authority to ensure that the U.S. petroleum market is free from price rigging and to penalize those who are caught manipulating a market so critical to our economy.    » read more »

National operation includes more than 180 actions against instances of telemarketing fraud

May 20, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and a series of Florida partners today announced the results of a national telemarketing fraud sweep, including several actions taken throughout Florida over the past few months.    » read more »

May 14, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – At the urging of United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today agreed to launch an inquiry into the record high fuel prices facing American consumers. The commission, which is responsible for investigating consumer protection and competition issues in broad sectors of the economy, announced the investigation at their annual budget hearing before the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, which Durbin chairs.    » read more »