Penalty Amount
$48,000,000
Consumers Affected
444,131
Consumer fraud case where the FTC settled with Invitation Homes for deceiving renters with undisclosed fees and unlawful charges, including hidden fees and unfair security deposit withholdings. The company must pay over $47.2 million in refunds to affected consumers and change its leasing practices.
Invitation Homes must pay $48 million in consumer refunds, clearly disclose lease prices, establish fair security deposit policies, cease deceptive practices, and comply with a consent order.
In-house legal teams at real estate and property management companies should review residential lease agreements to ensure all fees (including smart home technology, utility management, and other ancillary services) are clearly disclosed upfront in plain language. Vendor contracts with service providers (e.g., smart home tech, utility management, deposit refund administrators) should include explicit prohibitions on undisclosed fees and requirements to itemize all charges. Security deposit handling procedures and related contracts should be updated to align with fair refund policies, explicitly excluding normal wear and tear from deductible damages and prohibiting charges for pre-existing damage or renovations. Lease clauses should be revised to remove deceptive fee structures and ensure full compliance with FTC deceptive practices standards.
Entity
Invitation Homes
Industry
Real EstateOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/03/ftc-sends-checks-totaling-more-472-million-consumers-deceived-invitation-homes-undisclosed-fees
ftc takes action against invitation homes deceiving renters
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/09/ftc-takes-action-against-invitation-homes-deceiving-renters-charging-junk-fees-withholding-security
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Invitation Homes"
"turn over $48 million"
"deceiving applicants about lease costs, charging renters undisclosed fees, failing to inspect homes before residents moved in, and unfairly withholding tenants’ security deposits when they moved out."
The FTC filed a complaint alleging that GovAssist LLC, Entry LLC, and Scott Zuckerman used deceptive paid search ads, misleading service and pricing claims, and fake reviews to deceive consumers seeking passport services. The complaint alleges violations of the FTC Act, the Impersonation Rule, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act; the case will be decided by the court, and no penalty or remedy is reported as imposed.
The FTC issued its annual report to Congress describing fraud trends affecting older adults and the agency’s enforcement, education, and outreach efforts. The report is not a specific privacy enforcement action and announces no penalty or remedy.
The FTC referred a complaint against REPS & Company Inc. and company executives, alleging they bypassed ticket-issuer security controls and purchasing limits to acquire millions of tickets for resale. The complaint was filed by the Department of Justice, and the case will be decided by the court; the press release does not report a penalty or other remedy imposed.
$106.8M
A federal court entered a $106.8 million default judgment against corporate defendants in an alleged debt-relief scheme that impersonated banks and government entities and targeted seniors and veterans. The judgment permanently bans the defendants from the debt-relief industry and imposes additional prohibitions, including on impersonation, telemarketing, and misrepresentations.
The FTC sued Digital Forensics Corporation LLC and affiliated defendants, alleging they misled sextortion victims with promises of investigative and monitoring services that often were not provided, and used fake positive reviews. A federal court granted the FTC’s request to temporarily halt the defendants’ activities; the complaint remains for the court to decide.
The FTC alleged that Greenway Auto Group advertised vehicle prices thousands of dollars below the amounts consumers actually paid and used mailers falsely suggesting recipients had won cash prizes. Greenway agreed to an order requiring transparent pricing and prohibiting deceptive prize mailers and other misrepresentations; the press release does not state a monetary penalty.