The FTC obtained a temporary restraining order against NERD Solutions Inc., ED REF Inc., and their operators Natalie Rodriguez and Pablo Ortiz, alleging they operated a deceptive student loan debt relief scheme that impersonated U.S. Department of Education officials and loan servicers to collect illegal upfront fees from consumers. The defendants are accused of violating the FTC Act, Telemarketing Sales Rule, Impersonation Rule, and Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, having collected at least $8.8 million from affected consumers. The case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued a temporary restraining order against the defendants to halt their alleged illegal student loan debt relief operations. No monetary penalties or permanent remedies have been imposed to date, as the case is in its early stages.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements with student loan debt relief or financial service providers, telemarketing service contracts, and customer agreements involving student financial data. Key clauses to update include data processing and safeguarding provisions to ensure compliance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, telemarketing consent and Do Not Call list compliance clauses, fee provisions prohibiting illegal upfront charges for debt relief services, and impersonation prohibitions barring vendors from falsely claiming affiliation with government agencies or loan servicers. Contracts handling student data should also include specific privacy protections aligned with student data regulations.
Entity
NERD Solutions Inc., ED REF Inc., Natalie Rodriguez, Pablo Ortiz
Industry
Financial ServicesOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2026/04/ftc-stops-operation-allegedly-targeted-people-seeking-student-loan-debt-relief
NERD TRO
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/NERD-TRO.pdf
NERD Complaint
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/NERD-%20Complaint.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"The FTC’s complaint against NERD Solutions Inc., ED REF Inc., and their operators Natalie Rodriguez and Pablo Ortiz"
"The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California entered a temporary restraining order in the case on April 13, 2026."
"Federal Trade Commission"
"The defendants are charged with violating the FTC Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule, the Impersonation Rule, and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act."
"illegally marketed student loan debt relief services by cold calling consumers, thousands of whom are on the National Do Not Call list, and pretending to be affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or consumers’ actual loan servicers."
"The Federal Trade Commission has obtained a temporary restraining order against an alleged student loan debt relief scheme and its operators"
The FTC issued a policy statement abandoning disparate-impact liability, stating it will no longer bring claims based on this theory. It also modified compliance obligations for several companies based on past decisions.
The FTC, along with Utah and California, filed a complaint against Hims & Hers alleging the telehealth provider shared consumers' sensitive health information with third-party advertising platforms without consent, and deceived consumers about billing and cancellation practices. The complaint alleges violations of the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act.
$300K
The FTC alleged that Elite Events and Tickets LLC, doing business as Smart Scalpers, violated the Better Online Ticket Sales Act by circumventing security measures to bypass ticket purchase limits for over 2,400 events, reselling tickets at a profit. The proposed order requires payment of $300,000 (with a total penalty of $10.7 million partially suspended) and permanently prohibits the company and its owners from engaging in such circumvention tactics.
$45.9M
The FTC permanently banned Dennise Merdjanian from the debt relief industry and telemarketing after she and Superior Servicing LLC allegedly ran a student loan forgiveness scam that took more than $45.9 million from consumers. The proposed stipulated order imposes a partially suspended monetary judgment and resolves the FTC's litigation against the remaining defendants.
$16.5M
The FTC charged the founders of Celsius Network with deceiving consumers by falsely promising that cryptocurrency deposits were safe and always available. The founders agreed to pay $16.5 million and are banned from marketing or selling products that can be used to deposit or withdraw assets, among other restrictions.
$750K
The FTC finalized a settlement with Vanilla Chip LLC (doing business as TruHeight) and its principals over allegations that they deceptively advertised height-enhancing supplements for children and teenagers without competent and reliable scientific evidence. The FTC also alleged that TruHeight used fake social media bot profiles and relied on reviews written by employees, vendors, or consumers who received free products or discounts for 5-star reviews. Under the final order, TruHeight must pay $750,000 and is barred from making unsupported health claims or misrepresenting reviews.