The FTC banned Support King, LLC (SpyFone) and its CEO from the surveillance business for secretly harvesting and sharing users' data without consent, and ordered the deletion of all illegally collected data and notification to affected device owners. The company failed to secure the data, leading to a hack that exposed 2,200 consumers.
The consent order bans Support King, LLC and Scott Zuckerman from offering or selling surveillance apps, requires them to delete all illegally collected data, and mandates notification to device owners about the secret monitoring.
In-house legal teams should review vendor agreements with app developers or surveillance technology providers, as well as any customer or partner agreements where monitoring or data collection services are involved. Specific clauses to scrutinize include those governing data collection consent (ensuring explicit, informed consent is obtained), data sharing and transfer (prohibiting unauthorized sharing), security obligations (requiring robust information security programs and regular assessments), data retention and deletion (mandating timely deletion of collected data upon termination or request), breach notification (requiring prompt reporting of security incidents), and explicit prohibitions against developing, selling, or promoting surveillance or stalkerware applications. Changes may be needed to strengthen consent language, mandate independent security audits, require immediate data deletion upon order termination, and add clear bans on bypassing device security settings.
Entity
Support King, LLC
Also known as: Support King
Industry
TechnologyOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/07/ftc-seeks-comment-petition-vacate-2021-order-related-provider-stalkerware-apps
192 3003 spyfone complaint
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/192_3003_spyfone_complaint.pdf
192 3003 spyfone agreement and order without signatures 0
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/192_3003_spyfone_agreement_and_order_without_signatures_0.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
"Support King, LLC, which did business as SpyFone.com"
"secretly harvested and shared data on people’s physical movements, phone use, and online activities"
"without the device owner’s knowledge"
"GPS locations"
"failed to keep it secure"
The FTC finalized an order banning Support King, LLC and its CEO from the surveillance business for selling stalkerware apps that secretly collected and shared users' personal data without consent. The order requires them to delete all illegally collected data and notify affected device owners.
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.