Penalty Amount
$5,800,000
The FTC settled with background report providers TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate, charging they deceived consumers about the accuracy of their reports (often mischaracterizing traffic tickets as criminal records) and violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by operating as consumer reporting agencies without following its requirements, including ensuring accuracy and limiting permissible purposes. The companies will pay a $5.8 million penalty and implement a comprehensive FCRA compliance monitoring program.
Under the proposed order, TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate must pay a $5.8 million penalty. They are permanently prohibited from misrepresenting report accuracy and from failing to comply with the FCRA when operating as consumer reporting agencies. They must establish a comprehensive monitoring program to ensure FCRA compliance, mandate that endorsers disclose material connections, and monitor such endorsers.
Entity
TruthFinder; Instant Checkmate
Industry
Data BrokerOfficial Press Release
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/09/ftc-says-truthfinder-instant-checkmate-deceived-users-about-background-report-accuracy-violated-fcra
truthfinder complaint
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/truthfinder_complaint.pdf
truthfinder proposed order
https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/truthfinder_proposed_order.pdf
Federal Trade Commission Enforcement Page
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement
$18.0M
Consumer fraud enforcement action where the FTC settled with Air AI for misleading entrepreneurs with false earnings and refund guarantees. The company will be banned from marketing business opportunities and pay a suspended $18 million judgment with $50,000 for consumer relief. Violations included failure to provide required disclosures and false claims under the Telemarketing Sales Rule and Business Opportunity Rule.
$17.0M
Consumer fraud enforcement action where the FTC settled with Xponential Fitness for violating the Franchise Rule by misrepresenting key information to franchisees, including time to open and costs. The settlement includes a $17 million monetary judgment for redress and prohibits future misrepresentations.
Consumer fraud and advertising enforcement action where the FTC sent warning letters to 97 auto dealership groups for deceptive pricing practices, such as advertising prices that exclude mandatory fees, misleading consumers about total costs. The letters stress the need for truthful and transparent pricing in the automotive industry.
$100.0M
The FTC and 11 states settled with Walmart for $100 million over deceptive earnings claims in its Spark Driver gig worker app, where drivers were misled about base pay, tips, and incentives. The settlement also addressed GLBA violations for failing to provide proper notice regarding the handling of drivers' financial information. Walmart must implement an earnings verification program and is banned from misrepresenting driver earnings.
The FTC issued a policy statement announcing it will not enforce COPPA against operators that collect age verification data under specific conditions. The policy aims to encourage the use of age verification technologies to protect children online. Operators must limit data use, ensure security, provide notice, and use accurate verification methods.
The FTC issued a policy statement announcing that it will not enforce the COPPA Rule against website and online service operators that use age verification technologies solely to determine user age, provided they comply with conditions such as limiting data use, ensuring security, and providing clear notice. This policy aims to incentivize age verification tools to protect children online.