Partly Cloudy 44°
Tag:

Federal Trade Commission

Business
Scammers Stole $14M+ Promising Passive Income From AI-Powered Amazon Shops: FTC Scammers Stole $14M+ Promising Passive Income From AI-Powered Amazon Shops: FTC
Scammers Stole $14M+ Promising Passive Income From Ai-powered Amazon Shops: FTC A federal court has temporarily shut down an online business that regulators accused of deceiving consumers out of more than $14 million with false promises of big earnings through artificial intelligence-powered online stores, officials said. The Federal Trade Commission said Click Profit, operating under names like FBALaunch and Automation Industries, misled consumers into believing they could earn large sums in passive income by selling products on platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and TikTok. The FTC announced the legal action against Click Profit in a news release on Tuesday, Mar. 18…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
News
Don't Fall For This Fake Email Scam, Feds Warn Don't Fall For This Fake Email Scam, Feds Warn
Don't Fall For This Fake Email Scam, Feds Warn A new scam is targeting people with a fake email and officials are urging the public to stay vigilant. The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has issued the warning about fraudulent emails impersonating the agency.  These emails, which carry the subject line “Claim Benefits!”, falsely claim that recipients must apply for their 2025 Social Security benefits through a provided link. How Scam Works The scam email appears to come from SSA and directs users to a fake website disguised to look like SSA’s official page. However, clicking on the link l…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Melania Trump Leads Fight Against Revenge Porn: ‘Take It Down Act’ Explained Melania Trump Leads Fight Against Revenge Porn: ‘Take It Down Act’ Explained
Melania Trump Leads Fight Against Revenge Porn: ‘Take It Down Act’ Explained Melania Trump has a message for Congress: It’s time to act. The First Lady is taking a high-profile stand against deepfake pornography and online sexual exploitation, calling on lawmakers to pass the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a bipartisan bill that would criminalize the publication of non-consensual intimate images (NCII), including AI-generated content, according to Congressional records. Trump, alongside Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), hosted a bipartisan roundtable discussion Monday, March 3, where victims and advocates shared gut-wrenching stories about how AI-ge…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Business
H&R Block Fined $7M For Deceptive 'Free' Filing Ads, Must Reform Tax Services: FTC H&R Block Fined $7M For Deceptive 'Free' Filing Ads, Must Reform Tax Services: FTC
H&R Block Fined $7M For Deceptive 'Free' Filing Ads, Must Reform Tax Services: FTC H&R Block will pay $7 million in federal fines for deceptive practices and must implement sweeping changes to its filing services in time for the 2025 tax season, officials said. H&R Block reached the settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, the agency announced in a news release on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The order requires the company to revamp its services and pay $7 million to compensate its customers. The settlement stemmed from a February 2024 complaint accusing H&R Block of forcing users to contact customer service to downgrade products. The tax filer was also a…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Business
Meta Drops Fact-Checking Program Ahead Of Trump's White House Return, Company Says Meta Drops Fact-Checking Program Ahead Of Trump's White House Return, Company Says
Meta Drops Fact-Checking Program Ahead Of Trump's White House Return, Company Says Meta is dismantling its third-party fact-checking program in the U.S. and aims to bring back political content as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, the company said. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the changes in a video statement on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The company that owns Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, will replace its fact-checking program with a Community Notes system similar to the one implemented on X (formerly Twitter). Zuckerberg said the new system's goal is to reduce bias and restore free expression. "Fact-checkers have be…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Business
Don't Fall For It: New Twist On Imposter Fraud Targets Your Money, Personal Info Don't Fall For It: New Twist On Imposter Fraud Targets Your Money, Personal Info
Don't Fall For It: New Twist On Imposter Fraud Targets Your Money, Personal Info The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is sounding the alarm on a sophisticated new imposter scheme designed to steal your money and personal information.  These scams are becoming increasingly convincing, but learning to spot the red flags can help you stay protected. How the Scam Works Initial Contact: Scammers pose as representatives from well-known companies, such as Amazon or a tech support service. They’ll claim there’s a routine issue, like suspicious charges on your account, a computer virus, or an account breach. Escalation: The scammers lie, saying your name is tied to serious …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Scammers Posing As Well-Known Businesses, Agencies: Here's What To Know, Feds Say Scammers Posing As Well-Known Businesses, Agencies: Here's What To Know, Feds Say
Scammers Posing As Well-Known Businesses, Agencies: Here's What To Know, Feds Say Federal authorities are sounding the alarm over scams that impersonate well-known businesses and government agencies.  In 2023, data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alone show more than 330,000 reports of business impersonation scams and nearly 160,000 reports of government impersonation scams. That amounts to nearly half the frauds reported directly to the agency, the FTC said. Combined, reported losses to these impersonation scams topped $1.1 billion for the year, more than three times what consumers reported in 2020. Reports show an increasingly blurred line between busine…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi