Wyden Investigation Reveals New Details About Automakers’ Sharing of Driver Information with Data Brokers

"Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., urged the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate and hold responsible automakers and their data broker partners, for disclosing data on millions of Americans, without consent in a letter today. An investigation by Wyden revealed new facts regarding automakers’ disclosure of driving data, such as sudden braking and acceleration, to data brokers for subsequent resale to insurance companies. General Motors (GM) also confirmed to Wyden’s office that it shared customers’ location data with two other companies, which GM refused to identify.

The senators’ letter to the FTC included new details about GM, Honda, and Hyundai’s sharing of drivers’ data with data brokers, including details about the payments the data broker Verisk made to automakers. Based on information Wyden obtained from automakers, the senators revealed: 

• Hyundai shared data from 1.7 million cars with Verisk, which paid Hyundai $1,043,315.69, or 61 cents per car;

• Honda shared data from 97,000 cars with the data broker Verisk, which paid Honda $25,920, or 26 cents per car;

• Automakers used deceptive design tactics, known as “dark patterns,” to manipulate consumers into signing up for programs in which driver data was shared with data brokers, for subsequent resale to insurance companies.."
  AutoMakers Sharing Data 

Cars & Consumer Data: On Unlawful Collection & Use

"Some say the car a person drives can say a lot about them. As cars get “connected,” this turns out to be truer than many people might have realized. While connectivity can let drivers do things like play their favorite internet radio stations or unlock their car with an app, connected cars can also collect a lot of data about people. This data could be sensitive—such as biometric information or location—and its collection, use, and disclosure can threaten consumers’ privacy and financial welfare.

Connected cars have been on the FTC’s radar for years. The FTC highlighted concerns related to connected cars as part of an “Internet of Things” workshop held in 2013, followed by a 2015 report. In 2018, the FTC hosted a connected cars workshop highlighting issues ranging from unexpected secondary uses of data to security risks. The agency has also published guidance to consumers reminding them to wipe the data on their cars before selling them—much as anyone would when trying to resell a computer or smart phone.

Over the years, privacy advocates have raised concerns about the vast amount of data that could be collected from cars, such as biometric, telematic, geolocation, video, and other personal information. News reports have also suggested that data from connected cars could be used to stalk people or affect their insurance rates. Many have noted that when any company collects a large amount of sensitive data, it can pose national security issues if that data is shared with foreign actors.."
Cars and Consumer Data 

Broadband Consumer Labels

"Broadband Labels (Internet de Banda Ancha Etiquetas - en español) are designed to provide clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about the cost and performance of high-speed internet services. The labels are modeled after the FDA nutrition labels and are intended to help consumers comparison shop for the internet service plan that will best meet their needs and budget. Internet service providers that offer home, or fixed, internet services, or mobile broadband plans are required to have a label for each service plan they offer.

Beginning April 10, 2024, consumers should look for broadband labels at any point of sale, including online and in stores. The labels must disclose important information about broadband prices, introductory rates, data allowances, and broadband speeds. They also include links to information about network management practices and privacy policies.

A glossary (glosario en español) is available to help consumers better understand the information displayed on the label. To review a sample home internet, or fixed, label created by the FCC, download the home internet label in PDF format. You can also review a sample mobile broadband label in PDF format.

While many providers will begin displaying their labels in April, providers with less than 100,000 subscribers have until Oct. 10, 2024, to comply with the FCC rules to display broadband labels at their points of sale.."
Internet consumer labels 

The Federal Trade Commission 2023 Privacy and Data Security Update

"The past three years have been a tremendously busy period for the Commission, and I am particularly proud of our accomplishments in the areas of privacy and data security. We have worked vigorously to ensure that the law has equal force across the digital ecosystem, rising to the challenges presented by new technologies and seeking meaningful remedies that establish critical standards for protecting consumers’ information, rather than placing the burden on consumers to protect themselves. This is an area that demands an all-hands-on-deck response, and as the examples in the report show, the Commission is using every tool it has to safeguard consumers’ rights. To highlight a few of the agency’s achievements:

• Artificial Intelligence: The Commission has been leading efforts to ensure that AI and similar technologies are not deployed in harmful ways. In addition to obtaining orders against Rite Aid, Ring, and Amazon to ensure that companies are disincentivized from using data that was wrongfully collected or trained to develop AI, we have initiated a market study of social media and video streaming platforms on the use of AI, announced a public contest to develop new approaches to protect consumers from AI-enabled voice cloning harms, proposed rules to crack down on AI-fueled impersonator and fake review fraud, and issued numerous business guidance alerts.

• Children and Teens: The Commission proposed strengthening the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act to make digital services safer and more secure for children, and to put the onus on providers rather than parents to keep kids’ data secure. The Commission has also been active in the enforcement arena, obtaining a record-breaking civil penalty settlement with Epic Games, and implementing substantive protections for teens as well, by mandating that settings default to protect their privacy. Our work in the educational technology space—including our case against Edmodo and policy statement on education technology—sent a strong message that businesses cannot outsource compliance when it comes to children’s privacy. 1 This Update covers the time period from January 2021 to December 2023. 2023 Privacy and Data Security Update FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FTC.GOV 2

• Sensitive Data: As the privacy threats from data collection continue to grow, protecting the privacy and security of consumers' sensitive data has continued to be a top Commission priority. The Commission’s groundbreaking actions to safeguard health, biometric, and geolocation data—including BetterHelp, GoodRx Holdings, Premom, Flo Heath, RiteAid, and Kochava, along with the InMarket, X-Mode, and Avast cases that were filed after the time period covered by this update—demonstrate that our agency will not tolerate failures to protect consumers’ sensitive information at any stage in the data lifecycle

. • Market-wide Protections: The Commission initiated rulemaking initiatives to establish sensible and reasonable baselines that protect consumers and put honest businesses on a level playing field. These included amendments to require financial institutions to notify the FTC of large data breaches, notices of proposed rulemaking to clarify the application of the Health Breach Notification Rule to health apps and strengthen the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule, and an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking to explore rules that would crack down on harmful commercial surveillance and lax data security.

While the work of the FTC’s attorneys, economists, investigators, technologists, and other specialists has made enormous strides in protecting the privacy and security of consumers’ information, there is much more that needs to be done. The explosive growth in data collection and the rapid pace of technological developments that allow information to be exploited in new ways demands action. The Commission has consistently called on Congress to restore its ability under Section 13(b) of the FTC Act to return money to consumers in federal court, and to pass comprehensive privacy legislation. As the data abuses described in this report makes clear, that ask is more urgent than ever.."
FTC Privacy and Data Security 

FTC Issues Biennial Report to Congress on the National Do Not Call Registry

"The Federal Trade Commission issued its biennial report to Congress on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry that shows the number of consumers who have placed their telephone numbers on the Registry over the past two years has reached more than 249 million.

The report also notes that the FTC has received more than two million Do Not Call complaints in fiscal year (FY) 2023 with people overwhelmingly reporting these violations came via robocalls, as opposed to live telemarketing.

Imposter scam, medical needs and prescription scam calls led the list of commonly reported call topics in FY 2023, followed by calls related to reducing debt and energy, solar, and utilities. In response to the consistently high number of complaints from the public about impersonator scams, the FTC recently continued its rulemaking initiative to combat business and government impersonation fraud. A data spotlight issued in June 2023 found that bogus bank fraud warnings were the most common form of text message scam reported to the agency, and that many of the most common text scams impersonate well-known businesses..."
Do Not Call Registry 

How to spot the latest job scams

"Scams can be hard to spot because they often look just like the real thing. That includes job scams. They crop up on real job sites, including places like LinkedIn. Scammers have even invited people to do things like 45-minute interviews, putting in the time so you let your guard down. So how do you tell a scam from the real thing?Image

Let’s say you get a message from a recruiter. They say you’re just what they’ve been looking for and schedule a virtual interview. The invitation has the company’s logo and an official-looking job briefing guide describing the job’s duties. Soon after the interview, you get the email: You got the job! The offer letter comes in — company logo and all — and everything seems promising. But what comes next?

Here are some signs that job offer may be a scam:

• Scammy recruiters will email you from a personal email, not a company account. Recruiters will generally email from their company (@companyname.com), not a personal email like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com.
• Scammy recruiters push you for money. They might send you a fake invoice for equipment (like a computer ) or “training” that they’ll supposedly order but tell you to pay for first — using mobile payment apps like Cash App, Zelle, or PayPal. They’ll promise to reimburse you…but won’t, because it’s a scam.
• Scammy recruiters ask for your personal information up front. Before giving you any details about the job, they’ll ask for your driver’s license, Social Security, or bank account number to fill out “employment paperwork.” But if you share it, they might steal your identity.

Not sure if you’re dealing with a job scam? Contact the company using a phone number or website you know to be legitimate — not one you got from the “recruiter.”

Report job scams to the FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov..."
Job Scams 

Scammers hide harmful links in QR codes to steal your information

"QR codes seem to be everywhere. You may have scanned one to see the menu at a restaurant or pay for public parking. And you may have used one on your phone to get into a concert or sporting event, or to board a flight. There are countless other ways to use them, which explains their popularity. Unfortunately, scammers hide harmful links in QR codes to steal personal information. Here’s what to know.

There are reports of scammers covering up QR codes on parking meters with a QR code of their own. And some crafty scammers might send you a QR code by text message or email and make up a reason for you to scan it. These are some of the ways they try to con you:

• they lie and say they couldn't deliver your package and you need to contact them to reschedule
• they pretend like there’s a problem with your account and you need to confirm your information
• they lie, saying they noticed suspicious activity on your account, and you need to change your password

These are all lies they tell you to create a sense of urgency. They want you to scan the QR code and open the URL without thinking about it.

A scammer’s QR code could take you to a spoofed site that looks real but isn’t. And if you log in to the spoofed site, the scammers could steal any information you enter. Or the QR code could install malware that steals your information before you realize it.

So how can you protect yourself?

• If you see a QR code in an unexpected place, inspect the URL before you open it. If it looks like a URL you recognize, make sure it’s not spoofed — look for misspellings or a switched letter.
• Don’t scan a QR code in an email or text message you weren’t expecting — especially if it urges you to act immediately. If you think the message is legitimate, use a phone number or website you know is real to contact the company.
• Protect your phone and accounts. Update your phone's OS to protect against hackers and protect your online accounts with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.."
  QR Codes 

FTC Issues Warning To Consumers About Scammers Impersonating FTC Staff

"The Federal Trade Commission has issued a new blog post warning consumers about scammers who are impersonating FTC staff members.

The post highlights a number of key lies that scammers tell when they’re pretending to work for the FTC, including that consumers have won a contest and must pay to collect their prize or owe money to the agency. The post also notes that scammers have used the names of real FTC employees when they reach out to consumers.

The post includes three key facts about communication from the FTC: The FTC will never call you to demand money; the FTC will never threaten you with arrest; and the FTC will never promise you a prize.

Consumers who receive calls from scammers pretending to work for the FTC should report them immediately to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.

FTC staff Impersonators 

FTC Issues Annual Report on Ethanol Market Concentration 2022

"This Report presents the Federal Trade Commission’s (“Commission” or “FTC”) concentration analysis of the ethanol production industry for 2022.1 The report includes certain data and information from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (“EIA”), industry participants, and other sources.2 Section 1501(a)(2) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires that the FTC annually “perform a market concentration analysis of the ethanol production industry . . . to determine whether there is sufficient competition among industry participants to avoid price-setting and other anticompetitive behavior.”3 Pursuant to the statute, the FTC must measure concentration using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (“HHI”) and consider all marketing arrangements among industry participants in preparing its analysis.4 Also pursuant to the statute, the FTC delivers its report to Congress and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) by December 1 of each year.

The HHI is a measure of market concentration. A given market’s HHI is the sum of the squares of the individual market shares of all market participants.5 As in previous reports, FTC staff (“staff”) analyzed concentration based on U.S. ethanol production capacity and actual production of ethanol. Staff’s analysis does not address whether ethanol production in any geographic area constitutes a relevant antitrust market; instead, it calculates concentration on a nationwide basis, based on ethanol production capacity and actual ethanol production. For both measures, HHIs are calculated for producers and marketers. For both production capacity and actual production, concentration for producer shares is lower than concentration for marketer shares. Based on production capacity, the HHIs are 545 for producer-based shares and 869 for marketer-based shares. Based on actual production, the HHIs are 516 for producer-based shares and 922 for marketer-based shares. HHIs attributed to producers decreased from last year, while HHIs attributed to marketers increased.."
Ethanol 

Reports show scammers cashing in on crypto craze

"From Super Bowl ads to Bitcoin ATMs, cryptocurrency seems to be everywhere lately. Although it’s yet to become a mainstream payment method, reports to the FTC show it’s an alarmingly common method for scammers to get peoples’ money. Since the start of 2021, more than 46,000 people have reported losing over $1 billion in crypto to scams^[1] – that’s about one out of every four dollars reported lost,^[2] more than any other payment method. The median individual reported loss? A whopping $2,600. The top cryptocurrencies people said they used to pay scammers were Bitcoin (70%), Tether (10%), and Ether (9%).^[3]  

Crypto has several features that are attractive to scammers, which may help to explain why the reported losses in 2021 were nearly sixty times what they were in 2018. There’s no bank or other centralized authority to flag suspicious transactions and attempt to stop fraud before it happens. Crypto transfers can’t be reversed – once the money’s gone, there’s no getting it back. And most people are still unfamiliar with how crypto works. These considerations are not unique to crypto transactions, but they all play into the hands of scammers.

Reports point to social media and crypto as a combustible combination for fraud. Nearly half the people who reported losing crypto to a scam since 2021 said it started with an ad, post, or message on a social media platform..."
Crypto fraud 

Federal Trade Commission Launches Inquiry into Infant Formula Crisis

"Today, the Federal Trade Commission staff launched an inquiry into the ongoing shortage for infant formula that has caused hardship for countless American families. The inquiry seeks information about the nature and prevalence of any deceptive, fraudulent, or otherwise unfair business practices aimed at taking advantage of families during this shortage. It also aims to shed light on the factors that have led to concentration in the infant formula market and the fragility of the supply chains for these crucial products. FTC Chair Lina M. Khan released a statement in conjunction with the public inquiry committing to a series of actions to confront this crisis. 

"We have been monitoring and will continue to monitor the ongoing infant formula shortage, which is causing enormous anxiety, fear, and financial burden for American families," said Chair Lina M. Khan in her statement. "The FTC is launching a public inquiry to identify the factors that contributed to the shortage or hampered our ability to respond to it. Learning from this experience can help determine how we can minimize the risk of similar shortages in the markets for other life-sustaining products."

The Request for Information seeks public input on whether the FTC itself or state or federal agencies may have inadvertently taken steps that contributed to fragile supply chains in the market for these crucial products for many American families. Comments should be submitted to regulations.gov and must be received no later than Friday, June 24, 2022 by 11:59pm ET..."
Infant formula 

New Data Shows FTC Received 2.8 Million Fraud Reports from Consumers in 2021

"Newly released Federal Trade Commission data shows that consumers reported losing more than $5.8 billion to fraud in 2021, an increase of more than 70 percent over the previous year.

The FTC received fraud reports from more than 2.8 million consumers last year, with the most commonly reported category once again being imposter scams, followed by online shopping scams.

Prizes, sweepstakes, and lotteries; internet services; and business and job opportunities rounded out the top five fraud categories.

Of the losses reported by consumers, more than $2.3 billion of losses reported last year were due to imposter scams—up from $1.2 billion in 2020, while online shopping accounted for about $392 million in reported losses from consumers—up from $246 million in 2020.

The FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network (Sentinel) is a database that receives reports directly from consumers, as well as from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, the Better Business Bureau, industry members, and non-profit organizations. Twenty-five states now contribute to Sentinel. Reports from around the country about consumer protection issues are a key resource for FTC investigations that stop illegal activities and, when possible, provide refunds to consumers.

Sentinel received more than 5.7 million reports in 2021; these include the fraud reports detailed above, as well as identity theft reports and complaints related to other consumer issues, such as problems with credit bureaus and banks and lenders. In 2021, there were nearly 1.4 million reports of identity theft received by the FTC..."
FTC fraud reports 

Social media a gold mine for scammers in 2021

"Social media permeates the lives of many people – we use it to stay in touch, make new friends, shop, and have fun. But reports to the FTC show that social media is also increasingly where scammers go to con us. More than one in four people who reported losing money to fraud in 2021 said it started on social media with an ad, a post, or a message.^[1] In fact, the data suggest that social media was far more profitable to scammers in 2021 than any other method of reaching people.^[2]

More than 95,000 people reported about $770 million in losses to fraud initiated on social media platforms in 2021.^[3] Those losses account for about 25% of all reported losses to fraud in 2021 and represent a stunning eighteenfold increase over 2017 reported losses. Reports are up for every age group, but people 18 to 39 were more than twice as likely as older adults to report losing money to these scams in 2021.^[4]

For scammers, there’s a lot to like about social media. It’s a low-cost way to reach billions of people from anywhere in the world. It’s easy to manufacture a fake persona, or scammers can hack into an existing profile to get “friends” to con. There’s the ability to fine-tune their approach by studying the personal details people share on social media. In fact, scammers could easily use the tools available to advertisers on social media platforms to systematically target people with bogus ads based on personal details such as their age, interests, or past purchases..."
Social media scammers 

FTC Launches Inquiry into Supply Chain Disruptions

"The Federal Trade Commission is ordering nine large retailers, wholesalers, and consumer good suppliers to provide detailed information that will help the FTC shed light on the causes behind ongoing supply chain disruptions and how these disruptions are causing serious and ongoing hardships for consumers and harming competition in the U.S. economy.

The FTC is issuing the orders under Section 6(b) of the FTC Act, which authorizes the Commission to conduct wide-ranging studies that do not have a specific law enforcement purpose. The orders are being sent to Walmart Inc., Amazon.com, Inc., Kroger Co., C&S Wholesale Grocers, Inc., Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc., McLane Co, Inc. Procter & Gamble Co., Tyson Foods, Inc., and Kraft Heinz Co. The companies will have 45 days from the date they received the order to respond.

“Supply chain disruptions are upending the provision and delivery of a wide array of goods, ranging from computer chips and medicines to meat and lumber. I am hopeful the FTC’s new 6(b) study will shed light on market conditions and business practices that may have worsened these disruptions or led to asymmetric effects,” said Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC has a long history of pursuing market studies to deepen our understanding of economic conditions and business conduct, and we should continue to make nimble and timely use of these information-gathering tools and authorities.”

In addition to better understanding the reasons behind the disruptions, the study will examine whether supply chain disruptions are leading to specific bottlenecks, shortages, anticompetitive practices, or contributing to rising consumer prices.

The orders require the companies to detail the primary factors disrupting their ability to obtain, transport and distribute their products; the impact these disruptions are having in terms of delayed and canceled orders, increased costs and prices; the products, suppliers and inputs most affected; and the steps the companies are taking to alleviate disruptions; and how they allocate products among their stores when they are in short supply..."
Supply chain disruption 

FTC Issues Annual Report on Ethanol Market Concentration 2021

"The Federal Trade Commission has issued its 2021 Report on Ethanol Market Concentration. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 directs the Commission to perform an annual review of market concentration in the ethanol production industry “to determine whether there is sufficient competition among industry participants to avoid price-setting and other anticompetitive behavior.”

As in prior years, the 2021 report concludes that “[t]he low level of concentration and large number of market participants in the U.S. ethanol production industry continue to suggest that the exercise of market power to set prices, or coordinate on price or output levels, is unlikely on a nationwide basis.”  The Commission vote to approve the report was 4-0.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, and protect and educate consumers. You can learn more about how competition benefits consumers or file an antitrust complaint.  For the latest news and resources, follow the FTC on social media, subscribe to press releases and read our blog..."
Ethanol 

FTC Report Finds Annual Cigarette Sales Increased for the First Time in 20 Years

"The number of cigarettes that the largest cigarette companies in the United States sold to wholesalers and retailers nationwide increased from 202.9 billion in 2019 to 203.7 billion in 2020, according to the most recent Federal Trade Commission Cigarette Report. This represents the first time annual cigarette sales have increased in 20 years.

According to the 2020 Smokeless Tobacco Report, smokeless tobacco sales increased from 126.0 million pounds in 2019 to 126.9 million pounds in 2020. The revenue from those sales rose from $4.53 billion in 2019 to $4.82 billion in 2020. For the first time, the Commission is reporting sales of nicotine lozenges or nicotine pouches not containing tobacco. In 2020, the companies sold 140.7 million units of such products in the United States, for $420.5 million.

The amount spent on cigarette advertising and promotion increased from $7.62 billion in 2019 to $7.84 billion in 2020. Price discounts paid to cigarette retailers ($6.07 billion) and wholesalers ($876 million) were the two largest expenditure categories in 2020. Combined spending on price discounts accounted for 88.5 percent of industry spending.

Spending on advertising and promotion by the major manufacturers of smokeless tobacco products in the U.S. decreased from $576.1 million in 2019 to $567.3 million in 2020. As with cigarettes, price discounts made up the two largest spending categories, with $296.6 million paid to retailers and $83.5 million paid to wholesalers. Combined spending on price discounts totaled $380.1 million – or 67.4 percent of all spending in 2020, up from the $376.0 million spent in 2019.

For the first time, the 2020 data include information on the flavors of the companies’ smokeless tobacco products. Menthol flavored smokeless tobacco products comprised more than half of all sales revenues (54.5 percent); tobacco flavored products (that is, no added flavor) comprised 43.4 percent; and fruit flavored smokeless tobacco products comprised 2.5 percent.."
Cigarette sales

Protecting Older Consumers 2020–2021

"As the nation’s primary consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC” or “Commission”) has a broad mandate to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive acts or practices in the marketplace.1 It does this by, among other things, filing law enforcement actions to stop unlawful practices and, when possible, returning money to consumers. The FTC also protects the public through education and outreach on consumer protection issues. Through research and collaboration with federal, state, international, and private sector partners, the FTC strategically targets its efforts to achieve the maximum benefits for consumers, including older adults.2

Protecting older consumers in the marketplace is one of the FTC’s top priorities.3 This past year, the global pandemic has hit the health and finances of older communities particularly hard. As can be seen from numerous FTC cases, older adults continue to be targeted by a wide range of scams and the unfair and deceptive marketing of products and services. This past year, the FTC’s law enforcement efforts included a focus on schemes capitalizing on the fears and economic uncertainty associated with the pandemic to deceptively peddle products related to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. In addition to its law enforcement efforts, the FTC has redoubled its efforts to reach communities of older adults throughout the country with its varied outreach campaigns. The FTC also has conducted research regarding fraud reports filed by consumers nationwide, which reveals patterns and trends related to fraud impacting older adults. These analyses help inform the agency’s efforts to respond to the needs of older consumers.

The FTC submits this fourth annual report to the Committees on the Judiciary of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives to fulfill the reporting requirements of Section 101(c)(2) of the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017.4 The law requires the Chairman to file a report listing the FTC’s enforcement actions “over the preceding fiscal year in each case in which not less than one victim was an elder or that involved a financial scheme or scam that was either targeted directly toward or largely affected elders.” Given the large number and broad range of consumers affected in FTC actions, this list, found in Appendix A, includes every administrative and federal district court action filed in the one-year period. In addition, the FTC files this report to provide detail on the agency’s efforts to protect older consumers, including its law enforcement actions in cases that impact older adults, its targeted consumer education and outreach, and its research and strategic initiatives.."
Older Consumers 

Protecting Consumers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Year in Review

"One of the FTC’s strengths is the ability to anticipate and respond to current events and the predatory behavior that capitalizes on those events. Over the past year, the FTC found that consumers were struggling from the pandemic in several key ways. First and foremost, they were anxious about their health and safety and the health and safety of their loved ones. Second, some consumers faced unprecedented economic distress. Third, consumers spent much more time online, making them more susceptible to digital harms.

Our data, research, and outreach surfaced specific threats within each of these areas. Hundreds of marketers began making deceptive claims as they peddled COVID-related products and services. Schemes proliferated in response to demand for scarce goods, to peddle treatments and cures, and to exploit the financial distress people experienced. Hundreds of thousands of people filed reports about consumer problems they experienced in the pandemic—ranging from money lost in frauds to identity theft related to government benefits. As people followed stay-home orders and their professional and educational lives moved to the digital world, it became even more important for technology companies to deliver on their privacy promises.

This report highlights the ways the Commission has worked to address these issues—through sophisticated targeting, aggressive law enforcement, and ongoing partnership and outreach. The Commission developed systems to track and alert the public to shifts in reports from consumers, launched a public dashboard providing information on reports associated with COVID-19, and used COVID-related reports to identify law enforcement targets. The FTC challenged deceptive claims through law enforcement actions and warning letters designed to effectuate the immediate removal of problematic claims. The Commission just brought its first action seeking monetary penalties under its new authority under the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act,4 targeting deceptive COVID-19 marketing of vitamin D and zinc products.5 The Commission buttressed these enforcement efforts with consumer and business education, sending out more than 100 alerts to inform consumers about COVID-19 scams, reminding businesses about their responsibilities regarding honest advertising, and alerting companies about scams targeting them. This multi-prong strategy of harnessing data, halting fraud in its tracks, educating consumers and businesses, and partnering with stakeholders allowed the FTC to protect consumers efficiently and effectively, including communities that were already hardest hit by the pandemic..."
Consumers and COVID-19 

Ignore bogus COVID vaccine survey

"Ignore bogus COVID vaccine survey

Scammers are using a new trick to steal your money and personal information: a bogus COVID vaccine survey.

People across the country are reporting getting emails and texts out of the blue, asking them to complete a limited-time survey about the Pfizer, Moderna, or AstraZeneca vaccine. (And no doubt, there may be one for Johnson & Johnson, too.) In exchange, people are offered a free reward, but asked to pay shipping fees.

If you get an email or text like this, STOP. It’s a scam.

   

No legitimate surveys ask for your credit card or bank account number to pay for a “free” reward.

If you get an email or text you’re not sure about:

• Don’t click on any links or open attachments. Doing so could install harmful malware that steals your personal information without you realizing it.
• Don’t call or use the number in the email or text. If you want to call the company that supposedly sent the message, look up its phone number online.

Remember:

• Don’t give your bank account, credit card, or personal information to someone who contacts you out of the blue.
• You can filter unwanted text messages on your phone, through your wireless provider, or with a call-blocking app.
• If you get an email or text that asks for your personal information and you think it could be a scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

To learn more about COVID-related frauds and scams, visit ftc.gov/coronavirus/scams..."
Bogus COVID-19 survey

Federal Trade Commission: 2020 Annaul Highlights

"A year ago when the ABA gathered (virtually) for Spring Meeting, we could not have anticipated the full scope of what was to come: loss, sickness, isolation and economic devastation for so many. Like most organizations, it has been more than a year since FTC staff came together in the office, had regular childcare, or enjoyed a true respite from the cares of work and home. Despite these incredible challenges, the talented and dedicated staff of our agency never wavered in their commitment to our missions of promoting competition and protecting consumers. Their resourcefulness and tenacity over the past year is reflected in the collection of important enforcement actions, policy initiatives and outreach efforts highlighted here—I’m incredibly proud of their work and grateful for the opportunity to serve as Acting Chair during this pivotal time.."
Federal Trade Commission