Skechers Ads to Shape Up Skechers shoe Skechers USA, Inc. has agreed to pay $40 million to settle charges that it deceived people with ads claiming its Shape-ups and other “toning shoes” would help them lose weight and strengthen muscles. Ads challenged by the FTC include one that aired during the 2011 Super Bowl showing [...]

FTC to Skechers: Shape up your ad claims By Lesley Fair May 16, 2012 – 11:05am It’s usually Skechers promising to help people shape up. But this time, the shoe’s on the other foot. In a $40 million settlement announced by the FTC — part of a broader agreement that also resolves charges by state [...]

Promotion commotion By Lesley Fair April 27, 2012 – 12:11pm This one took some chutzpah — with a capital -CHHH.  But there’s a message, too, for companies that want to keep their promotions on the up-and-up. International Award Advisors, Prize Registry Bureau, National Awards Service Advisory, and others sent out millions of personalized mailers identifying people [...]

From the Bureau of Consumer Protection Business Center: Nightmare on Main Street By Lesley Fair April 13, 2012 – 11:20am With a company name like Broadway Global Master, you might expect high kicks and jazz hands. The defendants told a dramatic story, all right — but according to the FTC, it was a harrowing tale [...]

From the Bureau of Consumer Protection Business Center of the FTC   Auto loan modifications? Take note. * By Lesley Fair * April 6, 2012 – 11:13am http://business.ftc.gov/blog/2012/04/auto-loan-modifications-take-note Tough federal and state law enforcement has turned up the heat on mortgage foreclosure rescue scams. So some operators are turning to auto loan modifications to make [...]

Lawsuithttp://business.ftc.gov/blog/2012/04/zz Lawsuits of mass reduction? By Lesley Fair April 2, 2012 – 11:16am The FTC has filed another action against defendants who allegedly attempted to squeeze the last drop from homeowners already under water.  This case, however, involves a disturbing new variation on foreclosure “rescue” operations. According to the FTC, the defendants used two related [...]

  In Your Debt? A fake debt collector who allegedly bullied people into paying debts they didn’t owe has been stopped at the FTC’s request. According to the FTC, American Credit Crunchers, LLC, Ebeeze, LLC, and owner Varang K. Thaker misused the personal information of people looking online for payday loans. The defendants used callers [...]

FTC to auto dealers: Back up your ad claims http://business.ftc.gov/blog/2012/03/ftc-auto-dealers-back-your-ad-claims * By Lesley Fair * March 14, 2012 – 1:50pm If you have clients in the auto industry, you’ve seen the ads: “We’ll pay off your trade no matter what you owe . . . even if you’re upside down.” It’s an attractive claim to [...]

For Immediate Release: Monday, March 12, 2012 Media Contact: Adrian Gianforti: 202-565-3200 Export-Import Bank Issues over 200 Express Insurance Policies in First Year Small Businesses across the Country Benefit from Streamlined Application for Short-Term Export Credit Insurance WASHINGTON, D.C. — When Martin Weinberg, President of Xamax Industries of Seymour, Connecticut, was encouraged by his accounting [...]