If you are requesting a check instead of a PayPal payment, it will be at least 45 days from the initial payment date before we can issue the check. If there is any money left in the settlement fund after the first distribution, the FTC may send a second round of payments. If you think you can get away with baseless claims that your product is AI-enabled, think again. Youve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts youre looking for. The FTC first mailed checks for this matter in October 2019 and sent PayPal payments in August 2021, resulting in more than $26.5 million in refunds. You can findanswers tocommon questions about refund payments onour FAQ page. In these cases, we send an email from the FTC (subscribe@subscribe.ftc.gov) to payment recipients prior to payment. Identifying who is eligible for a refund FTC court orders typically require the company to provide a list of customers, their contact information, and how much each customer paid. We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. Are you promising that your AI product does something better than a non-AI product? If you get a check, please cash it within 90 days. And remember, the FTC never requires you to pay money or give account information to cash a refund check. Our mission is protecting consumers and competition by preventing anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices through law enforcement, advocacy, and education without unduly burdening legitimate business activity. The .gov means its official. Can I still get my payment? Memo from Chair Lina M. Khan to commission staff and commissioners regarding the vision and priorities for the FTC. The FTC currently issues payments by check, prepaid debit card,and, A payment or claim form sent as part of an FTC settlement will include an explanation of and details about the case. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTCsPrivacy Act system notices. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. The case will be listed at ftc.gov/refunds, along with the name of the company issuing payments and a phone number for questions. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same. . Fake calls from Apple and Amazon support: What you need to know, The Google Voice scam: How this verification code scam works and how to avoid it, Show/hide Shopping and Donating menu items, Show/hide Credit, Loans, and Debt menu items, Show/hide Jobs and Making Money menu items, Money-Making Opportunities and Investments, Show/hide Unwanted Calls, Emails, and Texts menu items, Show/hide Identity Theft and Online Security menu items, If you lost money in a scam, you might get a call or email from someone claiming that they can help you recover your funds , targeting people who lost money to tech support scams, claiming to be from the FTCs Refund Department or Refund Division, If the FTC contacts you about a refund, youll find information about the case at, doTERRA distributors charged with making unfounded COVID-19 cure claims, Tenant screening practices: the FTC wants to learn more. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy. If so, information about how to file a claim will be available at www.ftc.gov/refunds. Stephanie T. Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents, You can findanswers tocommon questions about refund payments on, HSR threshold adjustments and reportability for 2023, A Century of Technological Evolution at the Federal Trade Commission, National Consumer Protection Week 2023 Begins Sunday, March 5, FTC at the 65th Annual Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair & Market - NCPW 2023, Getting In and Out of Free Trials, Auto-Renewals, and Negative Option Subscript, FTC Sends More Than $12 Million in Full Refunds to Victims of Online Billing Scam, Court Holds Terrason Spinks and Jet Processing Inc. Thank you to have the clarity and courage to say this, and to say it so well. The chart below includes recent FTC cases that resulted in refunds. If you receive a 1099 tax form with your check, you should report the payment as income on your tax return. to fully refund people for the amount they paid to, , a company that the FTC says collected payments for fake debt by threatening to sue or arrest people who didnt pay. Consumer Sentinel data contains millions of reports from people who contacted the FTC, the Better Business Bureau, or other federal, state, and local law enforcement offices about fraud or bad business practices. Once payments have been issued, PayPal sends an email telling recipients about their refund. The site is secure. The .gov means its official. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. The site is secure. Make smart shopping decisions, know your rights, and solve problems when you shop or donate to charity. Legitimate cashier's checks are nearly risk-free and harder for scam artists to abuse. Report that to us at, doTERRA distributors charged with making unfounded COVID-19 cure claims, Tenant screening practices: the FTC wants to learn more. The site is secure. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. When the funds are made available in your account, the bank may say the check has "cleared," but that doesn't mean it's a good check. If the FTC contacts you about a refund, you'll find information about the case at ftc.gov/refunds. Yes, the FTC sometimes uses PayPal to distribute refunds. What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment. Has someone asked you for something in exchange for your AMG refund check? Heres how to spot it. Your best bet: Dont rely on money from a check unless you know and trust the person youre dealing with. In cases where there is not enough money to provide full refunds, the FTC analyzes the available data to determine how best to distribute the money. You can't write software for this as sensor cant see behind the car in front , we can. I tell DOD and USG folks to educate themselves on AI/ML, there are tons of YouTube videos on it and some simple books to read, podcasts, etc - know what it is and what it isn't. the payment processor that made it possible for this company to collect credit card payments the FTC is sending customers of E.M. Systems & Services 100% of their lost money back. . For example, were not yet living in the realm of science fiction, where computers can generally make trustworthy predictions of human behavior. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission. The site is secure. What happens to money that isnt claimed? If we do not have all the information we need to send refunds, we may request that consumers file a claim. Refund amounts will depend on how much the FTC is able to collect from the defendants and how many people lost money. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. If you do not have a PayPal account, and would prefer to get a check, please call1-866-898-5106. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. Generally, the FTC does not issue 1099s or other tax documents to refund recipients. You can find and verify the phone numbers for FTC refund programs at ftc.gov/refunds. Right now its a hot one. An official website of the United States government. In one version of the scam, you get a call and a recorded message that says its Amazon. Your performance claims would be deceptive if they lack scientific support or if they apply only to certain types of users or under certain conditions. The FTC never requires you to pay fees or asks you for sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account information. We told you last month about the $505 million in checks going back to 1.1 million people who got an online payday loan from a company affiliated with AMG Services. If you have questions about your AMG refundcheck, go to the FTC'sAMG refundspage, or call the refundsadministrator at 1-866-730-8174. In one version of the scam, you get a call and a recorded message that says its Amazon. Click on a case name to see more details about the refund program, including whether we sent checks or PayPal payments. Is the FTC vs lifelock refund check legit? How long will it take to get a new check? The FTC is sending checks to people who lost money to a cramming scheme that added charges to their home phone bills without their permission. You can find the phone numbers for FTC refund programs at, To discuss your claim or payment, call the number on the claim form, check, or email that you received from the FTC. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. The FTC states that all refund checks should be cashed within 60 days and that if there are any questions about the refunds, recipients should contact the FTC's refund administrator, Epiq, at 1 . After settling with. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. If you were a little too jolly with your holiday spending, here are some tips to help you pay down your credit card debt. The case will be listed at. businesses to avoid using automated tools that have biased or discriminatory impacts. Most FTC cases do not require you to file a claim. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. The FTC uses money collected from its lawsuits to pay for the direct costs of sending refunds, like the cost of printing and mailing checks. The FTC's interactive dashboards for refund data provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. If someone contacts you claiming that theyre from the FTC and want you to spend money in order to get a refund, its a scam. Learn about getting and using credit, borrowing money, and managing debt. The FTC sends money that cannot be distributed to consumers to the U.S. Treasury. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Looking for legal documents or records? Ifyou have any otherquestions, please call the refund administrator at1-800-591-4238. You need adequate proof for that kind of comparative claim, too, and if such proof is impossible to get, then dont make the claim. Liable for $280 Million in Consumer Harm Caused by the IWorks Scheme, IWorks Billing Scheme Ringleader Agrees to Settle FTC Charges, I Works Billing Scheme Defendant Agrees to Settle FTC Charges. You can findanswers tocommon questions about refund payments onour FAQ page. Heres how it works Acting Associate Director, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC. Are you exaggerating what your AI product can do? Start small, then add on. Weve. In an investigation, FTC technologists and others can look under the hood and analyze other materials to see if whats inside matches up with your claims. They are often printed with the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. Search the Legal Library instead. In cases where the FTC is required to report payments to the IRS, the agency will include a 1099 tax form with your check. And in the FTC settlement with ABCmouse, over $9.7 million went back to more than 200,000 people, mostly through PayPal. We wont post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. with many possible definitions. They are often printed with the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. The message says theres something wrong with Its Cyber Security Awareness month, so the tricks scammers use to steal our personal information are on our minds. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Free e-filing tools are available at www.irs.gov/freefile. We must wait for PayPal to return the payment before we can begin processing check reissues. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. Right now its a hot one. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Earlier this month, the FTC sent over 10,000 checks totaling over $4 million to fully refund people for the amount they paid to Stark Law, a company that the FTC says collected payments for fake debt by threatening to sue or arrest people who didn't pay. The FTC enforces consumer protection laws to stop illegal business practices and get refunds to people who lost money. The FTC and its law enforcement partners announced actions against several income scams that conned people out of hundreds of millions of dollars by falsely telling them they could make a lot of money. The FTCs, , a company that falsely promised consumers with credit card debt that they would reduce their interest rates and save them thousands of dollars. They might say they need you to cover taxes or fees for a prize, to buy supplies for a job, to send back money they overpaid, or something else. So, many of us might be looking for alternatives, like buying gifts locally or maybe from online marketplaces or sites you find through your social media accounts, online ads, or by searching Youve opened all your gifts, and now its time to open those post-holiday credit card statements. The FTC provides answers to common questions about refund payments onour FAQ page. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commissions (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTCscomputer user recordssystem. DANGER, WILL ROBINSON, DANGER! Have you heard about it? Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. The FTC and its law enforcement partners announced actions against several income scams that conned people out of hundreds of millions of dollars by falsely telling them they could make a lot of money. Checks can be verified online at www.ftc.gov/AMG. Its safer to go to the website by typing the URL into your browser: Never pay money or give sensitive financial information to get a refund payment from the FTC. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. Please call for details. Click on a case name to see more details about the refund program, including whether we sent checks or PayPal payments. Know that you only need to provide your name and email address to create a PayPal account. Heres what you need to know about these calls. The site is secure. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. A total of 17,367 checks worth more than a total of $3.7 million are being sent to borrowers from an FTC settlement with Avant LLC. I want all involved who are grappling with this tiger by the tail (Developers, Regulators, Investors, etc.) Yes, the FTC sometimes uses PayPal to distribute refunds. Here are ways to try to get your money back, depending on how you paid a scammer. Whitney Moore, Attorney, FTC Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents, And what exactly is artificial intelligence anyway? If you get a check, please cash it within 90 days. A monster rises in a lab. One of those scams was 8 Figure Dream Lifestyle, which touted a proven business model and told Scammers are calling people and using the names of two companies everyone knows, Apple and Amazon, to rip people off. Stephanie T. Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents, According to a complaint filed by theFTC,LifeLock, failed to establish and maintain a comprehensive information security program. AI hype is playing out today across many products, from toys to cars to chatbots and a lot of things in between. The FTC first sent payments in this matter in May 2020, whichresulted in more than $8.4 million in refunds. Search the Legal Library instead. If there is any money left in the settlement fund after the first distribution, the FTC may send a second round of payments. Have you heard about it? , which focused on fairness and equity but also said, clearly, not to overpromise what your algorithm or AI-based tool can deliver. If you get a PayPal payment, please accept it within 30 days. Fake checks might look like business or personal checks, cashiers checks, money orders, or a check delivered electronically. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. Whenever possible, the FTC uses the money it collects from defendants to provide refunds to injured consumers. If you have specific questions regarding FTC refunds, check out these related FAQs. The FTC first mailed checks for this matter in October 2019 and sent PayPal payments in August 2021, resulting in more than $26.5 million in refunds. Looking for legal documents or records? But scammers try to cause confusion and take advantage at every step. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission. Free e-filing tools are available at, You must submit your request in writing by mail or email. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. Are you promising that your AI product does something better than a non-AI product? This message is not new. to protect its customer data, falsely advertised that it protected sensitive customerdata with the same high-level safeguards used by financial institutions, and falsely claimed it provided 24/7/365 alerts as soon as it received any indication a customer's identity was being used. How do I file a claim? If you have any questions about how your payment may affect your taxes, please consult a tax advisor. In fact, they're a preferred payment method for large transactions, such as real estate purchases. Or even claiming it can do something beyond the current capability of any AI or automated technology? Weve just heard, though, that scammers are trying to get into the act, using fake checks that look like the real one. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. If you lost money in a scam, you might get a call or email from someone claiming that they can help you recover your funds if you pay them, hand over personal information, or allow them remote access to your computer. Youve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts youre looking for. Heres what you need to know about these calls. Or even claiming it can do something beyond the current capability of any AI or automated technology? What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment. They're also useful for transactions with individuals you haven't done business with before. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. If we do not have all the information we need to send refunds, we may request that consumers file a claim. Please, doTERRA distributors charged with making unfounded COVID-19 cure claims, Tenant screening practices: the FTC wants to learn more. Looking for legal documents or records? This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Not that all human knowledge sucked in by AI is garbage . And yes he cut across. " Lots of scammers use fake checks to get your money. The FTC reports how much money was returned to consumers, how much was spent on administrative costs, and how much was sent to the U.S. Treasury when there were leftover funds, each year and for every case, on the agencys Refunds Dashboard. . But one thing is for sure: its a marketing term. The FTC sued I Works for false advertising and for billing customers without their consent. A puppet becomes a boy. I need a new check because of a legal name change, a death, or a spelling error. Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. The site is secure. You need to know about the reasonably foreseeable risks and impact of your AI product before putting it on the market. Whenever theres an FTC refund program, information is available at. It is good, that there seems to be some pushback against the mindless competition that is prematurely unleashing the AI Pandoras Box upon the world. The FTC never requires you to pay fees or asks you for sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account information. If you get a call from someone who says theyre from the FTC but asks you for money or sensitive information, please tell the real FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Breathless media accounts dont help, but it starts with the companies that do the developing and selling. Once payments have been issued,PayPal sends an email telling recipients about their refund. If you have questions about your AMG refund check, go to the, Legit employers will never pay you by telling you to deposit a check and wir. The FTC does not require you to forfeit any rights you may have under federal or state law to get your refund. The most common banking scams include: Overpayment scams - Someone sends you a check, instructs you to deposit it in your bank account, and wire part of the money back to them. The FTC provides answers to common questions about refund payments on. If someone contacts you claiming that theyre from the FTC and want you to spend money in order to get a refund, its a scam. BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA - The FTC is sending refund checks to more than 541,000 people who paid for repairs and technical services when they took their computers to Office Depot or Office Max. Thanks, Your comments above are So Well stated. If you have questions about your AMG refund check, go to the FTC's AMG refunds page, or call the refunds administrator at 1-866-730-8174. We review all comments before they are posted, and we wont post comments that dont comply with our commenting policy. If so, information about how to file a claim will be available at, If you believe you have been affected by an FTC case that is not listed at, For more information about the FTCs refund process, see, Data on FTC refunds are available in interactive online dashboards. Its an. Heres what you need to know if you get a check from the FTCs settlement with AMG: Has someone asked you for something in exchange for your AMG refund check? The FTC is sending a second round of payments totaling more than $8 million to59,187 peoplewho were lured by the bogus government-grant and money-making schemes promoted by I Works.