If you believe you have been affected by an FTC case that is not listed at ftc.gov/refunds, you can file a complaint at reportfraud.ftc.gov. We send out payments as soon as we can. It can only see both side and in front not a car on the side facing the street that going to pull out. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. In these cases, we send an email from the FTC (subscribe@subscribe.ftc.gov) to payment recipients prior to payment. Right now its a hot one. If you think you can get away with baseless claims that your product is AI-enabled, think again. What to do about unwanted calls, emails, and text messages that can be annoying, might be illegal, and are probably scams. . How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same. 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. Marketers should know that for FTC enforcement purposes false or unsubstantiated claims about a products efficacy are our bread and butter. You need to know about the reasonably foreseeable risks and impact of your AI product before putting it on the market. In addition, the agency is resending checks to more than 33,000 people who didnt previously cash their check. The site is secure. A computer takes over a spaceship. The FTC enforces consumer protection laws to stop illegal business practices and get refunds to people who lost money. In one version of the scam, you get a call and a recorded message that says its Amazon. We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. You can findanswers tocommon questions about refund payments onour FAQ page. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. If the FTC contacts you about a refund, you'll find information about the case at ftc.gov/refunds .You can be sure the phone numbers and links on this page are legit. Because there is still money in the fund, the FTC is sending another round of payments to people who previously cashed a check or accepted a PayPal payment and have a valid email address on file. 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. . Search the Legal Library instead. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. When people gave their credit or debit card numbers to pay a smallshipping and handling fee, I Works charged them aone-time fee of up to $129.95, followed by monthly fees of up to $59.95, without their consent. 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. An official website of the United States government. If you get a check, please cash it within 90 days. They are often printed with the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. But scammers try to cause confusion and take advantage at every step. We use this information to send refunds. An official website of the United States government. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that it is returning more than $172 million to consumers who . If we know of a company that is lying to the public about its AI capability, is there a way to report that? Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. Breathless media accounts dont help, but it starts with the companies that do the developing and selling. 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. To find out which recent FTC cases led to refunds, and who to contact with questions, check out ftc.gov/refunds. FTC attorneys and other staff are paid a salary from the agencys annual budget. I feel you folks (at the FTC) have the moral high-ground to put a TEMPORARY PAUSE on the premature unleashing of what some knowledgeable people predict ** could ** result in . The FTC is sending out 541,247 checks averaging $63.35 per check. Sometimes the FTC is able to return money to people who were ripped off in a con artists scheme. The chart below includes recent FTC cases that resulted in refunds. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTCsPrivacy Act system notices. I didnt cash my check right away. Are you promising that your AI product does something better than a non-AI product? Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. 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. Users can explore refund data, 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. Stephanie T. Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents, Refund Programs: Frequently Asked Questions, I received a payment or claim form from the FTC. In a fake check scam, a person you dont know asks you to deposit a check. An official website of the United States government. Or even claiming it can do something beyond the current capability of any AI or automated technology? If something goes wrong maybe it fails or yields biased results you cant just blame a third-party developer of the technology. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. 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. Are you promising that your AI product does something better than a non-AI product? 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, These scams work because fake checks generally look just like real checks, even to bank employees. The .gov means its official. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. If you have any other questions, please call the refund administrator at1-888-304-0228. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. to payment recipients prior to payment. The .gov means its official. The refund checks are from a settlement with the operators of Mobile Money Code, which also used the names eMobile Code, Auto Mobile Code, Easy Cash Code, Full Money System, and Secret Money System. Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? 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. 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. with many possible definitions. Whenever possible, the FTC uses the money it collects from defendants to provide refunds to injured consumers. . We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. If you get a PayPal payment, please accept it within 30 days. Whenever possible, the FTC uses the money it collects from defendants to provide refunds to injured consumers. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. 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 FTC is a federal government agency that gets its budget from Congress. Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? 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. Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. FTC court orders typically require the defendants to provide a list of customers, along with their contact information, and how much they paid. The site is secure. The site is secure. The FTC never requires you to pay fees or asks you for sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account information. If someone claims to be from the FTC and asks for money, its a scam. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. To verify the check is from the FTC, go to ftc.gov/amg. In most FTC cases, the money is distributed on a pro rata basis, meaning that each recipient receives an equal percentage of his or her total loss. After settling with First Data Merchant Services 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. Youve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts youre looking for. We wont post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity. A creature is formed of clay. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTCsPrivacy Act system notices. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Stephanie T. Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, Michael Atleson, Attorney, FTC Division of Advertising Practices. 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. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. How do I file a claim? Heres what you need to know about these calls. This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Clear case of over promising. Has someone asked you for something in exchange for your AMG refund check? We use this information to send refunds. In one version of the scam, you get a call and a recorded message that says its Amazon. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. 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. 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. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information.