If you think you can get away with baseless claims that your product is AI-enabled, think again. 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. And all manner of robots serve or control us. Refund amounts will depend on how much the FTC is able to collect from the defendants and how many people lost money. The FTC's interactive dashboards for refund data provide a state-by-state breakdown of FTC refunds. CI has also created a short video about how to protect yourself from scams, posted on IRS-CI's YouTube page. 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. We wont post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. 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. Last year, to people who lost money to companies the FTC sued. But this is a scam. In some cases, this lack of efficacy may exist regardless of what other harm the products might cause. Heres what you need to know about these calls. businesses to avoid using automated tools that have biased or discriminatory impacts. 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. What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment. 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. And remember that the FTC will never require you to pay fees in advance, or ask for sensitive information, like your bank account number. The Federal Trade Commission(FTC), working in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice, announced on Thursday (Sept. 27 .. The .gov means its official. If you get a PayPal payment, please accept it within 30 days. Make smart shopping decisions, know your rights, and solve problems when you shop or donate to charity. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. We wont post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups. Fake checks can take weeks to be discovered and untangled. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. 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. Users can explore refund data by case or by year to learn about where refunds were sent, the dollar amounts refunded, and the number of people who benefited from FTC refund programs. The FTC may search for reports related to the defendants and use the contact information in those complaints to create a list of potential refund recipients. We use this information to send refunds. I'd expect the SEC, FBI, CIA, and especially the FTC to have the most advanced tools to vet and locate rule breakers. The FTC currently issues payments by check, prepaid debit card,and PayPal. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. 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. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Once payments have been issued, PayPal sends an email telling recipients about their refund. Right now its a hot one. . Memo from Chair Lina M. Khan to commission staff and commissioners regarding the vision and priorities for the FTC. Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. Your several brief paragraphs are a great example of what is needed for " Responsible AI.". An official website of the United States government. We wont post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. We wont post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups. Fake checks might look like business or personal checks, cashiers checks, money orders, or a check delivered electronically. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. 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 avoid these scammers: For more information, please read the FTCs article about phishing scams. Why didnt I get all my money back? 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. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. How much money from FTC lawsuits goes to FTC attorneys. Completely agree that movies and media have caused an unfortunate and exaggerated view of AI. Spot the latest COVID scams, get compliance guidance, and stay up to date on FTC actions during the pandemic. 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. 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. In one version of the scam, you get a call and a recorded message that says its Amazon. We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. They are often printed with the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. 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 FTC never requires you to pay fees or asks you for sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account information. By law, banks have to make deposited funds available quickly, usually within two days. The site is secure. Search the Legal Library instead. For more information about the FTCs refund process, see How the FTC Provides Refunds. 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. 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 . You can findanswers tocommon questions about refund payments onour FAQ page. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. I would beg this of the FTC, please apply these principals across the board - to both large and small companies. 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. Checks can be verified online at www.ftc.gov/AMG. FTC attorneys and other staff are paid a salary from the agencys annual budget. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. But the fact is that some products with AI claims might not even work as advertised in the first place. The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. 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. Search the Legal Library instead. 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, FTC Sends Nearly $5 Million in Refunds to People who Lost Money to Cramming Scheme, Company That Placed Crammed Charges on Consumers Phone Bills Settles FTC Contempt Charges, FTC Seeks Return of $52 Million Worth of Bogus Phone Bill Cramming Charges; Agency Charges Nation's Largest Third-Party Billing Company with Contempt, Crammers Settle FTC Charges (October 1999), FTC Enforcement Actions Continue to Target "Crammers". We use this information to send refunds. Looking for legal documents or records? If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. 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. If you have any other questions, please call the refund administrator at1-888-304-0228. Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. The site is secure. Bigotry, over aggressiveness, conflicting ideologies, partisan beliefs, history revisionism and questioning fact were used as input. The FTC is sending out 541,247 checks averaging $63.35 per check. Memo from Chair Lina M. Khan to commission staff and commissioners regarding the vision and priorities for the FTC. We review all comments before they are posted, and we wont post comments that dont comply with our commenting policy. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Refund checks will expire on August 3, 2022 (90 days after being sent.) Or even claiming it can do something beyond the current capability of any AI or automated technology? So far, weve heard that scammers have given job applicants a check that looks like an AMG refund check, and then asked people to deposit the check and use the money to go buy supplies for the supposed employer. We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. Start small, then add on. None of the money collected in FTC lawsuits goes to the FTC or its attorneys. In one version of the scam, you get a call and a recorded message that says its Amazon. And at the FTC, one thing we know about hot marketing terms is that some advertisers wont be able to stop themselves from overusing and abusing them. Where can I learn more about how the FTC provides refunds? 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. 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. Please call for details. An official website of the United States government. We review all comments before they are posted, and we wont post comments that dont comply with our commenting policy. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. This message is not new. Garbage-in Garbage-out. These are the same companies that only adopted AI-enabled technology once it became a buzzword and a lot of what I have seen wouldn't pass your four question metric above. Your best bet: Dont rely on money from a check unless you know and trust the person youre dealing with. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. If you get a check, please cash it within 90days. . We need to be able to fully account for, and show / trace the logic behind (ie: the source used) for: morality, decency, ethics, and the general good. Breathless media accounts dont help, but it starts with the companies that do the developing and selling. AI as just a magnification / catalyst to human miss behavior. If there is any money left in the settlement fund after the first distribution, the FTC may send a second round of payments. Because the FTC recovered additional money from the defendants, the agency is sending a second round of payments. To discuss your claim or payment, call the number on the claim form, check, or email that you received from the FTC. 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. 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, FTC Sends Checks Totaling More Than $31 Million to LifeLock Customers, LifeLock to Pay $100 Million to Consumers to Settle FTC Charges it Violated 2010 Order, FTC Takes Action Against LifeLock for Alleged Violations of 2010 Order, Nearly One Million LifeLock Victims to Receive Refund Checks from FTC, LifeLock Will Pay $12 Million to Settle Charges by the FTC and 35 States That Identity Theft Prevention and Data Security Claims Were False. We currently contract with four companies: The FTC never requires you to pay upfront fees or asks you for sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account information. The FTCs latest refund announcement involves checks totaling over $11 million going out to more than 11,000 people who paid E.M. Systems & Services, a company that falsely promised consumers with credit card debt that they would reduce their interest rates and save them thousands of dollars. Its not uncommon for advertisers to say that some new-fangled technology makes their product better perhaps to justify a higher price or influence labor decisions. An official website of the United States government. And remember, the FTC never requires you to pay money or give account information to cash a refund check. humans will need to be able to peer into what is now not transparent, the invisible gut. The FTC is a federal government agency that gets its budget from Congress. Looking for legal documents or records? We use this information to send refunds. The FTC sued I Works for false advertising and for billing customers without their consent. Heres what you need to know about these calls. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. 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. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission. You can find the phone numbers for FTC refund programs at ftc.gov/refunds. Free e-filing tools are available at, You must submit your request in writing by mail or email. The company ran multiple online campaigns that falsely advertised that federal grants were generally available for personal use and that people could make a lot of money using I Works products. This was almost too well said maybe they used a chatbot to edit? Memo from Chair Lina M. Khan to commission staff and commissioners regarding the vision and priorities for the FTC. 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 didnt pay. 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. . Its an ambiguous term with many possible definitions. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. I believe they want to make distinctions on the danger level of various deployment aims and scope of the AI implementations. How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same. It often refers to a variety of technological tools and techniques that use computation to perform tasks such as predictions, decisions, or recommendations. Right now its a hot one. If you have questions about your AMG refundcheck, go to the FTC'sAMG refundspage, or call the refundsadministrator at 1-866-730-8174. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. If youd like to know more about how the refund program works, visit this page about the FTCs process. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. Stephanie T. Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, Michael Atleson, Attorney, FTC Division of Advertising Practices. They may even, What To Do If You Sent Money to a Scammer, Here is a list of gift cards that scammers often use. The company added these charges without the customers permission and did not investigate when customers complained about them. If there is any money left in the settlement fund after the first distribution, the FTC may send a second round of payments. And what exactly is artificial intelligence anyway? Thank you to have the clarity and courage to say this, and to say it so well. The FTC does not require you to forfeit any rights you may have under federal or state law to get your refund. You can find and verify the phone numbers for FTC refund programs at, In these cases, we send an email from the FTC (. ) In cases where the FTC is required to report payments to the IRS, the agency will include a 1099 tax form with your check. Fake checks can take weeks to be discovered and untangled. 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. money back to them or buy stuff for them. By that time, the scammer has any money you sent, and youre stuck paying the money back to the bank. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy. Dont click on any links in emails that seem to be from the FTC or from PayPal. 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. An official website of the United States government. We must wait for PayPal to return the payment before we can begin processing check reissues. You must submit your request in writing by mail or email. If you have any questions about how your payment may affect your taxes, please consult a tax advisor. Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. The .gov means its official. When you talk about AI in your advertising, the FTC may be wondering, among other things: Are you exaggerating what your AI product can do? Whenever theres an FTC refund program, information is available at. In addition, the agency is resending checks to more than 33,000 people who didnt previously cash their check. Has someone asked you for something in exchange for your AMG refund check? 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. Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? The chart below includes recent FTC cases that resulted in refunds. Hold Billing Services, Ltd.; Avery Communications, Inc.; Veterans of America Association, Ltd.; et al. Can I speak to someone about my claim form or payment? . Stephanie T. Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents, You can findanswers tocommon questions about refund payments on. What to do about unwanted calls, emails, and text messages that can be annoying, might be illegal, and are probably scams. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy. For example, were not yet living in the realm of science fiction, where computers can generally make trustworthy predictions of human behavior. We wont post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups. What to do about unwanted calls, emails, and text messages that can be annoying, might be illegal, and are probably scams. To find out which recent FTC cases led to refunds, and who to contact with questions, check out, . on the long-run . To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. 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 . Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. Report that to us at, doTERRA distributors charged with making unfounded COVID-19 cure claims, Tenant screening practices: the FTC wants to learn more. 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. 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. But scammers try to cause confusion and take advantage at every step. 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.

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