Podcast - FTC Consumer Review Rule Warning Letters Target a Digital Marketplace Cornerstone
Online reviews are critical to developing consumer trust, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has signaled it's ready to track down anyone trying to manipulate them. Consumer protection attorney Anthony DiResta breaks down...more
FTC Settles with Two Business Opportunity Companies and Their Officers for Allegedly Deceptive Business Practices. On January 23, the FTC filed two stipulated orders in the U.S District Court for the Central District of...more
Businesses can face penalties even for well-intentioned contract terms. As consumer review protections expand nationwide, even well-intentioned and passive contractual language can unknowingly land businesses on the wrong...more
On December 22, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced it had sent warning letters to 10 companies regarding possible violations under the Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule (“Rule”). Although recipients...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sent warning letters to 10 unnamed companies for practices that may allegedly violate its new Consumer Review Rule. The letters flag potential use of fake or misleading reviews,...more
In August 2024, I wrote about the Federal Trade Commission's then-new Consumer Review Rule (Adieu, Fake Revie(u)w), which is designed to preserve the authenticity of online reviews and prohibit companies from suppressing...more
On December 22, 2025, the FTC announced that it had sent letters to ten companies warning them of potential violations of the agency’s Consumer Review Rule....more
Just days after the federal government shutdown came to an end, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wasted no time returning to enforcement mode, announcing a major settlement with Seek Capital, LLC and its CEO, Roy Ferman. ...more
On November 17, the FTC announced a final court order permanently banning a small-business financing company and its chief executive from offering business financing, debt relief, and credit repair services and imposing a...more
In November 2024, the FTC filed a complaint against the Company and its founder alleging that the Company deceptively advertised that it was able to secure business loans or lines of credit for small businesses without...more
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Seek Capital and its founder and CEO, Roy Ferman, barring the company from making false claims and forbidding the company from contacting any consumers whose...more
The FTC filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against Seek Capital and its CEO, Roy Ferman, alleging that the company operated a bogus business finance scheme that cost small...more
On November 4, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission sued Seek Capital, LLC, and Roy Ferman, Seek's founder and CEO, for allegedly violating several federal laws, including Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act ("FTC...more
Welcome to Wiley’s update on recent developments and what’s next in consumer protection at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In this newsletter, we analyze recent regulatory...more
The FTC sent warning letters to 31 companies offering adoption intermediary services, warning them that misleading, unfair, or deceptive practices that harm prospective adoptive or birth parents may violate the FTC Act and...more
The FTC and Florida AG Ashley Moody obtained a temporary restraining order against RivX Automation Corp., and affiliated entities and individuals (collectively, “RivX”) for allegedly making false or unsubstantiated earnings...more
Washington Attorney General (AG) Bob Ferguson prevailed in his lawsuit against a plastic surgery practice, Allure Esthetic, and its owner, Dr. Javad A. Sajan (collectively, the company), alleging violations of the federal...more
Negative online reviews are a concern for many businesses—but they present a unique challenge for healthcare providers, who are restricted by federal and state privacy laws in how to respond. Is the answer to have patients...more
Michigan Attorney General (AG) Dana Nessel filed a lawsuit seeking injunctive relief and dissolution of several limited liability companies owned by John and Michele Church. The Churches’ companies have allegedly violated the...more
On September 9, 2014, then-Governor Jerry Brown of California signed into law Assembly Bill No. 2365. The law, which went into effect in January of 2015, prohibits contracts for the sale or lease of consumer goods from...more
On January 17, the FTC announced two proposed settlements against an independent sales organization and its owners (collectively, “defendants”) for allegedly participating in deceptive and unfair acts and practices. The FTC...more
In recent weeks, class action plaintiffs have brought a new tranche of lawsuits challenging companies’ online terms and conditions. In them, plaintiffs allege that the terms violate California’s law prohibiting contracts for...more
Reviews Can Drive Business - Reviews matter. In a survey conducted by Yelp, 83% of consumers who read reviews say they trust online reviews about local businesses. However, fake reviews may mislead consumers. Recently,...more
The accelerating advances in artificial intelligence (“AI”) and the practical, legal, and policy issues AI creates have exponentially increased the federal government’s interest in AI and its implications. In these weekly...more
A federal court has issued a temporary restraining order against Automators, LLC, its affiliated entities and operators (collectively, “Automators”) in a lawsuit brought by the FTC alleging that these entities and individuals...more