#ftc

Feed: All Latest | ‘Creepy’ Listening Tool for Targeted Ads Didn’t Actually Work, FTC Says by Maddy Varner AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. The FTC announced that Cox Media Group, MindSift LLC, and 1010 Digital Works will collectively pay nearly $1 million to settle claims that they misled businesses by promoting an “Active Listening” service that supposedly harvested audio from consumers’ smart devices to target ads, when in fact the service was merely the sale of expensive email lists. The complaint said Cox claimed it could collect and analyze conversations from smartphones, TVs, and speakers, asserting consumer consent, but the FTC found these assertions false and that the companies marked up the data they resold. As part of the settlement, Cox will pay $880,000 and the other two firms $25,000 each, with the funds directed to businesses that purchased the ineffective service under false pretenses. The FTC emphasized that honest representation is a basic business rule and condemned the deceptive marketing practices. Read more: https://www.wired.com/story/creepy-listening-tool-for-targeted-ads-didnt-actually-work-ftc-says/ #FTC #CoxMedia #MindSiftLLC #1010Digital #ChristopherMufarrige

Salon.com | Immigration scams surge as Trump’s sweeps lure desperate people to eager defrauders by Naisha Roy, Francesca D'Annunzio, J. David McSwane AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. The article reports a sharp rise in immigration‑related fraud, driven by the Trump administration’s aggressive enforcement sweeps, as scammers impersonate ICE agents, attorneys and charitable organizations—often using WhatsApp, AI‑generated images and fake virtual hearings—to steal tens of millions from vulnerable migrants. Victims such as Nicaraguan asylum‑seeker Jasmir Urbina, Salvadoran worker José Aguilar and Honduran mother Mariela were lured into paying thousands for bogus legal services, only to be arrested, deported or left without recourse. Federal data show FTC complaints about immigration scams more than doubled from 2021‑2024, with reported losses exceeding $94 million, prompting alerts from state attorneys general, the American Bar Association and immigration advocates who warn immigrants to verify aid directly with agencies rather than through social‑media ads. Read more: https://www.salon.com/2026/05/02/immigration-scams-surge-as-trumps-sweeps-lure-desperate-people-to-eager-defrauders-partner/ #DonaldTrump #JasmirUrbina #ICE #ProPublica #FTC

US Top News and Analysis | For car, phone, even tractor owners, a populist wave is rising to end the 'captive' repair economy AI generated summary, Read the full article for complete information. The article reports that a broad, bipartisan “right‑to‑repair” movement is reshaping U.S. consumer policy, with states such as California, Colorado, Minnesota, New York, Connecticut, Oregon, Washington and Texas adopting comprehensive laws that force manufacturers—from Apple and Samsung to John Deere and automakers—to provide independent shops and owners with the parts, tools, and diagnostic information needed to fix electronics, appliances, farm equipment and vehicles. Recent developments include Maine’s pending electronics bill, a $99 million settlement by Deere over a class‑action suit, and a surge of federal proposals such as the REPAIR Act (targeting autos) and the Fair Repair Act (covering broader appliances and electronics) championed by Senators Ben Ray Luján (D‑NM) and Josh Hawley (R‑MO). Advocates argue these measures restore consumer ownership, lower repair costs (saving families up to $400 a year), and create jobs, while opponents worry about safety risks, trade‑secret protection, and regulatory overreach. The movement’s appeal cuts across party lines, reflecting growing frustration with “captive” repair ecosystems and highlighting a populist push for affordable, independent repair options in the evolving digital economy. Read more: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/25/right-to-repair-consumer-prices-affordability-economy-elections.html #Apple #JohnDeere #FTC #REPAIRAct #BenLuján #JoshHawley