The case will be listed at. 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. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. 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. What happens to money that isnt claimed? . But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. 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. Its usually for more than they owe you, and its sometimes for several thousand dollars. Generally, the FTC does not issue 1099s or other tax documents to refund recipients. 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. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC enforces consumer protection laws to stop illegal business practices and get refunds to people who lost money. 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. If you'd like to know more about how the refund program works, visit this page about the FTC's process. The case will be listed at ftc.gov/refunds, along with the name of the company issuing payments and a phone number for questions. Whatever it can or cant do, AI is important, and so are the claims you make about it. You don't have to pay for an FTC refund, and you don't have to give any information to cash a refund check. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But the fact is that some products with AI claims might not even work as advertised in the first place. If something goes wrong maybe it fails or yields biased results you cant just blame a third-party developer of the technology. 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. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment. Choose "Office Depot" from the "Select a Case" box in the top right corner, then click on your state on the map. They are often printed with the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. in many ways, including bringing cases against companies who are being unfair or deceptive. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Last year, FTC cases returned $483 million to people who lost money to companies the FTC sued. You can find and verify the phone numbers for FTC refund programs at, In these cases, we send an email from the FTC (. ) Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Because the FTC recovered additional money from the defendants, the agency is sending a second round of payments. . does not issue 1099s or other tax documents to refund recipients. 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. 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. 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 is sending out 541,247 checks averaging $63.35 per check. Weve. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. 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. We wont post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups. Overview The Middle Class Tax Refund (MCTR) is a one-time payment to provide relief to Californians. We send out payments as soon as we can. We use this information to send refunds. Because there is still money in the fund, the FTC is sending a second payment to everyone who cashed their first check. A.I accelerate till the camer tell it the cars are all stopped. Looking for legal documents or records? If youd like to know more about how the refund program works, visit this page about the FTCs process. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. Can I still get my payment? Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. How long will it take to send out payments? The .gov means its official. 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. Heres what you need to know about these calls. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. Search the Legal Library instead. 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. An official website of the United States government. The FTC first sent payments in this matter in May 2020, whichresulted in more than $8.4 million in refunds. Are you promising that your AI product does something better than a non-AI product? 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 FTC enforces consumer protection laws to stop illegal business practices and get refunds to people who lost money. We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. After letting those initial feelings subside, I think it is a great article and I have sent it to several DOD friends. 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. Looking for legal documents or records? To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. 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? Payments are expected to be issued between October 2022 and January 2023. Is it any wonder that we can be primed to accept what marketers say about new tools and devices that supposedly reflect the abilities and benefits of artificial intelligence (AI)? 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. The FTC does not require you to forfeit any rights you may have under federal or state law to get your refund. . If we know of a company that is lying to the public about its AI capability, is there a way to report that? Consumers who receive checks should cash them by August 17, 2022. Once payments have been issued, PayPal sends an email telling recipients about their refund. AI hype is playing out today across many products, from toys to cars to chatbots and a lot of things in between. Here's what to know if you expect a refund check. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. For generations weve told ourselves stories, using themes of magic and science, about inanimate things that we bring to life or imbue with power beyond human capacity. How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same. Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? 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. It a stationary object, we see it action path cross that about to happen. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. 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. Last year, to people who lost money to companies the FTC sued. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. And in the, , over $9.7 million went back to more than 200,000 people, mostly through. . . Spot the latest COVID scams, get compliance guidance, and stay up to date on FTC actions during the pandemic. We wont post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity. 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. 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 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. Please call for details. 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 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. Stephanie T. Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents, Refund Programs: Frequently Asked Questions, 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, On Point Global Refunds (Fake DMV Websites), On Point Global Refunds (Fake Government Assistance Websites), University of Phoenix Settlement Payments. The FTC says the checks total more than $11 million, and are for victims of a scheme operated by E.M. Systems and Services, who used a variety of fake business names and websites to cold call . A payment or claim form sent as part of an FTC settlement will include an explanation of and details about the case. How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same. Lots of scammers use fake checks to get your money. Got questions about your refund? Are you exaggerating what your AI product can do? We use this information to send refunds. What to do about unwanted calls, emails, and text messages that can be annoying, might be illegal, and are probably scams. Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. The .gov means its official. Does the product actually use AI at all? How much money from FTC lawsuits goes to FTC attorneys. You can findanswers tocommon questions about refund payments onour FAQ page. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission. Over the last 5 years, more than 95% of the money collected for refunds has been returned to consumers. Its an ambiguous term with many possible definitions. Youve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts youre looking for. Memo from Chair Lina M. Khan to commission staff and commissioners regarding the vision and priorities for the FTC. Reportedly, there will be 12,072 checks sent, averaging around $53 each. If the FTC contacts you about a refund, you'll find information about the case at ftc.gov/refunds. And you cant say youre not responsible because that technology is a black box you cant understand or didnt know how to test. Investors appetite for high-tech driven frenzy should not override balanced caution and common sense. 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". 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. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. The FTC provides answers to common questions about refund payments onour FAQ page. Does the FTC publish statistical information about its refund programs? The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Recipients should deposit or cash checks within 60 days. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. If there is any money left in the settlement fund after the first distribution, the FTC may send a second round of payments. And yes he cut across. " Ifyou have any otherquestions, please call the refund administrator at1-800-591-4238. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. The .gov means its official. You can find the phone numbers for current FTC refunds programs at ftc.gov/refunds. Has someone asked you for something in exchange for your AMG refund check? Learn about getting and using credit, borrowing money, and managing debt. And weve heard from many of you that you got your check and cashed it. Right now its a hot one. In a fake check scam, a person you dont know asks you to deposit a check. Heres how it works Acting Associate Director, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC. I believe they want to make distinctions on the danger level of various deployment aims and scope of the AI implementations. . 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. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTCsPrivacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy. Refund checks will expire on August 3, 2022 (90 days after being sent.) PayPal payments will expire on June 4, 2022 (30 days after being sent). Before making AI widely available . Once payments have been issued,PayPal sends an email telling recipients about their refund. After settling with. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. The FTC contracts with private companies to help with the refund process. Use our visualizations to explore scam and fraud trends in your state based on reports from consumers like you. 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. Youve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts youre looking for. An official website of the United States government. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTCsPrivacy Act system notices. couch and chair set leather Generally, after the initial distribution, we process check reissues once a month. Before labeling your product as AI-powered, note also that merely using an AI tool in the development process is not the same as a product having AI in it. Start small, then add on. If someone claims to be from the FTC and asks for money, its a scam. 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. We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. If we do not have all the information we need to send refunds, we may request that consumers file a claim. And its happy news when those cases result in refunds. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. 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. According to the FTC case, Avant falsely advertised to customers that it would accept loan payments by card. CI has also created a short video about how to protect yourself from scams, posted on IRS-CI's YouTube page. And in the FTC settlement with ABCmouse, over $9.7 million went back to more than 200,000 people, mostly through PayPal. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. 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. We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. The FTC is sending PayPal payments totaling $4.7 million to 338,189LifeLock customers who were membersbetween 2012 and 2014. Search the Legal Library instead. Start small, then add on. A puppet becomes a boy. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. But the fact is that some products with AI claims might not even work as advertised in the first place. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. In addition, the agency is resending checks to more than 33,000 people who didn't previously cash their check.