Consumer Protection

Subscribe to Consumer Protection via RSS

Earlier this month, attorneys general from seven states launched a coordinated inquiry into the rapidly expanding “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) market. Led by Connecticut and North Carolina, and joined by California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, the multistate coalition of attorneys general sent letters to six major BNPL providers, outlining concerns that the companies’ products may be violating state consumer protection laws.

Regulators Cite Risks: Repayment Challenges and Transparency Concerns

In the letters, state AGs request information on pricing and repayment structures, as well as copies of consumer contracts, user agreements, and disclosures. The inquiries focus on determining whether consumers have received what the states view as appropriate protections—specifically, whether they have encountered a lack of transparency, undisclosed fees, and risky repayment structures.Continue Reading State AGs Increase Scrutiny of Buy Now, Pay Later Providers Amid Consumer Protection Concerns

In her remarks at this year’s ANA Masters of Advertising Law Conference, Commissioner Melissa Holyoak of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) emphasized three areas where the agency is focusing its consumer protection enforcement mandate: the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule (COPPA), Made in USA claims, and price transparency.

Holyoak didn’t comment on press reports that she will soon leave the agency to become U.S. attorney for the District of Utah, with White House staffer Ryan Baasch set to fill Holyoak’s spot.

Price Transparency and the FTC’s Unfair or Deceptive Fee Rule

Regarding price transparency and the FTC’s Unfair or Deceptive Fee Rule, Holyoak stressed that while the rule’s scope is limited to ticket sellers and short-term lodging providers, all companies and their pricing practices remain subject to the Section 5 enforcement.  Continue Reading FTC’s Melissa Holyoak Outlines Consumer Protection Focus at ANA Advertising Law Conference

FTC Commissioner Mark Meador spoke at the National Advertising Division’s Annual Conference this week in Washington and provided some insight into his views on advertising and consumer protection. 

Meador began by noting that he was an antitrust lawyer prior to becoming a commissioner, with limited exposure to consumer protection issues. He noted that many antitrust matters contest subtle issues of market definition and the anticompetitive effects likely to occur in the future. 

On the other hand, Meador described many of the cases brought by the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection as fighting evil and involving conduct that morally shocked him. He threw in a quote from Leviticus 19:35-36 to make his point: “Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or volume. Your scales and weights must be accurate. Your containers for measuring dry materials or liquids must be accurate.” Continue Reading FTC Commissioner Mark Meador Highlights Consumer Protection Priorities at NAD Conference