Legal Resources
Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule: A Staff Report on Recommendations to the Commission On Proposed Amendments
April 29, 2013A staff report on proposed amendments to the Mail Order Rule
Enforceable Codes of Conduct: Protecting Consumers Across Borders
November 29, 2012An FTC forum focusing on how government entities, businesses, consumer groups, and others are developing and administering voluntary procedures to protect consumers in cross-border commerce
In Short: Advertising & Privacy Disclosures in a Digital World
May 30, 2012Following up on the FTC's 2000 "Dot Com Disclosures" publication, a national workshop to consider the need for new guidance concerning effecting advertising and privacy disclosures in online and mobile environments
Drip Pricing
May 21, 2012FTC workshop to examine the economic implications of drip pricing, the practice of advertising only part of a product’s price and reveal other charges later as the customer goes through the buying process
Forum on Unauthorized Third-Party Charges on Telephone Bills (Cramming)
May 12, 2011Forum on how the government, businesses, and organizations can work together to prevent consumers from being victimized by unauthorized third-party charges on their telephone bills, a practice known as “cramming"
"Congratulations, You’re a Winner!": Lottery, Prize, and Sweepstakes Scams and the Role of Money Transfer Services
May 2, 2011A public workshop to examine strategies for protecting consumers from lottery, prize, and sweepstakes scams, and other forms of fraud that use money transfers as the method of payment.
Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book (2010)
March 8, 2011Report analyzing consumer complaints received by the FTC in 2010, including a list of the Top 10 Consumer Complaints and complaint data by state and metropolitan area
Fraud Forum Report
December 29, 2009Staff report that examines more effective ways to protect consumers from fraudulent schemes and focus the collective knowledge and experience of forum participants to fight fraud.
Beyond Voice: Mapping the Mobile Marketplace Report
April 1, 2009Report from May 2008 town hall meeting about issues arising in the mobile commerce marketplace.
Digital Rights Management
March 25, 2009Conference on the use of digital rights management—technologies typically used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, and copyright holders to attempt to control how consumers access and use media and entertainment content—and how to improve disclosure about DRM limitations.
Ad It Up! Kids in a Commercial World
March 12, 2009Forum that gathered input for the FTC’s education program on advertising literacy, focusing on what children experience in the commercial world, what they understand about their experiences, and what consumer education efforts will help kids navigate in this world.
Fraud Forum
February 25, 2009Forum to examine how the FTC can more effectively protect consumers from fraudulent schemes.
Negative Option Marketing Report
January 1, 2009Report presenting five marketing principles for avoiding deception in negative option offers on the Internet, which poses unique issues not present in print or telephone marketing.
Beyond Voice: Mapping the Mobile Marketplace
May 6, 2008Town Hall exploring the evolving mobile commerce (Mcommerce) marketplace and its implications for consumer protection policy. This meeting built on a 2006 hearing which examined technological and business developments expected to shape consumers' experiences over the next ten years.
College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act - 2007 Report
May 5, 2008Report to Congress from the Department of Justice, Department of Education, and the FTC to provide an update of their activities to combat financial aid fraud and an assessment of the nature and quantity of financial aid fraud during the previous year.
Protecting Consumers In The Next Tech-ade Report
March 28, 2008Staff report highlighting the challenges of consumer protection in the face of emerging and evolving technologies in the next ten years.
Consumer Fraud in the United States: The Second FTC Survey
October 29, 2007Report about 2005 survey of fraud in the United States showing that 30.2 million adults – 13.5 percent of the adult population – were victims of fraud.
The Rebate Debate
April 27, 2007Workshop that provided an opportunity to discuss consumers' perspectives on rebates and challenges businesses face when they offer rebates. Explored "best practices" in the offering and fulfillment of rebates.
Negative Option Marketing
January 25, 2007Workshop to analyze the marketing of goods and services through offers with negative option features. The workshop addressed the pros and cons of such offers, discussed online marketing of such offers, and explored ways to make effective disclosures when such offers are made online.
Protecting Consumers in the Next Tech-ade
November 6, 2006Hearings exploring how convergence and globalization of commerce impact consumer protection, examining changes that have occurred in marketing and technology over the past decade, and discussing challenges and opportunities for consumers, businesses, and governmental bodies.