Who is ftc

You can also add yourself to the National Do Not Call registry and sign up for email alerts about the latest scams.

The FTC also upholds many of the laws that help determine your overall credit profile. For instance, it helps enforce the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which gives consumers the right to request a free copy of their credit reports from each of the three major consumer credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — once every 12 months.

If you take advantage of these resources thoughtfully, you could end up a more knowledgeable and empowered consumer. The FTC works to ensure that businesses act fairly toward consumers and conduct their business in the spirit of fair competition. If you encounter a serious issue such as fraud or theft, you have the ability to submit a consumer complaint with the FTC.

The FTC is meant to help protect you, the consumer, from harm. Our editorial team thoroughly sources and fact-checks the articles we publish, and we strive to deliver a balanced analysis of information. Prior to publication, Credit Karma editorial content must meet the following standards:. Image: Woman paying bills on laptop, thanks to help from the FTC. In a Nutshell The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, is a federal agency that aims to protect consumers by regulating unfair, deceptive or fraudulent business practices, and by promoting fair competition.

Advertiser Disclosure We think it's important for you to understand how we make money. About the author: Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer and editor currently living in Portland, Oregon.

She is passionate about education, financial literacy and empowering people to take control of their finances. The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. The FTC is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy. That work is aided by the Office of General Counsel and seven regional offices. Learn more about the FTC's Competition mission In , Congress gave the FTC the authority to adopt industry-wide trade regulation rules.

It was tasked with enforcing the Clayton Act, which banned monopolistic practices. Part of the Department of Commerce and Labor, the Bureau of Corporations was tasked with making sure businesses acted in the best interest of the public. As the years have passed, the FTC has been tasked with enforcing additional business regulations, as codified in Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

The FTC's regular activities include investigating fraud or false advertising from consumers, businesses, and the media, congressional inquiries, and pre-merger notification filings. The FTC may investigate a single company or an entire industry.

If an FTC investigation reveals unlawful activities on the part of one or more companies within an industry, it can seek voluntary compliances via consent order, initiate federal litigation, or file an administrative complaint.

Traditionally, such a complaint would be heard in front of an administrative law judge ALJ and may be appealed to the U. Court of Appeals and then the Supreme Court.

The FTC also deals with complaints of unfair business practices, such as scams and deceptive advertising. Its Bureau of Consumer Protection conducts investigations into alleged abuses, carries out enforcement actions, and provides educational materials to consumers.

The Bureau of Consumer Protection is in charge of the U. National Do Not Call Registry. The FTC typically does not have the ability to directly enforce its rulings, but it can go to the courts to have them enforced. In , the FTC cracked down on deceptive pricing in the funeral home industry, implementing the FTC Funeral Rule, which requires funeral homes to offer a written General Price List GPL detailing all prices for goods and services in the funeral industry to anyone who requests one.

No one can be denied a written copy of GPL by law, and they must be allowed to keep it if they desire. Treasury or an appropriate state fund in exchange for not having to go to court.

In the s, the agency also conducted several investigations into telemarketing scams, beginning with Project Telesweep in , which cracked down on at least fictitious business opportunity scams.

The FTC has been active in the healthcare industry, too, blocking the proposed acquisition of Palmyra Medical Center by Putney Memorial Hospital based on potential harm to consumers. For more than two years, it withheld part of customer paid tips from its Flex drivers. The FTC can regulate trade by outlining deceptive and unfair practices in the marketplace.

It also enforces antitrust and consumer protection laws. Once a complaint is submitted, the FTC shares it with more than 3, law enforcers.

The FTC gathers information from submitted complaints to create reports, which are used to investigate fraud, unfair business practices, and scams. Antitrust Laws. Company Profiles.