You dont have to pay for an FTC refund, and you dont have to give any information to cash a refund check. Youve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts youre looking for. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. 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. Its safer to go to the website by typing the URL into your browser: Never pay money or give sensitive financial information to get a refund payment from the FTC. Please, doTERRA distributors charged with making unfounded COVID-19 cure claims, Tenant screening practices: the FTC wants to learn more. Estimate your payment amount 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. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. Does the product actually use AI at all? 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, These scams work because fake checks generally look just like real checks, even to bank employees. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. Payments are expected to be issued between October 2022 and January 2023. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. 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. If you get a PayPal payment, please accept it within 30 days. 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. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment. You can't write software for this as sensor cant see behind the car in front , we can. We told you last month about the $505 million in checks going back to 1.1 million people who got an online payday loan from a company affiliated with AMG Services. We wont post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity. The site is secure. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. The FTC never requires you to pay fees or asks you for sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account information. Generally, the FTC does not issue 1099s or other tax documents to refund recipients. Got questions about your refund? Make smart shopping decisions, know your rights, and solve problems when you shop or donate to charity. Whether it's a refund scam promising to get your money back or a recovery scam claiming to get you the prize or products you were promised . You need to know about the reasonably foreseeable risks and impact of your AI product before putting it on the market. They always have a good story to explain why you cant keep all the money. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. And in the FTC settlement with ABCmouse, over $9.7 million went back to more than 200,000 people, mostly through PayPal. Dont do it! But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We cannot send payments until all legal action is complete, and we have collected the money from the defendants. If you have any other questions, please call the refund administrator at1-866-898-5106. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. Search the Legal Library instead. You can be sure the phone numbers and links on this page are legit. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. Weve already warned businesses to avoid using automated tools that have biased or discriminatory impacts. We review all comments before they are posted, and we wont post comments that dont comply with our commenting policy. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. If you have specific questions regarding FTC refunds, check out these related FAQs. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. We wont post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. When you talk about AI in your advertising, the FTC may be wondering, among other things: Are you exaggerating what your AI product can do? The FTC currently issues payments by check, prepaid debit card,and PayPal. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Completely agree that movies and media have caused an unfortunate and exaggerated view of AI. Can I still get my payment? For statistics about where refunds were sent, the dollar amounts refunded, and the number of people who benefited from FTC refund programs, visit our interactive dashboards. Why aren't you going after "Full Self Driving" and "Auto Pilot" used by Tesla? A.I accelerate till the camer tell it the cars are all stopped. Spot the latest COVID scams, get compliance guidance, and stay up to date on FTC actions during the pandemic. If you were a little too jolly with your holiday spending, here are some tips to help you pay down your credit card debt. The .gov means its official. Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. . 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. If so, information about how to file a claim will be available at, If you believe you have been affected by an FTC case that is not listed at, For more information about the FTCs refund process, see, Data on FTC refunds are available in interactive online dashboards. Will I receive any more money? Lina M. Khan was sworn in as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission on June 15, 2021. 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 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 may search for reports related to the defendants and use the contact information in those complaints to create a list of potential refund recipients. The FTC provides answers to common questions about refund payments onour FAQ page. The agency is sending refund checks to two million people over the next two weeks. How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same. The FTC first sent checks in September 2021, which resulted in more than $2.9 million in refunds. What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment. They are often printed with the names and addresses of legitimate financial institutions. Or can all this be simply ignored? If you have any other questions, please call the refund administrator at1-866-898-5106. But one thing is for sure: its a marketing term. By that time, the scammer has any money you sent, and you're stuck paying the money back to the bank. Otherwise, do some research online. Marketers should know that for FTC enforcement purposes false or unsubstantiated claims about a products efficacy are our bread and butter. Refund checks will expire on August 3, 2022 (90 days after being sent.) The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. . The FTC does not require you to forfeit any rights you may have under federal or state law to get your refund. Are you aware of the risks? In some cases, this lack of efficacy may exist regardless of what other harm the products might cause. Ifyou have any otherquestions, please call the refund administrator at1-800-591-4238. But the fact is that some products with AI claims might not even work as advertised in the first place. It can only see both side and in front not a car on the side facing the street that going to pull out. Memo from Chair Lina M. Khan to commission staff and commissioners regarding the vision and priorities for the FTC. 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. Under a settlement with the FTC, Hold Billing Services (also known as BillingServices Group) admitted to violating a previous court order when the companyadded third-party charges to peoples home phone bills between July 2009 and March 2010. If we know of a company that is lying to the public about its AI capability, is there a way to report that? We wont post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions. An official website of the United States government. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. 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. Have you heard about it? Spot the latest COVID scams, get compliance guidance, and stay up to date on FTC actions during the pandemic. We use this information to send refunds. 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. Or even claiming it can do something beyond the current capability of any AI or automated technology? 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. According to the FTC, ABCmouse failed to make it clear to their customers that their memberships would automatically renew and made it difficult to cancel. I went through your questions and our process conforms to them, we say that AI isn't magic, it is math. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. 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. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. . 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. Learn more about your rights as a consumer and how to spot and avoid scams. Whenever theres an FTC refund program, information is available at. The site is secure. An official website of the United States government. There is an explosion of companies who 'are doing AI', I see it at all the trade shows, companies that four years ago were skeptical of AI technology now have AI sprinkled on everything they do. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. The chart below includes recent FTC cases that resulted in refunds. We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. What to know when you're looking for a job or more education, or considering a money-making opportunity or investment. Consumers who receive checks should cash them by August 17, 2022. The .gov means its official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. The case will be listed at. This article do apply to all the trendy or great KPI messages Marketing people provide: Marketing claims should be backed and supported by evidence and proof points. If you think you can get away with baseless claims that your product is AI-enabled, think again. 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, 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 , targeting people who lost money to tech support scams, claiming to be from the FTCs Refund Department or Refund Division, If the FTC contacts you about a refund, youll find information about the case at, doTERRA distributors charged with making unfounded COVID-19 cure claims, Tenant screening practices: the FTC wants to learn more. Report that to us at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Whenever theres an FTC refund program, information is available at ftc.gov/refunds. 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. I tell DOD and USG folks to educate themselves on AI/ML, there are tons of YouTube videos on it and some simple books to read, podcasts, etc - know what it is and what it isn't. Dont click on any links in emails that seem to be from the FTC or from PayPal. The .gov means its official. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. Reportedly, there will be 12,072 checks sent, averaging around $53 each. We enforce federal competition and consumer protection laws that prevent anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission. We review all comments before they are posted, and we wont post comments that dont comply with our commenting policy. Find legal resources and guidance to understand your business responsibilities and comply with the law. 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. I'd expect the SEC, FBI, CIA, and especially the FTC to have the most advanced tools to vet and locate rule breakers. Are you folks coordinating with the EU on all this? Have you heard about it? Weve just heard, though, that scammers are trying to get into the act, using fake checks that look like the real one. Yes, the FTC sometimes uses PayPal to distribute refunds. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. Stephanie T. Nguyen, Chief Technology Officer, Competition and Consumer Protection Guidance Documents, You can findanswers tocommon questions about refund payments on. We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. Once payments have been issued,PayPal sends an email telling recipients about their refund. Here is a list of gift cards that scammers often use with information to help report a scam. Make smart shopping decisions, know your rights, and solve problems when you shop or donate to charity. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. The message says theres something wrong with Its Cyber Security Awareness month, so the tricks scammers use to steal our personal information are on our minds. Choose "Office Depot" from the "Select a Case" box in the top right corner, then click on your state on the map. Because there is still money in the fund, the FTC is sending another round of payments to people who previously cashed a check or accepted a PayPal payment and have a valid email address on file. If there is any money left in the settlement fund after the first distribution, the FTC may send a second round of payments. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. Checks can be verified online at www.ftc.gov/AMG. Are you promising that your AI product does something better than a non-AI product? We wont post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions. The .gov means its official. If you think you can get away with baseless claims that your product is AI-enabled, think again. 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 .gov means its official. about the $505 million in checks going back to 1.1 million people who got an online payday loan from a company affiliated with AMG Services. Are you exaggerating what your AI product can do? Anticipation" same as cars in front you turn right, you can see ahead it all stopped. Except for these administrative costs, the FTC tries to return all the money collected for refunds to injured consumers. We must wait for PayPal to return the payment before we can begin processing check reissues. I didnt cash my check right away. Breathless media accounts dont help, but it starts with the companies that do the developing and selling. I just heard about an FTC lawsuit. The FTC never requires you to pay fees or asks you for sensitive information, like your Social Security number or bank account information. Until the killer robots come We work to advance government policies that protect consumers and promote competition. Next-Gen Refund Payments. Breathless media accounts dont help, but it starts with the companies that do the developing and selling. . An official website of the United States government. Start small, then add on. What to do about unwanted calls, emails, and text messages that can be annoying, might be illegal, and are probably scams. money back to them or buy stuff for them. Anyone who does is scamming you. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. Free e-filing tools are available at www.irs.gov/freefile. I believe they want to make distinctions on the danger level of various deployment aims and scope of the AI implementations. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. humans will need to be able to peer into what is now not transparent, the invisible gut. AI hype is playing out today across many products, from toys to cars to chatbots and a lot of things in between. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. If someone claims to be from the FTC and asks for money, its a scam. . For questions or to activate your card, visit the Contact information on this page. If you get a refund from the FTC, just deposit or cash the check within 60 days. What to do about unwanted calls, emails, and text messages that can be annoying, might be illegal, and are probably scams. The irony. Recent complaints to the FTC show that scammers are: So how can you tell whether an FTC refund is real? Just one word that e separate a 18 old driver that A.I will alway be comaoared from a experience older driver, that word is " anticipation " pro active computer are re active from 1 dimensions Cabrera and sensor. Our mission is protecting consumers and competition by preventing anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices through law enforcement, advocacy, and education without unduly burdening legitimate business activity. 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. In one version of the scam, you get a call and a recorded message that says its Amazon. Like any product, you have to do your research. Our mission is protecting consumers and competition by preventing anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair business practices through law enforcement, advocacy, and education without unduly burdening legitimate business activity. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. For example, were not yet living in the realm of science fiction, where computers can generally make trustworthy predictions of human behavior. . For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy. After settling with. An official website of the United States government. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. If you'd like to know more about how the refund program works, visit this page about the FTC's process. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. You need to know about the reasonably foreseeable risks and impact of your AI product before putting it on the market. huge damage to the human race. We wont post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions. Make smart shopping decisions, know your rights, and solve problems when you shop or donate to charity. To avoid these scammers: For more information, please read the FTCs article about phishing scams. How do I file a claim? You can find the phone numbers for current FTC refunds programs at ftc.gov/refunds. If you get a PayPal payment, please accept it within 30 days. You dont need a machine to predict what the FTC might do when those claims are unsupported. Spot the latest COVID scams, get compliance guidance, and stay up to date on FTC actions during the pandemic. Ifyou have any otherquestions, please call the refund administrator at1-800-591-4238. to payment recipients prior to payment. What to do about unwanted calls, emails, and text messages that can be annoying, might be illegal, and are probably scams. Start small, then add on. So far, weve heard that scammers have given job applicants a check that looks like an AMG refund check, and then asked people to deposit the check and use the money to go buy supplies for the supposed employer. If we do not have all the information we need to send refunds, we may request that consumers file a claim. If you are requesting a check instead of a PayPal payment, it will be at least 45 days from the initial payment date before we can issue the check. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. And remember that the FTC will never require you to pay fees in advance, or ask for sensitive information, like your bank account number. AI as just a magnification / catalyst to human miss behavior. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. They might say they need you to cover taxes or fees for a prize, to buy supplies for a job, to send back money they overpaid, or something else. Weve. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. . We send out payments as soon as we can. Can I speak to someone about my claim form or payment? The case will be listed at ftc.gov/refunds, along with the name of the company issuing payments and a phone number for questions. If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. Looking for legal documents or records? The site is secure. Find the resources you need to understand how consumer protection law impacts your business. If I accept this payment, can I still take legal action? To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. in many ways, including bringing cases against companies who are being unfair or deceptive.