The FTC
will host two events to discuss issues involving mobile technology and
commerce. The events are free and open to the public. They will be held at the
FTC’s conference center, 601 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.
Mobile Cramming This roundtable on May 8 will examine
unauthorized third-party charges on mobile phone bills – a practice known as
mobile cramming. Email comments to mobilecrammingroundtable@ftc.gov.
Mobile Threats This public forum on June
4 will focus on the security of mobile technologies and how to protect people
who use mobile technology from malware, viruses, and similar threats. Submit
comments to mobilethreats@ftc.gov.
A
federal court has banned Hope for Car Owners, LLC from providing modification services for
auto loans or other types of debt. The court imposed a default judgment of more
than $360,000. The FTC alleged that Hope for Car Owners told customers to stop
paying their lenders, a tactic that increased the risk that their vehicles
would be repossessed. Read about auto loan scams and watch the video.
HTC America, a mobile device manufacturer, has agreed to
settle FTC charges that it failed to take reasonable steps to secure the
software it developed for its smartphones and tablet computers. According to
the FTC, the software had security flaws that placed sensitive information
about millions of device users at risk. The FTC said millions of HTC devices could
potentially allow malicious applications to send text messages, record audio,
and even install additional malware onto the devices, all without the owners’ knowledge
or consent. Read Patching
Things Up.
The FTC has settled
its charges against the defendants behind an alleged mortgage relief scam. According to the FTC, Sameer Lakhany and
five companies he controlled deceived more than 1,000 cash-strapped homeowners into
believing they could hold onto their homes and reduce their mortgage payments either
by suing their mortgage lenders in so-called “mass joinder” lawsuits or buying
“forensic loan audits.” All but one of the defendants are banned from marketing
mortgage- and debt- relief services. Read about mortgage relief scams and watch a video.
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