The FTC and 32 partners in the U.S. and Canada announced Operation Ruse Control, a law enforcement sweep to protect people who buy or lease a car. 252 enforcement actions were brought against dishonest car dealers. The charges ranged from deceptive advertising and criminal auto loan application fraud, to odometer fraud, deceptive add-on loan servicing fees, and deceptive marketing of car title loans. The effort includes six new cases the FTC brought against companies that tricked people with deceptive auto sales, financing and leasing.

BMW of North America LLC agreed to settle the FTC’s charges that the company told MINI owners they would void their warranty unless they used MINI parts, and MINI dealers, to do maintenance and repair work on their cars. According to the FTC, this violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Under the settlement, BMW will not threaten to void MINI owners’ warranties for using other parts and service providers. The settlement also prohibits BMW from making unsupported claims that routine maintenance by MINI dealers is the only way to ensure that a car will operate safely or maintain its value.

The FTC filed a complaint against FTC Credit Solutions, for deceiving people by claiming to be affiliated with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC says the company marketed bogus credit repair services to people who speak Spanish, and then illegally charged them fees before providing any service. According to the real FTC, “FTC Credit Solutions” also falsely promised to remove negative information from credit reports, and to improve credit scores. 

According to the FTC, an affiliate marketing network called LeadClick Media was responsible for false claims made in a marketing scheme that sold acai berry and “colon cleanse” weight-loss products. The FTC says LeanSpa, which hired LeadClick to push its products, used a “free trial” ploy to enroll people into a recurring – and hard-to-cancel – $79.99 per month purchase program. The FTC says LeadClick’s network lured people to LeanSpa’s online store by using fake news websites with what appeared to be reviews and endorsements from journalists and customers. The company was ordered to pay $16 million, which will be used for customer refunds. 

The FTC mailed 17,606 refund checks totaling almost $955,000 to people who lost money buying the AdvaCAL calcium supplement marketed by Lane Labs-USA Inc. According to the FTC, Lane Labs made false and unsubstantiated claims that AdvaCAL was the only calcium supplement that could increase bone density. The company also claimed that AdvaCAL was equal or better than prescription drugs used to treat osteoporosis. Eligible customers who receive the checks must cash them by May 18, 2015, or they will become void. And remember, the FTC will never ask you to pay anything or give personal information before you can cash a refund check.

Par Petroleum Corporation will terminate its storage and throughput rights at a key gasoline terminal in Hawaii, to settle FTC charges that its $107 million acquisition of Mid Pac Petroleum, would reduce competition, and likely lead to higher gasoline prices in Hawaii. According to the FTC, Par and Mid Pac are two of only four companies that handle bulk supplies of Hawaii-grade gasoline blendstock, which is gasoline before it is blended with ethanol to make finished gasoline. By acquiring Mid Pac’s rights in a terminal located on Oahu, Par could impair the ability of Aloha, the other company with terminal rights, to compete.

Do you know what to do when your personal email gets hacked? How about when malware hijacks your home computer? The FTC has two new videos to help: Hacked Email: What to Do and Hijacked Computer: What to Do. Use them yourself, or pass them on to friends and family. For more information on about how to be safe, secure and responsible online, visit onguardonline.gov.