FTC Warns Small Businesses: Don't Open Email Falsely Claiming to be From FTC
Federal Trade Commission / http://www.ftc.gov//news-events/press-releases/2014/04/ftc-warns-small-businesses-dont-open-email-falsely-claiming-be
The Federal Trade Commission is warning small businesses that an email with a subject line “Pending consumer complaint” is not from the FTC. The email falsely states that a complaint has been filed with the agency against their company. The FTC advises recipients not to click on any of the links or attachments with the email. Clicking on the links may install a virus or other spyware on the computer.
The FTC’s advice: Delete the email. For more information on malicious software (malware), visit www.OnGuardOnline.gov/malware.
Philly CBP Seizes 100 Pounds of Khat Destined for Chicago
U.S. Customs & Border Protection / http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/2014-04-09-000000/philly-cbp-seizes-100-pounds-khat-destined-chicago
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers continue to strike khat gold arriving in international parcels at the international express courier facility near Philadelphia International Airport.
The latest haul totaled 100 pounds and was destined to an address in Chicago. The khat has an approximate street value of about $30,000.
CBP officers selected two parcels, manifested as “topographical drawings,” for an x-ray examination and discovered four smaller boxes inside that contained the bundled green, leafy khat.
CBP officers also seized 200 tablets of Methyl-1-Testosterone and 200 tablets of Oxymetholone, classified as schedule III anabolic steroids. The parcels, manifested as “cosmetics,” arrived April 1 and were destined to an address in Illinois.
“Customs and Border Protection recognizes the tremendous access the internet provides U.S. consumers to the global marketplace, however; consumers should understand that certain products imported from this global marketplace remain regulated by U.S. laws,” said Susan Stranieri, CBP Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. “CBP is charged with enforcing these import restrictions, including laws governing illicit narcotics and pharmaceutical products.”
Inspecting international parcels for dangerous and illicit products remains a CBP enforcement priority.
Khat is a green, leafy plant typically grown in the Arabian Peninsula and chewed for its stimulant effect.
The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies khat as a schedule 1 narcotic – the most restrictive category used by the DEA – when the leaves are freshly picked. Its principal components, cathine and cathinone, are considered controlled substances in the United States.
The World Health Organization classified khat as a drug of abuse in 1980. It is chewed for its stimulant effect and retains its potency for up to 48 hours after being harvested.
Please see the DEA Khat Fact Sheet at http://www.justice.gov/dea/pubs/pressrel/pr072606ap.html.
CBP routinely conducts random inspections operations on passengers and air cargo searching for narcotics, currency, weapons and other prohibited or illicit products.
CBP at JFK Seizes Cocaine in Meat
U.S. Customs & Border Protection / http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/2014-04-07-000000/cbp-jfk-seizes-cocaine-meat
JAMAICA, N.Y. — An arriving passenger at John F. Kennedy International Airport had a different kind of ‘beef’ when encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers.
On March 20, CBP officers stopped Mr. Yudishtir Maharaj who was arriving on a flight from Port of Spain, Trinidad. During the course of the inspection CBP officers discovered three large packages of frozen meat within his luggage. When probed, the frozen packages of meat produced a white powder that tested positive for cocaine. Mr. Maharaj was arrested for the importation of a controlled substance and was turned over to Homeland Security Investigations. The total weight of cocaine seized is approximately 7.35 lbs.
“This latest seizure demonstrates the vigilance of our CBP officers, and their excellence in detecting those who would try to smuggle these illegal substances,” said Robert E. Perez, Director, Field Operations New York.
Mr. Maharaj now faces federal narcotics smuggling charges and will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the U.S. Eastern District Court of New York.
All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.
International Trade Administration - Announcements
International Trade Administration / http://otexa.ita.doc.gov/
04/04/2014 - Commerce Finds Dumping of Imports of Diffusion-Annealed, Nickel-Plated Flat-Rolled Steel from Japan
NOTICES TO THE WILDLIFE IMPORT/EXPORT COMMUNITY: Suspension on Imports of Specific African Elephant Trophies
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service / http://www.fws.gov/le/public-bulletin.html
Suspension on Imports of Specific African Elephant Trophies
FTC Approves Final Order Settling Charges That N.E.W. Plastics’ Environmental Claims for its Plastic Lumber Products Were Misleading
Federal Trade Commission / http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/04/ftc-approves-final-order-settling-charges-new-plastics
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final consent order settling charges that N.E.W. Plastics Corp., a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of plastic lumber products, misled consumers and distributors about the recycled content, post-consumer recycled content, and recyclability of its products.
The FTC’s February 2014 complaint alleges that between September 2012 and March 2013 the company made false and misleading claims that its Evolve plastic lumber products are made from 90 percent or more recycled content. It also alleged that the company made false and misleading claims that its Trimax plastic lumber products are made from mostly post-consumer recycled content and that both Evolve and Trimax are recyclable.
Under the FTC’s final order, the company must have credible evidence to support any claims it makes about its products’ recycled content, post-consumer recycled content, recyclability, or any other environmental benefit, and is required to tell its distributors to stop using marketing material for the two products provided by the company before December 2013.
The final order also bars N.E.W. from making unqualified recyclable claims about any product or package, unless the product or package can be recycled in an established recycling program, and such facilities are available to at least 60 percent of consumers or communities where the product or package is sold.
The Commission vote approving the final order was 4-0. (FTC File No.132-3126; the staff contact is Elisa Jillison, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-3001)
Forman Mills Agrees to Pay $600,000 Civil Penalty for Failure to Report Drawstrings in Children’s Upper Outerwear
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission / http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/News-Releases/2014/Forman-Mills-Agrees-to-Pay-600000-Civil-Penalty/
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Forman Mills Inc., of Pennsauken, N.J., has agreed to pay a $600,000 civil penalty. The penalty agreement has been accepted provisionally by the Commission in a 3-0 vote.
The settlement resolves CPSC staff’s charges that from June 2007 to February 2010, Forman Mills knowingly failed to report to the CPSC immediately, as required by federal law, that the firm sold or held for sale to consumers about 2,100 children’s upper outerwear garments with drawstrings. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines, which were incorporated into a consensus industry voluntary standard in 1997, to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on hood, neck and waist drawstrings in upper garments, such as sweatshirts and jackets.
In May 2006, the Commission posted a letter on its website stating that staff considered children’s upper outerwear with drawstrings at the hood or neck to be defective and present a substantial risk of injury to young children.
The four series of garments included in today’s civil penalty were sold or held for sale between June 2007 and February 2010. The garments were recalled on January 6, 2009, February 18, 2010, April 8, 2010, and May 27, 2010.
In April 2009, the Commission issued an Order in which Forman Mills agreed to pay a civil penalty of $35,000 to settle staff’s charges that the firm failed to report children’s upper outerwear products with drawstrings that the firm had distributed in commerce.
Forman Mills distributed some garments in the current civil penalty matter during the same period as CPSC’s investigation and negotiation of the April 2009 civil penalty. There have been no reported injuries associated with the recalled garments.
In addition to paying a monetary penalty, Forman Mills has agreed to implement and maintain a compliance program designed to ensure compliance with the statutes and regulations enforced by the Commission. Forman Mills also agreed to maintain and enforce a system of internal controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed to the Commission is recorded, processed and reported in accordance with applicable law and that all reporting made to the Commission is timely, truthful, complete and accurate. The firm will also take steps to ensure that prompt disclosure is made to Forman Mills’ management of any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of such internal controls.
Federal law requires manufacturers, distributors and retailers to report to CPSC immediately (within 24 hours) after obtaining information reasonably supporting the conclusion that a product contains a defect which could create a substantial product hazard, creates an unreasonable risk of serious injury or death, or violates any consumer product safety rule, or any other rule, regulation, standard, or ban enforced by the CPSC.
The agreement is in settlement of the staff’s charges and does not constitute an admission by Forman Mills that it knowingly violated the law.
Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats: A Dangerous Combination
U.S. Food & Drug Administration / http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/AnimalHealthLiteracy/ucm206751.htm
Cats are curious creatures by nature. They love to play, jump, and roam around the house, but sometimes their inquisitive personalities get the best of them. As the plastic eggs filled with candy and the baskets of colorful plastic grass leave the store and enter your home, it’s important to remember that these items can be dangerous for our feline friends.
It’s also important to remember that while lilies, a common household plant, are lovely to see and smell, they are still a safety threat for our cats. The entire lily plant (leaf, pollen, and flower) is considered to be toxic for cats. If you have lilies in your home this Easter, make sure that your cat doesn’t eat any part of the plants.
Symptoms of lily toxicity in cats include lethargy (decreased activity), vomiting, and loss of appetite. These symptoms worsen as the kidney damage progresses, leading to death. Early veterinary treatment is critical. If you suspect that your cat has eaten any part of a lily or its pollen, call your veterinarian immediately.
Holidays are times to celebrate with friends and family. Your feline friends want to celebrate with you. Please do your part to “cat-proof” your home in order to keep them safe this holiday season.
FTC Notifies Facebook, WhatsApp of Privacy Obligations in Light of Proposed Acquisition
Federal Trade Commission / http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/04/ftc-notifies-facebook-whatsapp-privacy-obligations-light-proposed
The director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection notified Facebook and WhatsApp about their obligations to protect the privacy of their users in light of Facebook’s proposed acquisition of WhatsApp.
In a letter to the two companies, Bureau Director Jessica Rich noted that WhatsApp has made clear privacy promises to consumers, and that both companies have told consumers that after any acquisition, WhatsApp will continue its current privacy practices.
“We want to make clear that, regardless of the acquisition, WhatsApp must continue to honor these promises to consumers. Further, if the acquisition is completed and WhatsApp fails to honor these promises, both companies could be in violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act and, potentially, the FTC’s order against Facebook,” the letter states.
In 2011, Facebook settled FTC charges that it deceived consumers by failing to keep its privacy promises. Under the terms of the FTC’s order against the company, it must get consumers’ affirmative consent before making changes that override their privacy settings, among other requirements.
The letter notes that before making any material changes to how they use data already collected from WhatsApp subscribers, the companies must get affirmative consent. In addition, the letter notes that the companies must not misrepresent the extent to which they maintain the privacy or security of user data. The letter also recommends that consumers be given the opportunity to opt out of any future changes to how newly-collected data is used.
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.